Do you think any Freshman WR...

[blazetiger 0]

Lmao. I don't think he's a bust but I don't look at Benton as one either. You put all that stuff about a championship team like  Sanders and Benton play for different teams or something. And Benton played special teams as well he does everything the coaches ask as well.U wrote about about 4.5 tackles for loss I can talk about Benton touchdown and I'm sure that's like 4th or 5th best on the team.Benton was stuck behind a starter for the national championship team. But your reply makes my point, say something about sanders and you get this (and I really wasn't saying anything about him just saying him and Benton are both back ups) It's taboo to speak on Sanders and not say he's the greatest.But many down Benton like he's crap and its no big deal,  when in reality there's not much separating the two but they are on two opposite ends of the  "popularity poll" if you will.

[Chaotic_zx 1,070]

At this point, I'll take any WR stepping up. I don't care if they are a freshman or senior.

[Rednilla 5,449]

Lmao. I don't think he's a bust but I don't look at Benton as one either. You put all that stuff about a championship team like  Sanders and Benton play for different teams or something. And Benton played special teams as well he does everything the coaches ask as well.U wrote about about 4.5 tackles for loss I can talk about Benton touchdown and I'm sure that's like 4th or 5th best on the team.Benton was stuck behind a starter for the national championship team. But your reply makes my point, say something about sanders and you get this (and I really wasn't saying anything about him just saying him and Benton are both back ups) It's taboo to speak on Sanders and not say he's the greatest.But many down Benton like he's crap and its no big deal,  when in reality there's not much separating the two but they are on two opposite ends of the  "popularity poll" if you will.

This is Benton's fourth year. Thus far, he has caught 14 passes for 239 yards and 1 touchdown through three years of action. On the other hand, Craig Sanders has 21 tackles, including 2 sacks. through two years of action. Top that off with Benton not being able to take over either starting spot left by Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery when they left, then combine it with the lofty expectations Trooper Taylor put on D-Lo, and that simply magnifies the whole situation.

I'm not saying that Sanders is a world beater, and I'm not saying D-Lo is a lost cause, but to this point in his career, Benton has gone from loftier predictions (he was also a top 50 prospect nationally according to rivals.com, while Sanders was ranked number 197 by the same service) to less production in more time on the Plains.

[YaBoyMaxWeezy 0]

I agree Red. I don't think he's a bust because personally I never expected much out of him. He's a great back up and a great role player. And him and Meat were absolute animals on special teams in 2010. Every single kick of you'd see both of them ripping kick returners heads off. He made kick returns exciting!

[Rednilla 5,449]

I agree Red. I don't think he's a bust because personally I never expected much out of him. He's a great back up and a great role player. And him and Meat were absolute animals on special teams in 2010. Every single kick of you'd see both of them ripping kick returners heads off. He made kick returns exciting!

I've noticed 13 more than any other player on special teams the last two years. I'm not saying Benton hasn't been doing well and he just didn't stand out to me as much, just that I've noticed Sanders more frequently.

But you never expected much out of him? Really? Why not?

[YaBoyMaxWeezy 0]

Mostly because he's behind Lemonier. I think he's a decent player not great. But solid back ups are extremely important on the DL, like Goggans and Blanc.

[blazetiger 0]

They play different positions.  Adams wouldn't hardly come off the field period.  And I don't see the point being made with didn't start when Sanders doesn't start either and he didn't take the starting spot left by Carter Lemoniere did.  And if Owens, Ford, and Delaine wouldn't have been hurt does Sanders get as much playing time?  And Sanders was rated higher than Eguae, Delaine.  And also you said this is Benton's 4th year then said this is stats in to years of action.  To compare the two it's either Benton's 4th year and Sanders third or Benton's stats in three years of action and Sanders stats in two years of action.

But like I said I wasn't calling anybody a bust or that's not what I meant; I was just saying all guys roles are important and they are both role players so I didn't understand how one is so "loved" and one not loved as much to put it nicely.  (Not saying you personally just talking about the overall feeling of the fan base.)

But I guess this is silly I hope they both surprise everybody this year.

[Rednilla 5,449]

They play different positions.  Adams wouldn't hardly come off the field period.  And I don't see the point being made with didn't start when Sanders doesn't start either and he didn't take the starting spot left by Carter Lemoniere did.  And if Owens, Ford, and Delaine wouldn't have been hurt does Sanders get as much playing time?  And Sanders was rated higher than Eguae, Delaine.  And also you said this is Benton's 4th year then said this is stats in to years of action.  To compare the two it's either Benton's 4th year and Sanders third or Benton's stats in three years of action and Sanders stats in two years of action.

But like I said I wasn't calling anybody a bust or that's not what I meant; I was just saying all guys roles are important and they are both role players so I didn't understand how one is so "loved" and one not loved as much to put it nicely.  (Not saying you personally just talking about the overall feeling of the fan base.)

But I guess this is silly I hope they both surprise everybody this year.

First off, it's Corey Lemonier, who was one of the biggest signing day coups we've had since Chizik got here, and we've had a few of them. If we're going by rankings, he was far ahead of Craig, but when you look at the production it's hard to say he shouldn't be starting. In Nosa's case, he had an extra year in the system (redshirted in 09), which is what gave him the advantage to start in 2010, kinda like how Chad Slade started on the offensive line last year while Christian Westerman and Greg Robinson redshirted, and that starting experience gives him an edge.

The difference with Benton, IMO, is that he's been around for long enough that he could easily have taken one of the spots that Q Carr and Trevante Stallworth started at last season. Carr has been around longer, but he didn't have starting experience, so he wouldn't have the same edge as Eguae had over Sanders, and Stallworth came in the same time Benton did.

My point with all of this is that D-Lo had a much greater opportunity to take the take a starting role than did Sanders.

Oh, I said Benton is going into his fourth year, and that through three years he had those stats. I also said that Sanders' stats were through two years. Sorry if that was confusing, because I wasn't trying to make it sound like he'd been here more than a year longer than Sanders has.

As for how much Sanders would have played without the injuries, I'm not entirely sure, but I do know he still would have been put in at DT for passing downs because of his size and strength. Also pretty sure he was ahead of both Owens and Delaine, though Ford has come on pretty strong as a pass rusher.

But you're right, it's kind of a moot point. I hope both have great seasons, and I especially hope D-Lo is able to break out and get his name in the minds of NFL scouts.

[chimesAU 89]

I also think that if people saw Benton flying all over the field on special teams it might help make him a "fan favorite ". Sanders plays with an intensity that we just haven't been able to see from D-Lo. Meat is in the same category as Craig( to me at least), he's EVERYWHERE on kick -offs and plays like an animal. That being said, I think Meat is going to struggle to keep his starting safety spot this year. He'll still be one of my favorites though, because I've seen his effort and intensity play out on the field. The ESPN article about the extra work Craig puts into the weight room  hasn't hurt his cause, either.

[AUSWEN 0]

Personally, with Lefty possibly increasing the number of receivers on the field, and also increasing the number of receivers that are actually viable targets for the QB, I think Benton could have a solid year this year. Will he be a super-star? Probably not, we already have one of those, but I think he'll get a few catches a game. Probably end up with maybe 20 or 30 on the year, which would be T-Zach type numbers. I think Sammie is going to be a super-star in time, but right now he's in line like everyone else.

[Rednilla 5,449]

Personally, with Lefty possibly increasing the number of receivers on the field, and also increasing the number of receivers that are actually viable targets for the QB, I think Benton could have a solid year this year. Will he be a super-star? Probably not, we already have one of those, but I think he'll get a few catches a game. Probably end up with maybe 20 or 30 on the year, which would be T-Zach type numbers. I think Sammie is going to be a super-star in time, but right now he's in line like everyone else.

I'm not sure how much more Loeffler will be utilizing wideouts, at least not as far as playing time, but I do hope he'll spread the ball around to them more, and I suspect that he's going to have more 2 tight end sets than we have gotten used to.

[blazetiger 0]

True Corey is very good I would say playing behind Darvin Adams is just as much as a big deal.  Then the next year playing behind Blake.  These are epic WR's in Auburn's history of WR's. Also with all that being said we are really nit picking and getting very detailed about who "should" or "could" be starting when pretty much it's not too much more that one has accomplished than the other. It's not like I'm saying D LO is comparable to Nick Fairly because I'm pretty sure your first reply would be something like are you serious?  Fairly had like 30 sacks in one one season!

I see what you're saying chimesAU, it's nice to see a guy out there really having fun.  Sanders and Meat are defensive players also.  Sanders is much better at kicking coverage, I would say probably the best on the team but I think it was impressive to see Adams, Blake, and Benton get in there and make a couple of tackles because they are wr's. 

I also think it's impressive that you have never heard any negativity from Benton.  I'm sure he probably knows what people say about him but I never saw him complain, point fingers, or have a bad attitude.  At a position where attitudes are found in football.  I can't lie one of the first things I would have said or thought if I was in his position last year is how much do you really expect out of me with or passing game struggling the way it did last year.  But from him you just get "I know what I need to work on and if I play better I'd get more time" and "This is the last year, I'm excited about the opportunity and going to make the most of it"