Position Breakdown - Receivers Outlook

Auburn is in a position it that it has not been in the past decade. That being having such a great wealth of talent at the wide receiver position that they do not have enough spots to get all the talent on the field. Heading into last season it was freshman DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake who were getting rave reviews from fans and coaches while veterans Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachary worked behind the scenes without much fan fair. The proof was shown on the field as both Adams and Zachary had breakout seasons with Adams reaching almost one thousand yards and catching over sixty balls, and Zachary reaching four hundred plus yards and making plays in the running game on receivers jet sweeps and reverses. That play making ability from multiple guys on the outside was a pleasant surprise for most fans as most had written off veterans in the hope the freshman would have taken over.

Adams and Zachary are now entrenched as the X and Y receivers starters this season but the wealth of talent behind them promises that if either start to falter that Trooper Taylor will not hesitate to use the hook on them. The slot receiver spot may be the swing spot were you will see some guys come and go between series. I say between series because Coach Gus Malzahn has mentioned, as well as the players, getting the offense to go faster than last year on offense. This means Malzahn is beginning to feel comfortable enough to run with the philosophy of making very few substitutions during drives to keep the pressure on the defense. Malzahn will be looking at players who have the ability to be versatile in his offense so he can keep his substitutions a a minimum.

At the X receiver I expect you are going to see improvement from Adams route running ability. Adams has good speed with his long strides on his 6'3" frame which allows him to get up and over defensive players. He will of course now be drawing the attention of the best defensive backs on each team the Tigers play this season. I expect his output stat wise may be diminished this season because of that but his contributions as a leader and drawing the attention of defenders will help allow other play makers to develop. I see Quindarius Carr and Benton being the guys coming in behind Adams though I do not expect to see them as much as replacements for Adams. Carr and Benton both have the ability to stretch the field like Adams but not the length and hands Adams has had.

Terrell Zachary is the starter hands down at the Y receiver spot this coming season much like Adams at the X receiver spot. He will more than likely have very similar numbers (catches: 24 , yards: 466 , 5 TD) to what he did last year, but he may be the forgotten man in some cases that may open up some more down the field looks as Darvin Adams will be drawing the focus of a great deal of the safeties until Zachary already has a step on them. He is also a great option on the receiver jet sweep that he made big gains on several times last season. Expect Zachary or possibly freshman Trovron Reed to get a lot of the sweep runs and motion and more fakes to them both this season which will open more holes for Fanin and the other backs. Jay Wisner may get a slightly diminished role this season but I expect to see him getting playing time especially when we are trying to establish the run as he was a great down field blocker for us last season.

The Slot receiver position is an open competition much like last year where you saw a lot of Jay Wisner and Tommy Trott as they were used as extra blockers as much as they were used for another offensive weapon. That may change a bit this year as Benton and Blake have now developed and gotten a bit more experience under their belt. They have the size and strength to be good blockers down field as Wisner was last season and I have no doubt that Coach Taylor has made sure that all the receivers understand that they will have to be able to block down field. I expect that this is going to be a big swing position for the offense that will make a difference in how effective our offense moves the ball late in the season as defenses in the SEC adjust to the change in personnel and schemes. I expect to see around 25 to 30 receptions and 400 yards and a few touchdowns to come out of this position this year.

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Position Breakdown - Offensive Line Outlook

Last year was a significantly better season for the offensive line than was expected by me as they found some unit cohesion and found a way to stay relatively healthy as depth on the line was barely if even two deep at each spot.

The Tigers have four starters returning this season with only senior right tackle Andrew McCain moving on after an impressive campaign were he came from the depths of former Auburn Coach Tuberville doghouse. McCain came into his senior campaign with a new life with this coaching staff and made the best of his situation starting every game last season.

Six foot eight inch Left Tackle Lee Ziemba returns for his senior season despite some promising draft predictions to finish what he started. Ziemba is a tenacious blocker with a great work ethic that was named to some All-SEC Preseason teams. If he plays in enough games this season he will have a significant chance to break former Tiger Will Herrings record for the most games started as a Tiger. Ziemba had a few problems with false starts last season but Coach Grimes does not seem concerned with it and I also think the entire situation may be a bit over hyped. Ziemba will more than likely be backed up at Left Tackle by Junior Jared Cooper who has played fairly regularly off the bench for Auburn, and will more than likely have a significant shot at a starting role at guard or center as a senior. Cooper does not have the prototypical size you like at the Tackle, but his good technique and quick hands make give him the ability to compensate.

The Right Tackle position that Andrew McCain has vacated is the most interesting position on the line this year with two junior college transfers fighting to take over the position and anchor the line on the right side.

Rozell Gayden who many picked to win the starting has struggled during spring practices with a wrist injury, and did not play in the spring game. The leader coming out of the spring therefore is a converted tight end Brandon Mosley who has the size and strength needed to play the position. Mosley must however improve his footwork and ability to control faster pass rushers off the end. Mosley will definely need to work on getting out of two point faster and maybe putting on a few more pounds of muscle.

Returning starter senior Byron Isom will bring his experience to the Left Guard position as he the four core group of seniors will make up an effective group of starters left over from last year. Isom is a consistent player that excels in run blocking. He may be pushed for playing time by sophmore John Sullen and senior Jorell Bostrom who both after getting their weight down and overall fitness level up may be able to become a strong contributers to the position this season. Eric Mack a freshman out of South Carolina could also potentially contribute at either gaurd position.

Mike Berry returns to start at the right gaurd position were he had an impressive season last year playing next to Lee Ziemba. Berry has been a staple on the Auburn line the past two seasons and there is no reason to believe he will be pushed by anyone behind him now for a position that he held and played well at his entire career. He will be backed up by Bostrom and Sullen who may see more time than last year but I would expect to see Berry out there a great deal of the time.

Ryan Pugh is one of my favorite players on the line right now. A very technical blocker with fluid footwork and good size and strength. Pugh is in my opinion right up there with any center in the country with a very possible NFL future with the kind of work ethic and sound blocking he has. He will likely be on the field with relatively breaks and will be backed up by Bart Eddins who is a solid veteran with a workmans mentality who will do anything needed to help the team. Jared Cooper is also likely to see some time on the interior based on his versatility.

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Position Breakdown - Runningback Outlook

Ben Tate was the primary running option in last years offense as he ran for a career highs of 1362 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was ultimately one of the most consistent play makers on offense taking pressure off the passing game and Chris Todd. The focus Malzahn's Auburn offense will once again be establishing a consistent running game to loosen up defenses and open up options for deep throws.

Mario Fanin is the obvious front runner to carry the majority of the carries in next years offense. Many questions surround Fanins ability to be a consistent runner in the SEC. Fanin has the size and explosiveness to be a good back in this offense as well as the duality as a passing game threat out in space. Fanin has consistently been a powerful runner who was not afraid of laying the lumber on the defender. He is extremely hard back to put on the ground and that leads me to one of the questions marks about his ability to be a productive back in the SEC. Fanin has shown a great deal of promise but durability may be the largest question I have. He has never taken over 100 carries in a season and while I do not question his toughness I wonder if he can hold up to the amount of hits he is going to be taking with high contact running style he employs. The idea that Fanin has a fumbling problem has also been raised in some circles but I feel those should be put to rest a little by the fact coaches reported he did not put the ball on the ground all Spring Practice. Fanin will undoubtedly have a majority of the carries this season should he stay healthy and have at least a 1000 yard season.

With the departure of Dontae Aycock the depth chart behind Fanin becomes even more fuzzy than before. McCalebb has made progress towards gaining weight and thus a little more durability that will be needed if expects to become more than a change of pace back in the SEC. His speed his speed gives him a game breaking kind of back but his tendency to run to much east and west may become an issue with faster defenses of the SEC. If McCalebb can get his weight up to around 175 to 185 pounds and work to improve as a north south runner he may have a good shot at an increased role this fall.

Eric Smith had some off the field issues last season but seems to have cleaned up his act. Though he may have has his hands full a bit more this season as he showed at several points last season that he can be a very valuable weapon in the passing game as well as a superb blocker. I believe he is better suited to stay at the H-Back position were he can continue to make a great contribution.

The wild card it seems comes in the form of Micheal Dyer. A 5'8" 208 pound freshman who has all the physical tools to be a stud runningback. With more than adequate speed to pull away from defenders and a very good explosion to the hole if he could break into a part time role as a freshman if the veterans ahead of him falter at all. Dyer is the kind of back that most coaches would love to have a good blend of speed and power with a good feel for catching the ball he is a great weapon. The only knocks I have on the young man is that he is a bit shorter than I'd like to see and he will definitely need to work on his pass protection as was evident in a large portion of the tape I saw on him.

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Big Cat Weekend Update

Kiehl Frazier commits to Auburn during the Big Cat Weekend recruiting trip this weekend. Frazier is a product out of the same Shiloh High School which Gus Malzahn was the head Coach of years back. Frazier admitted that the relationship with Malzahn prior to his visit played a factor in his decision to commit to Auburn. Frazier is the No. 3 Prep quarterback according to Scout.com. Bellow are some measurables and last seasons stats:

Ht: 6'3"

Wt: 212 lbs
40: 4.57 secs
Passing Yards: 3,817              Passing TD: 48 
Rushing Yards: 764                 Rushing TD: 14

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Auburn Big Cat Recruiting Weekend

The Tigers coaches are at it again as they begin one of the bigger recruiting pushes of the offseason with Big Cat weekend on Auburns Campus. Last year ten recruits who attended Big Cat weekend eventually signed with the Tigers enroute to a top 5 signing class, and Curtis Luper and company are hoping to create a repeat perfomance this year. Key pieces of last years signing class that signed on last year include running back Micheal Dyer, reciever Trovon Reed, tackle Shon Coleman, gaurd Eric Mack, and four linebackers including Craig Sanders and Jake Holland who could make a splash this season in a thin depth chart.

Luper is playing it very close to the vest on what players are listed to be arriving on campus this weekend for a visit but the amount seems to be similar to the 22 players that were on Campus last year. We are all just hoping we can keep the entire thing by the book this year after Auburn made mistakes and was forced to lower some penalties on itself for a few minor NCAA infractions.

A few names have surfaced on the Internet that are rumored to be attending: Defensive end Ray Drew of Thomasville, Ga., and defensive end Xzavier Dickson of Griffin, Ga., AuburnsSports.com. Also, defensive end Keymiya Harrell, says AuburnUndercover.com. As well as a very hyped quarterback out of Arkansas one Kiehl Frazier.

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Tigers Outlast the Gamecocks

The second seeded Tigers stay alive after dropping their first game by outlasting the third seed South Carolina eliminating them from the tournament. Auburn had to outlast the Gamecocks in a twelve inning marathon in which 6 pitchers were used between the two teams. First blood was not drawn by either team till the top of the fourth inning when Creede Simpson who came into the game to replace an injured Brian Fletcher hit a solo home run, and it looked for awhile like that is all the scoring that was going to happen.

That was until South Carolina Senior Catcher Brady Thomas lead off the seventh inning with a solo home run shot that tied the game and sent a unpleasant chill down the spines of Tiger fans.

The Tigers finally put together some offense together in the top of the 12th inning when Ryan Jenkins singled down the right field line to lead off the inning. Casey McElroy would then reach first on a fielders choice that got Jenkins put down at second. Auburn caught another break on a mental error when Justin Hargett advanced McElroy on a fielding error by Gamecock second basemen Wingo. This lead to pitcher Matt Price walking Justin Fredejas when the pressure from the first real jam he had been in all day started to weigh on him. With bases loaded Trent Mummey, a key player in the Tiger resurgence in the second half of the season, was brought up to bat. Mummey looked at two balls and a strike before fouling off a dangerous ball. Price delivered another ball putting Mummey on a full count that he capitalized on by singling the next pitch up the middle. A good jump allowed both McElroy and Hargett to score on the Mummey single putting Auburn up 3-1.The Gamecocks brought in Jose Mata who got them out of the inning without allowing another run, but the damage was already done.

Austin Hubbard would walk Merrifield to lead off the inning, but would strike out Jackie Bradley swinging in a four pitch strikeout talking a step closer to advancing. Christian Walker would line out to Fradejas in right ffield, and Jeffrey Jones would pop out to center were Trent Mummey would take the last out to close out the game.

Auburn advanced to the next round were they will play the winner of the Alabama vs. Mississippi game at 4:30 pm.

Players of the Game

Trent Mummey (2-4) 2 RBI, 1 SB

Austin Hubbard (4.2 IP) 2 Hits, 5 Strikeouts

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Position Breakdown - Quarterback Outlook

After a stellar season from Chris Todd, the final season of a short but tumultuous career in an Auburn Tiger uniform, the tigers find themselves in an increasingly familiar position going into the 2010-2011 football season. That being the uncomfortable position of having an inexperienced quarterback under center to start the a new season off. While the Tigers are a step ahead of a year ago with Cameron Newton being named the starter after spring practice. There still sits a bit of uncomfortable awkwardness at the pit of my stomach when I begin thinking about the prospects of this season.

Cameron Newton is truly a gifted athlete and from everything I have heard from him in interviews and from people around campus a smart young man I have to raise the question that has been nagging at the corner of my mind. How much of the offense has he picked up in such a small window of time. Picking up a playbook with as much motion and detail a Coach Malzahns is quite a large task. I continue to ask myself if the offense will be limited by the amount of the playbook Cameron Newton is able to digest going into the season.

However, all this may pale in comparison to what he brings to the table in athleticism and leadership. It was no coincidence that when players were chosen to go down on mission work in the Dominican Republic he was selected to go even though he was basically fresh off the plane from Texas. Newton has showed a humble confidence that mirrors somewhat that of a man he played behind at Florida briefly (Tim Tebow). Do not get me wrong he is not even in the same breath as Tebow right now if you look at the laundry list of accomplishments Tebow, but you can see a bit of that same kind of swagger that Newton may have picked up while working behind him. Newton also compares favorably with Tebow when you compare them physically. Both are natural runners and have big strong builds that can absorb the hits an SEC Football schedule is promises. Both have questions about their accuracy throwing the football but have ample arm strength to make the throws. If Newton can develop an understanding of the offense and gel with the offensive personnel before this season starts he may even grab a few accolades for himself in the next two seasons at Auburn.
The backup role on this season is a bit more cloudy than the starter now with two viable options in veteran Neil Caudle and younger Barrett Trotter. Both of which have now been in Malzahns system for over a year and looked good at times during a very vanilla A-Day. In my opinion the back up job probably belongs to Caudle, but do not be surprised if in the ladder half of games this season if you see Trotter coming out for the live snaps to close out the cake walk games. The reason being of course that Trotter is the presumed back up and possible starter as a senior while Caudle is finishing his last trip around the track of his career. All that being said if a serious injury puts Newton out or he is not ready be prepared to see the veteran Caudle come out to take the reigns of the offense.
 
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Projected Depth Chart Defense - Post Spring

(Including Incoming Players)

I will have greater in Depth looks at the units on Offense and Defense as time progresses. Enjoy!


WDE
Antoine Carter                       SR || 6'4" || 263 lbs.
Nosa Eguae                           FR || 6'2" || 244 lbs.
Dee Ford                               SO || 6'4" || 244 lbs.

DT
Nick Fairley                          JR || 6'5" || 314 lbs.
Derrick Lykes                       SO || 6'2" || 284 lbs.
Jeffrey Whitaker                  FR || 6'3" || 295 lbs.

DT
Mike Blanc                           SR || 6'4" || 301 lbs.
Zach Clayton                        SR || 6'3" || 289 lbs.
Jamar Travis                       SO || 6'0" || 308 lbs.

SDE
Michael Goggans                  SR || 6'3" || 264 lbs.
Joel Bonomolo                      JR || 6'3" || 245 lbs.
Craig Sanders                       FR || 6'4" || 235 lbs.
Corey Lemonier                    FR || 6'5" || 223 lbs.

WLB
Craig Stevens                       SR || 6'3" || 223 lbs.
Darren Bates                        SO || 6'0" || 215 lbs.
Jessel Curry                          FR|| 6'2" || 215 lbs.

MLB
Eltoro Freeman                    JR || 6'0" || 222 lbs.
Jonathan Evans                    SO || 5'11" || 217 lbs.
Jake Holland                        FR || 6'1" || 228 lbs.

SLB
Josh Bynes                          SR || 6'2" || 239 lbs.
Harris Gaston                      FR || 6'1" || 222 lbs.
LaDarius Owens                   FR || 6'2" || 225 lbs.

CB
Neiko Thorpe                      JR || 6'2" || 176 lbs.
D'Antoine Hood                   JR || 5'10" || 187 lbs.
Harry Adams                       JR || 6'0" || 183 lbs.

CB
Demond Washington           SR || 5'9" || 185 lbs.
T'Sharvan Bell                     SO || 6'0" || 176 lbs.
Jonathon Mincy                  FR || 5'10" || 175 lbs.

SS
Mike McNeil                       JR || 6'2" || 201 lbs.
Drew Cole                          JR || 5'11" || 193 lbs.
Zac Etheridge                     SR || 6'0" || 212 lbs.       (If he can come back he will be higher on the depth)

FS
Aairon Savage                    SR || 5'11" || 173 lbs.
Darren Bates                      SO || 6'0" || 215 lbs.
Zac Etheridge                     SR || 6'0" || 212 lbs.       (If he can come back he will be higher on the depth)

Projected Depth Chart Offense - Post Spring

(Including Incoming Players)

I will have greater in Depth looks at the units on Offense and Defense as time progresses. Enjoy!

QB
Cameron Newton       JR || 6'6" || 247 lbs.
Barrett Trotter          SO || 6'2" || 203 lbs.
Neil Caudle               SR || 6'3" || 200 lbs.

RB
Mario Fanin                SR || 5'11" || 225 lbs.
Onterio McCalebb       SO || 5'10" || 175 lbs.
Micheal Dyer               FR || 5'8" || 201 lbs.

LT
Lee Ziemba                   SR || 6'8" || 308 lbs.
Jared Cooper                JR || 6'4" || 295 lbs.

LG
Byron Isom                 SR || 6'3" || 291 lbs.
John Sullen                   SO || 6'6" || 326 lbs.
Eric Mack                   FR || 6'4" || 315 lbs.

C
Ryan Pugh                   SR || 6'4" || 291 lbs.
Bart Eddins                  SR || 6'4" || 297 lbs.

RG
Mike Berry                   SR || 6'3" || 313 lbs.
Joerell Bostrom           SR || 6'3" || 332 lbs.

RT
Brandon Mosley            JR || 6'6" || 285 lbs.
Roszell Gayden             JR || 6'7" || 310 lbs.

X-Rec.
Darvin Adams              JR || 6'3" || 185 lbs.
Quindarius Carr           JR || 6'1" || 181 lbs.

Y-Rec.
Terrell Zachary            SR || 6'1" || 203 lbs.
Jay Wisner                  SR || 6'2" || 194 lbs.

Slot-Rec.
DeAngelo Benton        SO || 6'2" || 192 lbs.
Emory Blake               SO || 6'1" || 191 lbs.

Swing Position on Gus Malzahns Offense that will depend on what the Offense is doing will be at the H-Back and Tight End Position. I think often times next year you will see them used interchangably and even at points at the same time in packages.

H-Back
Eric Smith                  JR || 5'10 || 237 lbs.
John Douglas             JR || 6'2" || 242 lbs.
Ladarious Phillips       FR || 6'1" || 275 lbs.

TE
Philip Lutzenkirchen   SO || 6'4" || 262 lbs.
Robert Cooper          SO || 6'4" || 235 lbs.
Dakota Mosley          FR || 6'4" || 252 lbs.

Auburn Notes - Satuday, May 22, 2010

Auburn Sports Notebook

Auburn Baseball

Auburn baseball clinched the SEC Western Division Title in an impressive 18-4 win over No. 17 Ole Miss in an evening game last night were the Tigers took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a Dan Gamache homerun that scored. Auburn poured on another 7 runs in the top of the third inning and had a 10-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth before Ole Miss got anything going.
Ole Miss rallied to make the game a bit closer on a four run inning. However that would be all the Rebels could muster as Auburn would pile on on another 8 runs in the next 5 innings enroute to an impressive statment win that sealed the Western Division and sealed the second seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament in Hoover, AL.

Top Performers: Slade Smith - 5.2 IP, 5 H, 5K, W(3-0)
                          Ryan Jenkins - (4-6) 4 R, 4 RBI, 2 Dbl, 1 HR
                          Brian Fletcher - (3-6) 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR

Auburn will go for the series sweep and to carry the momentum they have into the tournament in tomorrows game against Ole Miss.

Auburn Softball

The Lady Tiger took a tough loss to the Oregon Ducks in the first round yesterday in an agonizingly close 1-0 game. Auburn dropped to 30-25 overall with the loss as Oregon improved to 34-19. Auburn will play Jacksonville State tomorrow, which will be an elimination game.

Auburn Football - Aycock Dismissed

Auburn dismissed Tampa, Fla. native running back Dontae Aycock from the team Friday for undisclosed breach of team rules violations. Other reports have surfaced with comments from former coaches and those with connections to Aycock have said that he asked from permission to transfer and was dismissed from the team soon after. Aycock has had no past problems at Auburn or in High School that have surfaced so I will keep my ear to the ground as this story develops.

Aycocks departure from the team opens the gate for incoming freshman Micheal Dyer who was expected to make a push for playing time this season even with Aycock in the rotation. His dismissal will also give the smaller but fast McCalebb who showed flashes of game breaking ability last year a better chance to get on the field this season in expanded roles and maybe prove he is not as "frail" as some believe. Eric Smith will more than likely remain out of the conversation as he has already shown alot of promise in the his role as a blocking and recieving threat in the H-Back role from last season.

Auburn Notes - Friday, May 21, 2010

Auburn Sports Notebook

Auburn Softball

Auburn Softball moves into post season play as a 3rd Seed in the NCAA Tournament in the Atlanta Regional and will be playing Oregon (33-19) in the first round. Auburn Softball is making its third straight trip to the post Season after going (1-2) in the last post season trip beating Iowa in the first round before losing 2 straight to be bumped from the tournament.

Auburn Baseball

Auburns magic number moves to one with two games at No. 17 Ole Miss left in the season before the SEC Tournament in Hoover, AL. The Tigers won the game over Ole Miss in a dramatic fashion that anyone who has been following Auburn Baseball this season has become fairly accustomed to. Kevin Pattersons Pinch hit homer off of Ole Miss Pitcher Brett Huber in the eighth inning yesterday propelled the 16th ranked Auburn Tigers (37-17) on the season and (18-10) in the SEC. Auburn will go for its fifth straight series win that would tie a school record and a tie for the most wins in SEC play in school history Today at 6:30pm.

Back with more soon.

Summer Preview 2010 - Depth on the Way

Hey everyone,
I am back to the blog as I said I would be a long time ago. New place so if you like what you see pass it along. So without further introduction I have broken down the signees from this past 2010 class that have arrived and will be arriving this summer for the Fall 2010 Auburn Football Season.


Offense

Quaterback

Cameron Newton - 6'6" 247 lbs.
He won the starting job this spring after transfering in from Binns C.C. were he put up some impressive numbers. Newton could by far be one of the most talked about players Auburn has had since a guy name Bo in the 80's. He has all the athletic ability in the world but may need to work on his accuracy a bit to really live up to the hype. The question is how fast he is really picking up the offense. Because if he lives up to the billing he could have a sensational season were Auburn may have a chance to suprise some of the bigger analysts.

Running Back

Michael Dyer - 5'8" 201 lbs.
Another very impressive athlete with a great upside that I believe will make a mark on offense next year in the second half of the season. Depending on how well he picks up on the schemes he could be seen earlier and make a strong case for Freshman All-American teams.

Ladarious Phillips - 6'1" 275 lbs. 4.8
A underated player coming out of a small school Phillips wows you on tape as a beast of a back who is willing to get the hard yards. I think you may be suprised to see the guy on the field sooner rather than later in goaline situations because this guy is a battering ram. A position change is not out of the question later in his career because this young man is a athlete and with a good work ethic should find a way onto the field.

Offensive Line

Ed Christian - 6'5" 280 lbs.
I thought he was a little underated coming out and has a chance to really make home for himself on the Auburn offensive line in the next couple of years. A move to guard is not out of the question for him and may expidiate his transition to the college game and may be a better long term fit.

Shon Coleman - 6'7" 285 lbs.
I am very high on this young man even with his recent health trouble and almost in spite of them. His handling of his health situation has showed alot of maturity. I have watched tape on the young man and feel he could in the future if he lives up to his potential be another Marcus McNeil kind of player.
Tunde Fariyike - 6'3" 295 lbs.
Underated coming out of a small school and may have trouble transitioning to the college game. A good backup center in the future with a good bit of developmental work on his technique. Needs to improve his pass block technique considerably.

Roszell Gayden - 6'7" 310 lbs.
A JUCO Transfer with two years of elidgibility remaining who has immense upside. Will battle with Mosley for the Starting right Tackle job though you are more than likely going to be seeing alot of both. I think he will end up being the starter as he has potentially a great upside if he transitions and gels with the current starters and could be next years starting left tackle.

Eric Mack 6'4" 315 lbs.
A great gaurd prospect physically ready to play and could see time this year on the line for depth and will probably be a starter by his sophmore season if he lives up to his potential.

Brandon Mosley - 6'6" 285 lbs.
The other JUCO offensive lineman that gets forgotten sometimes when people start talking about the open job at right tackle next season. Had a good spring making the transition from tight end working with Coach Grimes. Has the size and athleticism to make it work he can develop at the position he could be a solid right tackle this year and next.

Chad Slade - 6'6" 316 lbs.
Slade is an average athlete with good size. A good developmental tackle for the right side. Needs work on his hand and foot work as well as time in the weight room with Coach Yoxall.

Tight End

Dakota Mosley - 6'4" 252 lbs. 4.8
A good blocking tight end with decent hands. Definetly a good developmental guy who needs to work on some body control and route running to become a comple player. Mosley will likely not see the field this year but could make a solid player later in his career.

Wide Recievers

Trovon Reed - 6'0" 173 lbs.
The best athlete on the field every time he stepped on one in High School he is going to have a interesting transition to life as a SEC football player. Auburn currently has a log jam of talent at the reciever position for the first time in what seems like a decade. Reed will probably be redshirted unless he makes a miraculous push for a spot in the already full rotation or at a returner position. He has great athleticism and is seemingly a more athletic version of Terrell Zachary. He is perfect for what Auburns offense does.

Jeremy Richardson - 6'4" 220 lbs.
I am a big fan of Richardson's as he was a bit under evaluated in my opinion. With great size and body control he is the kind of rare mix of size and speed that could turn in to something special. Once again though at a position that is packed with talent he may have to find another way onto the field if he wants to see early time. He will be a huge threat inside the 20 yard line in the future if he does what Coach Taylor asks.

Antonio Goodwin - 6'2" 170 4.5
Decent speed, good route running, and above average hands make Goodwin a good developmental prospect but seemed a bit overarted on a couple of watch lists. Coach Taylor should be able to develop him into a solid reciever if he has a strong work ethic. More than likely on the practice squad or redshirted this season with playing time chances on special teams as well.


Defense

Defensive End

Craig Sanders  6'4" 230 lbs. 4.6
Sanders is an intriguing prospect with the potential to be a game changing defensive end coming off the edge. Needs to add some weight and work on his rush containment but with a strong work ethic he could become a starter in 2 years while also getting as part of the second line.

Joel Bonomolo - 6'3"  245  lbs.
This JUCO transfer comes in with a good deal of experience and will bolster a line losing veterans on the defensive line in Coleman and Ricks. My prediction is he will probably never be a starter but will be a strong quality backup and will push everyone in front of him with a good work ethic.

Justin Delaine - 6'5" 225 lbs.
Great frame that could handle a some more weight if he intends to stay at DE. Good but not elite speed off the ball could lead to a possible but very doubtful move to inside linebacker early in his career to bolster the depth chart.

Corey Lemonier 4 stars  6'5" 223 lbs. 5.1
Do not be fooled by the bellow average numbers in the 40 yard dash this young man can play ball. If he has a good summer you may see him on the field some next year on special teams, but he is more than likely a redshirt player but has tremendous potential.

Defensive Tackle

Jeffrey Whitaker - 6'3" 295 lbs.
A good defensive tackle prospect who has a chance to come in during the summer and push some veterans for a backup role next year. He has a nose for the ball and has college ready size though he could probably get better with some time in the weight room.

Kenneth Carter - 6'5" 267 lbs.
A very exciting athlete and young man. A great Athlete at DT that can with addition of about twenty pounds be a very solid mainstay on the Auburn line for years. I expect him to redshirt his first season to spend time with Coach Yoxall.

Linebacker

Jawara White - 6'2" 220 lbs.
Not an overly impressive athlete but has some upside. Good size and average speed give White a chance for playing time next year as the young guys come in to provide some much needed depth. May become a solid SEC starter but more of a backup probably.

Jake Holland - 6'1" 228 lbs.
A smart linebacker with good size and speed. Will need to work on his pass rushing skills to become a complete player. Not a ton of upside but has a strong work ethic and will more than likely be a good depth guy early in his career and later a decent starter possibly.

LaDarius Owens - 6'2" 225 lbs.
Owens is an impressive physical athlete with a good amount of pop at the point of attack. He needs work learning to play back in coverage and will need to learn the position and scheme before he will make an impact. Good size and physicality will make him a great addition to the depth and in the future probably a multiple year starter on the inside.

Jessel Curry - 6'2" 215 lbs.
Curry has a head start on his career coming in this spring. Looked good in spring with fluid hips and good on the ball instincts. May need to work on wraping the ball carrier up. Has good athletcism and decent upside. Could be a great depth guy this year and a good SEC linebacker. Very Versatile.

Defrensive Backs

Demetruce McNeal - 6'1" 176 lbs. 4.7
Faster than his 40 yard dash time indicates McNeal has the makings of a solid football player. Good at the point of attack in runnign situations he will have problems with faster players and is probably best suited for zone and nickel back situations. He will more than likely be a redshirt guy.

Jonathon Mincy - 5'10" 175 lbs. 4.4
Mincy reminds me of alot of the defensive backs that Auburn has brought in over the last couple of years. He is a solid football player with some upside but as will be limited against the influx it seems of taller recievers that have been arriving in the SEC. Probably a redshirt or little used backup that may develop in later years to situational guy.

Athletes

Chris Davis - 5'11" 175
This young man has alot of athletic potential and seems like he would be a good in the defensive backfield for Auburn in a couple of years as safety or conerback once he has developed a bit more.

Shaun Kitchens - 6'3" 211 lbs.
Kitchens did a bit of everything in High School and that may hurt him a bit. I feel the best fit for him right now would for him to try to put on a bit more weight and transition to the mike linebacker role. To early to tell how he will fit in but he will very likely be redshirted this year.

Ryan Smith - 6'2" 208 lbs.
Has a chance to be a solid contributor at the conerback, safety, or running back position depending on how well he transitions to the SEC. A good athlete with a nose for the ball Ryan Smith also knows what to do with it when he gets the ball in his hands. Probably going to be on the defensive side of the ball as they have a great deal of depth concerns. Could very well turn into a solid starter in coming years at the safety position.

Ryan White - 6'0" 185 lbs.
A good athlete who will make a solid contribution to the team at the coner position were depth will be needed. He could get playing time depending on how he transitions and how Ethridge and Savage do returning from signifigant injuries.


Kicker/ Punter

Cody Parkey - 6'2" 195 lbs.

Steven Clark - 6'5" 230 lbs.