Taking stock of 14 true freshmen

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Taking stock of Auburn’s 14 true freshmen entering 2021 season

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

11-14 minutes

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Auburn’s 2021 season opener is just days away, as the Bryan Harsin era is set to officially kick off Saturday night against Akron in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Last week, we took stock of Auburn’s 10 key transfer additions from the offseason and where each is expected to fit into the Tigers’ plans. Today, we’ll do the same for Auburn’s 14 true freshmen on both sides of the ball. Some are expected to be rotational pieces at key positions, while others could see the field on special teams or provide additional developmental depth for Auburn this fall. We’ll run through the team’s 2021 high school signees and examine which ones could have more prominent roles this season, and which are likely to redshirt while appearing in four games or fewer.

Here they are, listed in descending order by their 247Sports ranking coming out of high school:

Dylan Brooks, edge

Brooks was the highest-rated signee for Auburn during the 2021 cycle, joining the Tigers’ class in late February after initially signing with Tennessee and then being granted a release from his letter of intent with the Vols. The 6-foot-4, 227-pounder is expected to be the fifth option in Auburn’s edge defender rotation, which has a top-four of T.D. Moultry, Derick Hall, Romello Height and Eku Leota.

While Brooks might not appear on the initial two-deep, he provides an intriguing young option at the position for the Tigers as they try to generate a better pass-rush this season—and if he can produce when his number is called, he could see an expanded role as his freshman season progresses.

Lee Hunter, defensive tackle

Before the late addition of Brooks, Hunter was the gem of Auburn’s 2021 class. Now, the Mobile native could be one of the Tigers’ more impactful freshmen this season. The former four-star Blount standout impressed during the spring, and he should be in Auburn’s defensive tackle rotation this season.

At 6-foot-4 and 321 pounds, he’s one of the team’s biggest players, and he also provides a natural option at nose tackle when the Tigers go with three down linemen. He’ll likely be behind UAB transfer Tony Fair and sophomore J.J. Pegues in that spot, but during Saturday’s open practice, he received some second-team reps along the defensive line. Either way, expect Hunter to be a rotational piece for Auburn’s defensive front this fall.

“Just holding his point at the nose and just knowing what he has to do technique-wise and the things he does outside of football, the preparation and everything, we see it,” Pegues said. “I feel like him doing that really just opened him up.”

Ahmari Harvey, safety

Auburn’s safety depth was a major question in the spring, as the team lost Jamien Sherwood and Jordyn Peters to the NFL Draft, while Harvey—a four-star early enrollee—was limited due to injury. Even after Auburn added FCS transfer Bydarrius Knighten to the secondary this summer, Harvey could find himself on the two-deep behind senior Smoke Monday in a safety group that should also include Knighten and Zion Puckett.

Harvey was one of a handful of players who did not participate in Saturday’s open practice, and it remains unclear what his status will be for the start of the season. When healthy, though, he could be another young rotational option for Auburn on the back end.

Dematrius Davis, quarterback

The former four-star, dual-threat quarterback stuck with Auburn through an offseason coaching change, and while he doesn’t fit the mold of the typical quarterback in Harsin or Mike Bobo’s systems, Davis has shown some impressive development this offseason and has looked like a “different dude” from the spring to the fall.

He enters a situation where he’s firmly behind Bo Nix and LSU transfer T.J. Finley, and he should be Auburn’s third-team quarterback this season. Unless Harsin and Bobo dial up specific packages for him this fall—and barring injury to the team’s top-two quarterbacks—Davis seems to be a redshirt candidate this fall, though it won’t be for lack of effort or ability on his part.

“I really like Dematrius Davis,” Harsin said. “He as a young player, he continues to keep showing up…. Dematrius Davis, I think I’ve said this before, but he’s just got some gamesmanship in him. It’s kind of that game within the game that he can play. So, he’s fun to watch, fun to coach. There’s some details that he still needs to continue to be focused on.”

Marquis Robinson, defensive tackle

Robinson wasn’t as highly touted as Hunter, but he was still talented four-star prospect out of Milton, Fla. Defensive linemen typically have a sound chance to see the field as freshmen; it’s just the nature of the position. The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder won’t show up on Auburn’s two-deep, but it’s possible he sees some snaps this season for the Tigers’ deep defensive line.

Tar’Varish Dawson, wide receiver

The lone wide receiver among Auburn’s 2021 signees (after Hal Presley opted to transfer shortly after his arrival on campus), Dawson has been one of the bright young standouts of the preseason for the Tigers. The 5-foot-10, 161-pounder has impressed with his speed and agility in practices, and he could figure into the rotation at slot receiver behind Ja’Varrius Johnson.

While Dawson generated plenty of buzz early in the preseason, he did not participate in Saturday’s open practice, so his status for Week 1 remains to be seen.

“He has game-changing speeds that can create explosive plays off his ability,” Bobo said. “Right now, you can see the guy has speed; he’s made some tough catches in practice; he’s won some with his speed. Right now, it’s learning what to do. He’s got talent, and that’s our job as coaches to figure out what he can do and put himself in position to be successful. But I like his attitude.”

Tobechi Okoli, defensive lineman

We haven’t heard much about the 6-foot-5, 252-pound defensive lineman this preseason, but the former three-star prospect out of Kansas City could always work his way into the rotation along the defensive line. Heading into Week 1, though, it looks like he’ll be a fringe contributor for Auburn this season.

Landen King, tight end

King has looked impressive during the limited viewing windows the media has had this preseason, and if not for a logjam of veterans ahead of him at tight end, he could have entered this season in line for a more prominent role in Auburn’s wide-open pro-style offense.

Still, the 6-foot-5, 214-pounder was an early enrollee who benefited from the head start in the spring, and this preseason he has looked “lightyears ahead” of where he was during the spring. Depending on how much he continues to progress, and how often Auburn utilizes two-tight end sets, King could work his way onto the field at some point this season.

“Just his physicality and his football IQ have really grown,” fellow tight end John Samuel Shenker said. “Any time the young guy comes in early, he has a lot of growing to do, and that’s why he’s there. It’s been awesome to watch him. He’s still got a ways to go to get to where he wants to be, but he’s definitely on that right track.”

Colby Smith, offensive lineman

Smith was a major pickup for Harsin and his staff during February’s signing period, with the Tigers needing to replenish their numbers on the offensive line beyond this season. It’s always difficult for true freshmen to contribute along the offensive line immediately, and Auburn won’t need to ask Smith to do that, either. The Tigers return eight linemen with starting experience from last season, and the two-deep seemed pretty firmly set entering game week. Expect Smith to redshirt as Auburn works to develop him for next season and beyond.

“They’re learning,” offensive lineman Brodarious Hamm said of the freshmen along the line. “It’s more fast-paced than what they’re used to, but they’re learning. They can help us in the long run.”

Garner Langlo, offensive lineman

Langlo had the benefit of spring practices to familiarize himself with Auburn’s new offense and begin acclimating to the college level, but again, it’s difficult for true freshmen to contribute up front offensively. Langlo won’t find himself on Auburn’s two-deep entering the season, but like Smith, the 6-foot-6, 277-pounder provides the team with another developmental piece for the foundation of its line beyond this season. He’s another prime redshirt candidate.

“One of the young guys that has stood out to me is Garner Langlo,” senior offensive lineman Brandon Council said. “He’s really coming on. He’s strong and he’s picking up the offense. He’s a real good guy.”

Ian Mathews, defensive lineman

Mathews falls into a similar category as Okoli — freshmen defensive linemen who could garner some snaps this season but will likely have a hard time cracking a deep rotation up front for Auburn. The 6-foot-4, 267-pounder did see some work rotating in late with Auburn’s second-team defense during Saturday’s open practice, but he still has several more experienced players ahead of him. Mathews has some impressive athleticism for his size, and that could be a promising sign of things to come, even if it’s not likely to be this season.

Jarquez Hunter, running back

The addition of Hunter during February’s signing period was a significant one for an Auburn backfield that looks considerably different than it did this time last year. The Tigers return Tank Bigsby and Shaun Shivers, which should give them a formidable one-two punch at running back, but they’re the only scholarship backs with any actual college experience. Judging by rotations this fall, though, Hunter could be third in line at running back this season and has a chance to carve out some sort of role as a true freshman. That could be in the form of situational work out of the backfield, or on special teams, as he has been one of several players working at kick return this fall.

The 5-foot-10, 202-pounder has some solid size at running back, and he has the type of strength — squatting 600 pounds this summer, according to linebacker Owen Pappoe — that could make him an effective weapon as a true freshman, regardless of his role.

“He’s real strong,” Shivers said. “He’s physical…. He hits the hole. He’s explosive. That’s a downhill runner right there. He’s real strong and powerful.”

A.D. Diamond, cornerback

Diamond was an early signing day addition for Auburn under then-defensive coordinator/interim head coach Kevin Steele, who had a knack for identifying underrated defensive backs—guys like Daniel Thomas, Roger McCreary and Nehemiah Pritchett, to name a few—during his time with the Tigers. Diamond, forgive the pun, could be another one of those diamonds in the rough for Auburn. The 6-foot, 153-pounder was among the group of players who did not participate in practice Saturday. He is a developmental player for Auburn, which has a deep, veteran-laden secondary, and he’ll likely redshirt this season.

Cayden Bridges, safety

Bridges was one of Auburn’s February signing day additions, as the Tigers flipped the then-South Alabama commit to add to their 2021 class. The 6-foot-2, 181-pounder may have been Auburn’s lowest-rated high school signee, but there is certainly need for positional depth at safety for Auburn, as mentioned earlier with Harvey. Bridges may have a more difficult time cracking the rotation in the secondary, but with his size, he could earn a role on special teams as a means of seeing the field early for the Tigers.

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