Auburn is losing two key defensive players to the NFL draft.
Cornerback Carlton Davis will forgo his senior season, he announced Wednesday on Twitter. Davis is projected by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. as the sixth-best corner in the draft.
— C-Murda ™ (@Carlton_Lowkey) January 3, 2018
The 6-foot-1 Miami native did not participate in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl while dealing with an illness, coach Gus Malzahn said.
"Carlton has been a starter at Auburn from day one, using his talents and hard work to earn All-America honors," Malzahn said in a statement. "He has been a model of consistency and played an important role in the success of our defense. I appreciate Carlton and wish him all the best."
Davis, who started all three seasons at Auburn, was an SEC All-Freshman selection in 2015 and an All-SEC third-team choice a year ago. He led the Tigers with 11 pass breakups this season.
Meanwhile, Jeff Holland, who led the team with 9.5 sacks in 2017, also announced he would be turning pro. The junior is the 10th highest rated outside linebacker in the draft, according to Kiper.
On offense, tailback Kamryn Pettway joined fellow running back Kerryon Johnson in declaring early for the draft, announcing his decision via social media.
Pettway, who led the Tigers with more than 1,000 yards rushing in 2016, was limited by injuries and missed more than half of the 2017 season.
Auburn also announced that Marcus Woodson, who has spent the past two seasons at Memphis, will be a 10th assistant coach next season on the Tigers' defense. Woodson played at Ole Miss and coached defensive backs at Fresno State from 2014-15.
