Signees expected in for summer session

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Auburn football signees expected in for summer session

Jason Caldwell

4-5 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama—With over half of the 2022 signing class on campus for spring practices, Coach Bryan Harsin and the Auburn Tigers are expected to add eight more players this weekend heading into Tuesday’s first summer workout on the Plains.

While junior college cornerback Keionte Scott is still finishing up classwork this summer and won’t be on campus until July, the rest of the signees will get an opportunity for an early start with the Tigers.

"These guys have been itching," Harsin said. "They want to get here. It's just at the point now where they're ready -- they're ready to get here, they're ready to move into the dorms, they're ready for their lives at Auburn, and obviously the football piece. We have that, and maybe a few other guys we'll sign. So really, we're at full strength with our team, and I want to see what that looks like. And let the older players lead and do a good job with the younger players and see where we go through the summer."

On the offensive side of the ball, running back Damari Alston is one of the 2022 signees that has an opportunity to come in and make an impact. The Woodward Academy standout joins a running back room that features Tank Bigsby as the clear No. 1 and sophomore Jarquez Hunter as the likely backup heading into the season, but there will be a chance to earn playing time with a strong preseason camp.

Another player with a chance to earn some early playing time is physical wide receiver Camden Brown from St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. Helping his high school team to a state title last season as a senior, Brown is a 6-3 body on the outside that brings something different to the table for an Auburn wide receiver group that is looking for playmakers to step up.

He’s joined in the newcomer group by Omari Kelly from Hewitt-Trussville High. A player that could have easily played safety as a collegiate player, Kelly is physical and dependable over the middle. While he’s athletic enough to be a big-play threat, Kelly could earn a role as a dependable possession guy in the Auburn offense.

A transfer from Miami and a former teammate of Kelly’s at Hewitt-Trussville, Dazalin Worsham begins his Auburn career officially next week when the Tigers begin summer workouts. Putting up huge numbers for the Huskies during his high school career, Worsham has two years of a college weight program under his belt, which should give him a leg up to get on the field early for the Tigers.

On the defensive side of the ball, Auburn is in good shape in the secondary, but big cornerback Austin Ausberry is talented enough to come in and make a run at playing time. Capable of playing corner or nickel, the 6-0, 200 Ausberry has the size to play early if he can pick up the defense.

A player Auburn is counting on to potentially be a starter this season is Iowa State safety transfer Craig McDonald. A big body, McDonald could team up with Zion Puckett on the back end of the defense and allow the Tigers to move Donovan Kaufman back to the nickel. With experience playing in the Big 12, getting McDonald in this early is a big deal for the Tigers.

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Up front, Auburn will have Memphis transfer Morris Joseph on campus along with signee Enyce Sledge to help bolster the defensive line. A graduate transfer with a great deal of experience under his belt, Joseph is someone that could play end or slide inside for the Auburn defensive line. A bigger body, Sledge is a true interior defender that will try to get into the mix with guys like Jayson Jones and Marquis Burks.

Rounding out the group is All-American kicker Alex McPherson from Fort Payne. With perhaps the strongest leg in the country and a pedigree being the younger brother of former Florida and current Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson, he’s got the talent to make a push right away. With Anders Carlson back for another season, McPherson may have the opportunity to learn from a veteran this season and take his turn in 2023.

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