Roger McCreary taking ’next step

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Auburn Football

Roger McCreary taking ’next step’ as Auburn’s newest No. 1 cornerback

Updated Sep 06, 2020; Posted Sep 06, 2020

 

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Roger McCreary was one of the lowest-rated players Auburn signed in 2018, but now the junior out of Mobile could be one of the most vital players for the Tigers this season.

McCreary is primed to take over as Auburn’s top cornerback this season following the early departure of first-round NFL Draft pick Noah Igbinoghene, as the 6-foot, 188-pound defensive back has a chance to continue the program’s recent trend of churning out highly productive corners.

“I’d say he’s a top-3 corner in the SEC, honestly,” junior wide receiver Anthony Schwartz said. “For me, the way he came in from freshman year, I had a feeling he was going to be — he was going to have a bright future. Seeing him now, he’s more confident in his craft. I think he’s going to be able to lock down that side of the field.”

While Igbinoghene got a lot of the praise last season, and rightfully so, McCreary quietly emerged as a quality cornerback for Auburn after appearing in just seven games as a reserve during his freshman year, when he saw the field more late in the season in 2018. Last year he only started one game, at LSU when Auburn went with a seven-defensive back look, but was still considered a starter by defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and then-cornerbacks coach Marcus Woodson.

McCreary finished the year with 36 tackles, an interception, a fumble return and a team-best 11 pass breakups. That last number matched those of Igbinoghene in 2018 and Carlton Davis in 2017 for the most by an Auburn defensive back since Steele took over prior to the 2016 season.

According to Pro Football Focus, McCreary led Auburn’s defense in forced completions last season, allowing just nine receptions on 23 pass attempts to the outside, while his coverage grade of 81.1 ranked 33rd nationally — out of 419 qualifying cornerbacks.

“One thing I can say about Rog is I know he’s going to have my back,” safety Smoke Monday said. “I know he’s going to do his job every single play. He’s going to play 110 percent every single play. I feel like his technique is one of the best in the country, and I feel like when he’s on that island alone, I’m not worried about him.

“Rog is going to do his job. Rog is going to lock that receiver down, and I feel like that for him because, as you said, he wasn’t highly recruited, but he proved a lot of people wrong, and that’s what he’s still doing today.”

While sophomore Nehemiah Pritchett and junior college transfer Marco Domio battle for the other cornerback spot, McCreary brings a level of experience and reliability to the No. 1 spot that has proven to be a star-maker for Auburn in recent years. Igbinoghene held that role last season, while Jamel Dean manned it in 2018 and Davis in 2017.

All three enjoyed breakout junior campaigns that swayed their decisions to leave early for the NFL Draft. Igbinoghene went in the first round this spring to the Miami Dolphins, while Dean was selected in the third round last year and Davis was picked in the second round in 2018, both by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

McCreary could be next, especially as coach Gus Malzahn said the defense will “ask a lot of him” in the secondary this year and bank on him “raising his game to the next level.”

“Roger McCreary has really taken the next step,” Malzahn said Saturday. “You can just tell his confidence level is at a different level. He’s had an excellent camp so far. He’s one of our leaders. He’s not a real vocal guy, but he does it more by example. He’s really taken over that role for Noah really week so far.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[Auctoritas 2,907]

THATS MY MAN CRUSH! Get it, Roger!

Seriously, he's gonna be something special. Not just this year. He's going to be the next great AU CB in the NFL.