Tyler Fromm hoping to join big brother Jake Fromm in the NFL

AUBURN, Ala. — Former Auburn and Georgia Southern tight end Tyler Fromm is trying to join his brother, former Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, in the NFL.

The two have talked regularly during the younger Fromm’s pre-draft process, which included participating in Auburn’s Pro Day on Monday.

“Just kind of getting back to the basics of football,” Tyler Fromm told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the message from his brother, who’s with the Detroit Lions. “He was very supportive of this whole process. Just that two-month training leading up to it, I was able to just call whenever with any type of questions. His support was helpful for me going through all of it.”

He would like to have a reunion with Jake Fromm, who was drafted in the fifth round (167th overall) in the 2020 draft by the Bills. He posted a 35-7 record as a starter from 2017-2019 for the Bulldogs.

“I’m going to try,” Tyler Fromm said. “That’s the goal. I want to play with him one more time.”

The younger Fromm had some rough times at Auburn. In 2019, as a true freshman, he battled through injuries and didn’t see the field.

In 2020, he played in one game against LSU. The following season, he played in 13 games and made two starts. He caught eight passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

He played in 12 games in 2022 and 2023, mostly in a reserve role, before going to Georgia Southern as a graduate transfer.

Tyler Fromm, who’s 6-foot-5 and 238 pounds, started all 13 games last season and caught 25 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown. He also had a catch against Sam Houston State in the New Orleans Bowl.

A lot was riding on Fromm’s Pro Day.

“Just trying to go out there, be smooth,” Fromm said. “Run good routes and catch balls. I think I was able to do that. (Quarterback) Peyton (Thorne) was darting it all day, so having him back and having already a season of football with him, it was easy for me and him to get back into the flow of things. That was awesome.”

Fromm believes the year at Georgia Southern helped him immensely.

“It was an awesome year,” Fromm said. “I was around a lot of great guys. Great coaches. Played a good bit of solid football. It was a good year.”

Things were bumpy during his stay at Auburn under Gus Malzahn, Bryan Harsin and then one season with Hugh Freeze.

“Then to come back here is pretty bittersweet,” Fromm said. “There are a lot of familiar faces I’ve got to talk to again and see. It’s a very special moment for me to be able to come back. Coach Freeze was willing enough and nice enough to let me come back, which was awesome on his part.”

Fromm ran the 40-yard dash in 4.75 seconds. He lifted 225 pounds, 16 times, had a broad jump of 9 feet, 9 inches and a 32-inch vertical jump.

“Pretty solid Pro Day,” Fromm said. “At this point, I’m just waiting to find out. I just tried to put it all out there and we’ll wait and see. That was goal, and I think I hit that.”

Wide receiver Robert Lewis played four years at Georgia State before finishing his career at Auburn last season.

Lewis, who’s from Covington and played at Newton County, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds. He’s 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds and lifted 225 pounds, 11 times.

“I felt like I ran pretty smooth for me,” Lewis said.

Lewis played in the College Gridiron Showcase in January.

“I got a chance to talk to a lot of scouts there,” said Lewis, who was training in Lawrenceville. “Just introduced myself. Showcased what I could do.”

Lewis’ older brother Akeem Hunt played running back in the NFL with Houston (2015-16) and Kansas City (2017).

“I’m just a guy who’s willing to compete,” Lewis said. “(A) person you can rely on. A guy who has good speed. A wealth of knowledge about the game. I have a good (football) IQ. A guy who’s just hungry, to compete and give my all to the organization.”

Wesley Steiner, who’s also from Warner Robins and played at Houston County, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds. He’s just under 6-foot and 235 pounds. He was at Auburn for four seasons before playing linebacker for Washington State last season.

He played in 60 games and made seven starts over his career.

“I feel like because of all of things I’ve been through at Auburn, and going to Washington State, seeing what that looks like, gave me a better idea of what winning looks like,” Steiner said.

Steiner was hoping he did enough to get a shot at the NFL.

“There are going to get a full player,” Steiner said. “I’m a (good) athlete. I know that I am. First and foremost, I’m a special-teams war daddy. Special teams is the best part of the game where you have offensive guys, defensive guys coming together.”