NICK FAIRLEY
Defensive Tackle/Defensive End
University of Auburn Tigers
#90
6:04.1-298
Mobile, Alabama
Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Lillie B Williamson High School
OVERVIEW
Auburn relied heavily on two junior college transfers during its run to a BCS Champion-ship title in 2010. While Cam Newton garnered most of the media’s attention for his production on offense, it was Nick Fairley who provided the Tigers with a disruptive interior force on the defensive side of the ball. Fairley’s effort didn’t go unnoticed, as he was presented with the Rotary Lombardi Trophy, awarded annually to college football’s top lineman.
Fairley earned consensus All-American recognition and was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the year after placing third in the NCAA in tackles for loss (1.71 tpg) and 12th in sacks (.82 spg). The junior broke Auburn’s single-season record with 11.5 sacks for minus 74 yards, topping the previous mark of 11 reached by Gary Walker (1994),
Kevin Greene (1984) and Craig Ogletree (1989). It was nearly impossible to keep the defensive tackle out of the backfield, as he posted an impressive 24.0 tackles for losses totaling 106 yards and 21 quarterback hurries.
Fairley has had a profound impact on the Tigers’ front four. Before his arrival, the Auburn run defense ranked 54th
nationally, allowing 138.92 yards per game on the ground in 2008. Fairley played in all 13 games in 2009 but started just two contests while his team finished a lowly 78th vs. the run (156.08 ypg). He started all 14 games of the 2010 season and emerged as a dominant presence along the Tigers’ front wall, leading a unit that boasted the NCAA’s ninth-ranked rushing defense, allowing just 109.07 yards per game.
Fairley was a standout on both sides of the trenches at Lillie B. Williamson High School (Mobile, Ala.). His blocking raded out at 97 percent on offense while he tallied over 90 tackles on defense. He was a finalist for the 5A Lineman of the Year Award and was a 5A All-State selection by the ASWA.
Recruiting services viewed Fairley more as an offensive line prospect coming out of high school. He was given a threestar rating by Rivals.com, who listed him as the 28th-best offensive guard in the nation and the 15th overall prospect from the state of Alabama. Scout.com also rated him a three-star prospect and ranked him as the 27th-best offensive guard in the country. He was also listed as the 32nd offensive tackle recruit by ESPN.com.
He was offered scholarships from several universities, including Auburn, Alabama, Kansas State, Louisville, Southern
Mississippi and West Virginia. Auburn recruited Fairley as a defensive end and he elected to commit to the Tigers on signing day.
Fairley improved his grades first in Wesson, Mississippi, where he signed with Copiah-Lincoln Community College in 2007. He enrolled late and was allowed to redshirt his first year to retain eligibility. In 2008, he earned an All-Region XII selection after collecting 63 tackles with seven sacks and nine stops for loss in seven games.
Fairley was rated a four-star defensive tackle according to Scout’s junior college rankings, while Rivals listed him as a three-star prospect. A few schools tried to make a run at the standout defensive lineman, but Fairley never wavered on his commitment to Auburn.
Fairley finally enrolled at the University of Auburn in 2009 and played in all 13 games during his first season at the FBS level. He started the season opener vs. Louisiana Tech and the Outback Bowl vs. Northwestern, finishing the year with 28 tackles (36 solos), including 1.5 sacks for minus 15 yards and 3.5 stops for losses totaling 20 yards. He added seven quarterback pressures, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
In 2010, Fairley enjoyed a breakout campaign that saw him earn SEC Defensive Lineman or Defensive Player of the Week honors on five occasions. He appeared unblockable at times and finished the year ranking fifth on the team with 60 tackles (36 solos), including 11.5 sacks for minus 74 yards and 24.0 stops for losses totaling 106 yards. He added 21 quarterback hurries, two forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
Auburn was pitted against the Oregon Ducks in the BCS Championship game and the two team’s high-powered offensive attacks garnered all of the talk leading into the matchup. However, it was Fairley and the Auburn defense that stole the show, holding a Ducks unit that had averaged 49.33 points per game to just 19 points in a close victory. Fairley earned Defensive Most Valuable Player honors after registering five solo tackles with one sack for minus seven yards, three stops for losses of 14 yards and one forced fumble to put a fitting end to a stellar junior season.
CAREER NOTES
Fairley started 16-of-27 games for Auburn, recording 88 tackles (50 solos) with 13.0 sacks for minus 89 and 27.5 stops for losses totaling 126 yards
…Delivered a total of 32 tackles-for-loss (solos/assists), as he posted 28 quarterback pressures
…Forced two fumbles and recovered three others
…Intercepted one pass and added a blocked kick
…Fairley set a school record with 11.5 sacks in 2010, topping the previous mark of 11 reached by Gary Walker (1994), Kevin Greene (1984) and Craig Olgetree (1989).
Consensus All-American first-team selection (AP, Walter Camp and FWAA)
…All-SEC first-team choice…Recipient of the Rotary Lombardi Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s top collegiate lineman
…Finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award (Top Defender)
…Honored as the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year
…Defensive MVP of the BCS Championship game
…Earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors vs. Mississippi State, and Defensive Lineman of the Week honors vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas, Louisiana State and Alabama
…Started the entire year at defensive tackle, ranking fifth on the team with 60 tackles (36 solos)
…Had 11.5 sacks for minus 74 yards, as he led the SEC and placed 12th nationally with 0.82 sacks per game
…Posted 24.0 stops for losses of 106 yards, as he led the conference and ranked third in the NCAA with 1.71 tackles for loss per game
… Led a unit that was tops in the SEC and ranked ninth in the nation, allowing just 109.07 yards per game on the ground
…Paced a unit that placed 24th in the NCAA in sacks (2.50 spg) and 16th in tackles for loss (7.07 tpg)
…Forced two fumbles and recovered two others
…Made 58 plays vs. the ground game, holding those ball carriers to minus 25 yards (-0.43 ypc), as the defender limited those runners to just three first downs while producing 12 third-down stops
…Delivered four of those tackles inside the red zone, including one on a goal-line play, as he posted 27 total stops (solos/assists) for loss and six tackles that brought down ball carriers at the line
of scrimmage for no gain
…Made two stops vs. the aerial attack, holding receivers to 17 yards (8.5 ypc) and one first on
those receptions
…Had 21 quarterback pressures, including two on third-down and two more on fourth-down
…Intercepted one third-down pass attempt, returning it for minus one yard
…Set a school record with 11.5 sacks, topping the previous mark of 11 reached by Gary Walker (1994), Kevin Greene (1984) and Craig Ogletree (1989).
2009 SEASON
Played in all 13 games with two starts and finished 13th on the team with 28 tackles (14 solos), including 1.5 sacks for minus 15 yards and 3.5 stops for losses totaling 20 yards
…Added seven quarterback pressures…Also recovered one fumble and blocked a kick.
JUNIOR COLLEGE
Attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College (Wesson, Mississippi) from 2007-08, playing football for head coach Glen Davis
…All-Region XII selection in 2008
…Played in seven games and delivered 63 tackles with seven sacks and nine stops for loss
…Rated a four-star defensive tackle prospect according to Scout.com’s junior college rankings
…Given a three-star rating by Rivals.com…Redshirted his first season in 2007 after enrolling late.
CAMPUS AGILITY TESTS
4.83 in the 40-yard dash.HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Lillie B. Williamson High School (Mobile, AL), playing football for head coach Bobby Parrish
…5A All-State selection by the ASWA
…Finalist for the 5A Lineman of the Year Award
…Graded out a 97 percent on the offensive line and added five receptions for 150 yards as a tight end in 2007
…Posted more than 90 tackles on defense while his Lions squad registered a 6-5 record
…Participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic as a senior and the AHSAA North/South All-Star game as a junior
…Given a three-star rating by Rivals.com, who listed him as the 28th-best offensive guard prospect in the nation and the 15th-best recruit from the state of Alabama
…Also given a three-star rating by Scout.com, as that recruiting service ranked him as the 27th-best offensive guard in the country
…Rated the 32nd-best offensive tackle recruit according to ESPN.com…Offered scholarships from Alabama, Kansas State, Louisville, Southern Mississippi and West Virginia before committing to Auburn.
PERSONAL
Undeclared major…Son of Paula Rogers and Herbert Rogers…One of nine siblings…Born 1/23/88…Resides in Mobile,Alabama.
PLAYER STATISTICS
DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
STATS GP GS TK SO AS FR FC INT TFL PBU SACK PRES
2009 13 02 28 14 14 1 0 0 3.5-20 0 1.5-15 7
2010 14 14 60 36 24 2 2 1 24.0-106 0 11.5-74 21
TOTAL 27 16 88 50 38 3 2 1 27.5-126 0 13.0-89 28
INTERCEPTION RETURNS
STATS NO YARDS AVG TD LONG
2010 1 -1 -1.00 0 0
ADDITIONAL STATISTICS…Had 63 tackles with seven sacks and nine stops for loss at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in
2008…Blocked a kick vs. Tennessee in 2009.