Earnest Thomas III joined the Auburn Football staff in January 2026. He is an assistant cornerbacks coach for the Tigers.

Prior to coming to Auburn, he spent five years (2021-25) at Tennessee as a defensive assistant working closely with the team’s secondary. He was instrumental in the development of Jermod McCoy, a 2024 All-American, and Colton Hood, a 2025 All-SEC performer.

He originally joined the Tennessee staff in 2021 as a graduate assistant before being elevated to assistant secondary coach.

Thomas also spent time as a defensive graduate assistant at UMass from 2019-20. He also spent time coaching high school football St. Mary’s Preparatory in Orchard Lake, Michigan.

A native of Southfield, Michigan, Thomas was a standout defensive back at Illinois from 2010-14. He earned a degree from Illinois in 2014.