On The Plains with Isaiah Raikes: ‘Maximize my potential’

AUBURN, Ala. – Senior defensive lineman Isaiah Raikes may be new to Auburn, but Auburn and the SEC are very familiar to him. 

The graduate transfer arrived on the Plains in May with a great understanding of the challenge, and the opportunities, in front of him. Having spent the spring semester at Southern Cal, Raikes, a Texas A&M graduate, was eager to return to the conference of his football roots.

“I feel like I made a good decision for my career to come back and play in the SEC,” Raikes said of his decision to join the Tigers. “As a bonus, I already had a great relationship with Coach (D.J.) Durkin (the Tigers’ defensive coordinator). He was my defensive coordinator for two years at A&M, and I think he’s a great coach.”

Raikes also has great respect for Auburn football, forged on the opponent sideline at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

“Playing for A&M, I played here twice before, and it was a great atmosphere,” the former Aggie team captain said. “My first trip to Auburn, I was here during the COVID year, and it was one of the best COVID stadiums I played in. The atmosphere was terrific. 

“Then we came here in 2022 when Cadillac (Williams) became the interim coach. It was an amazing scene. That had to be one of the best atmospheres for a game anywhere for the last several years.

“I enjoyed the atmosphere at A&M, and I think this is similar. I don’t like to compare, but this is definitely great. All the teams in the SEC are beautiful – there are no bad atmospheres – but a few stand above. Auburn is definitely one of those.”

The Raikes family plans to be among those in attendance at Jordan-Hare this fall. 

“My family all lives in New Jersey and they will definitely be coming to games and traveling down,” Raikes said. “My dad was just going through the schedule with me the other night. They’ll be at several of those first five games in a row at home. 

“My family enjoys sports, but I’m only the second one to play in college. My aunt Shamire Rothmiller was an All-American in track and field at South Carolina State.”

Raikes is from Woodbury, New Jersey, where he excelled at St. Augustine Prep, earning area player of the year honors. 

“I really enjoyed football as a kid,” he said. “I was always a big kid physically and it gave me some separation. I made a lot of good friends. I wasn’t great at football my first year – I actually quit the first time I was playing when I was 7. But I played again when I was 8, and I’ve played ever since. Since I’m an only child, I enjoyed playing with a team. 

“Around sixth grade is when I started to take football more seriously and started training and stuff like that. Actually, my dad did. He said I could be playing college football someday, and he started implementing a plan to work toward that.”

What Raikes enjoys about the gridiron game are the intangibles of the sport. “I enjoy playing with my teammates and the accountability aspects of the sport, counting on the guy next to you to do the job so you can succeed together. Probably number one is the life lessons football teaches and how football relates to everyday activities and things you will experience.

“Football has taught me the next play mentality,” he added. “If something bad happens in life, you move to the next play. Football makes you learn that – move to the next play. My freshman year, I would always worry about the last play, but football taught me to move forward.”

This summer, Raikes is moving toward becoming more connected with his new teammates. 

“I’m trying to learn about all the guys and find out what each one is about and earn their respect,” he explained. “And I want them to know what I’m about in football and as a teammate. As an only child, I know how to entertain myself, but ever since I got to college, it’s been nice to go over to someone’s house and hang out, even though you already spend so much time together with football.”

 

One thing his fellow Tigers should know is that Raikes earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural communication and journalism from Texas A&M this May. 

“Finishing my degree was a real achievement,” he admitted proudly. “I took that major because I was interested in photography and videography and the ag track was more hands-on than the others. But the older I get, I think I would like to coach and teach when I get done playing. Helping people find their potential and grow. I had coaches who did that, and I want to do the same for others like the great job they did for me. I want to impact lives.”

Raikes will start to build that impact with the younger players along the defensive line. 

“I want to teach them the importance of the little things, the details, and walk them through taking every rep seriously,” he said. “These are things that you want them to know to help them get better.” 

Raikes is looking to improve as well. “My goal for this season is I want to maximize my potential. I can’t say what that is, but I want to take advantage of every opportunity and make the most of every play.”

He’s glad to have the chance to do that here at Auburn. 

“This team is pretty tight-knit and has genuine relationships in caring for one another, which I think is important going into the season,” Raikes said. “To have that kind of chemistry where you actually care about one another – chemistry makes a difference, and I see it here – I’m eager for the season to start.”