The good news just keeps rolling in for Kevin Steele and the 2019 Auburn defense.
The Tigers' starting safety duo of Jeremiah Dinson and Daniel Thomas will return to The Plains next season, Thomas announced on his Twitter on Tuesday afternoon. Both are juniors who were weighing their NFL options.
After a pair of seasons as reserve defensive backs in Steele's system, Dinson and Thomas took over the starting safety roles last season after 2017 starters Tray Matthews and Stephen Roberts graduated.
Dinson, who is often called the "brains of the defense" by teammates, was fourth on the team in 2018 in both tackles and interceptions with 64 and two, respectively. The Miami native also forced a fumble and broke up a trio of passes.
Thomas, a Montgomery product, was one of the team's breakout players last season, recording two interceptions, 74 tackles (second on the team) and two forced fumbles. Steele often referred to Thomas as a "heat-seeking missile" in the secondary.
*Editor's note: The original story said junior defensive back Javaris Davis had not yet made his NFL decision. Davis announced on Twitter shortly after the story had been published that he would be returning to Auburn for his senior year.
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Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
