**“KICKING INTO ELITE COMPANY: Auburn’s Alex McPherson Earns Spot on 2025 Lou Groza Award Watch List as Nation’s Top Placekicker Contender”**
Auburn football has long been associated with hard-nosed defense, explosive running backs, and a blue-collar mentality that defines the essence of SEC football. But in recent seasons, as the margins for victory in the league have shrunk and every point has grown more precious, a quiet weapon has begun to emerge on The Plains—one that doesn’t demand the spotlight but consistently delivers when the stakes are highest. That weapon is Alex McPherson, the Tigers’ junior placekicker whose steady leg and unwavering poise have not only won games but also earned him a coveted spot on the 2025 Lou Groza Award watch list, firmly planting him in the conversation as one of the best kickers in college football.
For a kicker, the Lou Groza Award represents the highest individual honor in the sport—a validation of excellence, consistency, and pressure-packed performance. Named after the legendary Cleveland Browns kicker and offensive lineman, the award is a rare acknowledgment of a specialist’s unique and often underappreciated role in the grand chess match of football. For McPherson, this honor is both a milestone and a springboard—an affirmation of what he’s done and a preview of what could still come as Auburn seeks to reassert itself on the national stage.
What sets Alex McPherson apart is not just his accuracy, though he possesses it in spades. Nor is it merely his leg strength, which has allowed him to drill kicks from beyond 50 yards with a calm ease that defies his age. It’s his demeanor—the cold-blooded calm he brings to every snap, every hold, every kick. In a position where mental strength is just as important as physical talent, McPherson carries himself like a ten-year veteran of the NFL, not a college junior. His ability to tune out hostile crowds, pressure-packed situations, and the relentless scrutiny that comes with SEC football has made him a steadying force for the Tigers.
His inclusion on the Lou Groza Award watch list isn’t just a pat on the back; it’s recognition earned through sweat, hours on the practice field, and nerves of steel under stadium lights. In the 2024 season, McPherson connected on 22 of 24 field goal attempts, including five from 50 yards or more—a feat that ranked him among the top five nationally in both accuracy and long-range conversions. Even more impressively, several of those kicks came in clutch moments, including a game-winner against Ole Miss and a crucial fourth-quarter boot against Texas A\&M that helped swing the momentum in a must-win game.
While the numbers speak volumes, they don’t capture the full impact of McPherson’s presence on the Auburn roster. Special teams coordinators across the conference have taken note, often altering their fourth-down strategies when facing the Tigers, knowing they can’t count on a missed kick to bail them out. Opposing coaches now game plan for McPherson as they would a star quarterback or linebacker. His range has given head coach Hugh Freeze greater flexibility in play calling, knowing that drives stalling at the 35-yard line still offer a chance at three points. That kind of weapon changes games—and seasons.
Growing up in Fort Payne, Alabama, McPherson was raised in a football family that knew a thing or two about kicking. His older brother Evan was a standout at Florida before becoming a star with the Cincinnati Bengals, and the sibling connection has only added to the mystique surrounding Alex’s rapid rise. But Alex hasn’t lived in anyone’s shadow. If anything, he’s building a legacy that’s uniquely his own. While Evan is known for his walk-off heroics in the NFL playoffs, Alex is carving out a reputation for consistency, discipline, and a near-perfect technique honed through years of deliberate practice.
His journey to Auburn was marked by discipline and drive, choosing to stay in-state despite interest from several top-tier programs. The decision, he said at the time, was rooted in a desire to be part of something meaningful—to contribute not just on Saturdays, but to a program looking to recapture its place among the nation’s elite. That mindset has endeared him to teammates and fans alike. McPherson isn’t a rah-rah presence in the locker room, but when he speaks, others listen. And when he steps onto the field, there’s a collective sense of calm that ripples through the team—because they know the job’s going to get done.
The Lou Groza Award watch list includes the nation’s most talented specialists, with representatives from every Power Five conference and beyond. Being named among them is no small feat, especially in an era where the skill and precision of kickers have reached unprecedented levels. For McPherson, the competition is stiff—but so is his resolve. He’s not merely satisfied with being in the conversation; he wants to finish it as the clear choice. That requires more than talent—it demands perfection, week in and week out.
One of the underappreciated aspects of McPherson’s success has been his relationship with Auburn’s long snapper and holder, a trio often overlooked but crucial to every successful kick. The chemistry between the three has been years in the making, and it shows in their execution. In a sport measured by inches and seconds, trust is everything—and McPherson trusts his unit completely. That cohesion has allowed him to focus solely on his technique, delivering clean strikes with minimal wasted motion and a follow-through that would make a golf pro jealous.
McPherson’s offseason regimen is as meticulous as his in-game preparation. Whether it’s refining his steps to gain an extra yard of distance or working with sports psychologists to maintain mental sharpness, he approaches the position with a professional’s mindset. His dedication to the craft has caught the eye of NFL scouts, who increasingly view him as one of the top kicking prospects in the 2026 draft. But for now, McPherson is focused solely on the task at hand: helping Auburn win football games and making every kick count.
In the modern landscape of college football, where offenses light up scoreboards and defenses scramble to keep pace, special teams remain the hidden third of the game—the phase that can make or break a championship run. For Auburn, having McPherson in that role is like having a silent assassin waiting in the wings. He doesn’t need the roar of the crowd or the attention of the media; he just needs the ball, the spot, and a few seconds to do what he does best.
Fans across Auburn are beginning to realize just how lucky they are to have McPherson in the fold. In a sport often dominated by larger-than-life personalities and explosive highlight reels, it’s refreshing to see a player whose excellence is defined not by flash, but by flawless execution. Whether it’s a chip shot from 25 yards or a rocket from 55, McPherson delivers with the same calm confidence every time. That reliability is rare, and it’s why he finds himself on a list with the nation’s best.
As the 2025 season approaches, expectations in Auburn are sky-high. The Tigers are eyeing a return to SEC prominence, with a new wave of talent and renewed focus under Coach Freeze. But amid the chaos of a grueling schedule, road battles in hostile environments, and the grind of conference play, one thing remains certain: if the game comes down to a kick, Auburn has the right man for the job. And if the Lou Groza committee is paying attention, that man might just finish the season not just on the watch list—but holding the trophy.
In many ways, McPherson represents the modern evolution of the college kicker: technically sound, mentally strong, and unfazed by the moment. He’s a reminder that while touchdowns win headlines, field goals often win games. And in a conference where every point matters and every inch is contested, his role cannot be overstated. Auburn may boast five-star recruits and future first-rounders, but none may be more important when the clock’s winding down than the kid with the golden leg and ice in his veins.
So as the season unfolds and the spotlight intensifies, all eyes may turn to quarterbacks, coaches, and defensive playmakers. But Auburn fans will be watching something else—something quieter but just as important. They’ll be watching Alex McPherson, the soft-spoken sniper with the power to tilt games with a single swing of his leg. Because in the SEC, where legends are made and legacies are forged, sometimes the biggest plays come from the smallest margins. And no one understands that better than Auburn’s rising star kicker.
