Position preview: Safeties

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2022 Auburn football position preview: Safeties

Mark Murphy

4-5 minutes

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2 Minute Drill: Depth on defense a concern for Auburn Tigers

 

AUBURN, Alabama–Although the Tigers must replace multi-year starter Smoke Monday and senior Bydarrius Knighten at the safety positions, the back line of the 2022 Auburn defense has potential. The Tigers return a pair of players with starting experience plus a transfer from Iowa State who is expected to be provide immediate help.

Zac Etheridge, who is coaching both the safeties and cornerbacks for the 2022 football season, can build around 6-0, 227 junior Zion Puckett and 5-10, 205 redshirt sophomore Donovan Kaufman. Each of those defensive backs is versatile enough to line up at the nickel spot if needed where the Tigers are replacing Ladarius Tennison, who transferred to Ole Miss.

Despite missing three games last year, Puckett finished seventh on the team in tackles with 48 while dealing with a shoulder problem, which also limited him in spring drills. He is expected to be ready to go to start the season. Etheridge noted that Puckett, a quarterback in high school, has a good grasp of the big picture and should be one of the leaders of the defense.

Kaufman, who transferred to Auburn from Vanderbilt prior to the 2021 season, made 33 tackles. He returned an interception 38 yards, deflected two passes and made one quarterback sack last fall. He has an excellent chance to join Puckett in the starting lineup.

Monday put up strong numbers and finished third on the team in tackles with 63, including nine for lost yardage.

In addition to replacing Monday, the Tigers also are minus Knighten, a one and done graduate transfer, whose 46 tackles ranked eighth on the 2021 Auburn defense. Also gone at safety are 2021 true freshman Ahmari Harvey and redshirt freshman Eric Reed. Neither contributed last fall and both have transferred to Georgia Tech.

The Tigers brought in Craig McDonald, a 6-2, 204 sophomore. He saw action in all 13 games last season at Iowa State where he started three times and made 24 solo tackles with 17 assists. The native of Minneapolis intercepted two passes and deflected another.

Craig McDonald made the move from the Big 12 to the SEC. (Photo: Joseph Cress / Syndication: The Des Moines Register, USA TODAY Sports)

Another possibility for playing time at safety is Cayden Bridges, a 6-2, 202 redshirt freshman from Magee, Miss., where he was a multi-sport standout. Focusing on football as a collegian, he has added muscle and took a big step forward in the spring so he has a real shot at breaking into the playing rotation.

That could also be the case for an even younger safety, Caleb Wooden, who graduated early from Archer High in Lawrenceville, Ga., to get a head start on college and join his brother, Colby, on the roster. Not a heavily recruited prospect, the 6-1, 188 safety is on a mission to show he belongs at the SEC level and that could happen this fall. He made a team-high 91 tackles as a senior and 189 during three seasons.

Another newcomer at the position is 6-2, 178 Marquise Gilbert from Daytona Beach, Fla., via Hutchinson Community College in Kansas where he was ranked as the No. 2 juco safety prospect in the country, according to 247Sports. He played high school ball at Flagler Palm Coast.

Also receiving plenty of practice time in the spring were a trio of walk-ons, including a pair of juniors, 6-1, 227 Sammy Cohen from Marietta, Ga., and 5-9, 171 Tony Hunley, Jr., from Anniston. John Reese Bellew is a 6-1, 204 sophomore from Gadsden.

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The Tigers also signed Tre Donaldson, a standout safety at Florida State University School in Tallahassee. However, unless he changes plans, Donaldson is going to be a full-time basketball player at Auburn.