Freshman Preseason Camp Report Card

[ellitor 33,904]

Freshman report card: How Auburn's 2023 class performed in preseason camp

NATHAN KING Aug 22nd

Auburn roster turnover this offseason featured more than a 50 percent overhaul in terms of scholarship players, and while the Tigers' highly touted transfer class will likely make the biggest immediate impact, Hugh Freeze's first recruiting class on the Plains has some intriguing pieces, too.

And those 21 players — JUCO signees included — went through their first preseason camp at Auburn this month, ending last Saturday with the team's second and final scrimmage. While the top recruits in the class made their presence felt early and often, there are plenty of other names who could also find themselves on the field this fall. Let's check in on how the 2023 class fared in camp, and assess each player's redshirt chances this season.

Players are presented in ascending order of their 247Sports Composite ranking.

QB HANK BROWN

Where he stands: After following Freeze and flipping from Liberty to Auburn, the 3-star wasn’t necessarily included in the team’s plans for the quarterback competition. Even going back to the summer, Freeze only named the top three QBs in terms of contenders to win the job — which isn’t a big surprise, considering Brown is not only a true freshman, but also wasn’t present for spring practice. Still, he’ll be Auburn’s No. 4 quarterback this season, and as Freeze said last week, he had to play four QBs just last season at Liberty due to injuries.

What they said: “Look, Hank Brown, I love. He can make every throw. But realistically you can’t get four kids reps in camp.” — Freeze

Redshirt likelihood: High

NT STEPHEN JOHNSON

Where he stands: A flip from Arkansas in December, Johnson certainly has the size for Auburn’s staff to mold over the next couple years, checking in at 6-foot-3 and 337 pounds. As such, he’s been positioned this preseason at nose tackle, where he’s been taking mostly fourth-team reps behind Jayson Jones, Justin Rogers and Enyce Sledge.

Redshirt likelihood: High

OG BRADYN JOINER

Where he stands: The Auburn High School product enrolled this summer in a deep offensive line rotation. Recruited as a center, Joiner has played at all three spots along the interior O-line this preseason, and his most common placement has been at right guard, where he’s garnered consistent third-team reps.

Redshirt likelihood: High

S CJ JOHNSON

Where he stands: Johnson is one of two true freshman safeties to enroll at Auburn this summer, and after Donovan Kaufman’s move from nickel back to safety, the path to playing time was narrowed. Johnson saw some second-team work early in camp but has more recently been the third-team option behind Jaylin Simpson and Marquise Gilbert. Interestingly enough, walk-on and Baylor transfer Griffin Speaks has received plenty of second-team reps at safety alongside Kaufman.

Redshirt likelihood: High

OL CLAY WEDIN

 

Where he stands: Wedin had the benefit of enrolling in the spring this year, and allowing position coach Jake Thornton to get his hands on the 6-foot-5, 307-pound freshman as early as possible. This preseason, Wedin has been slotted at right tackle, where he looks to still be in a third-team role, even after No. 2 right tackle Izavion Miller moved up to the starting group and pushed Gunner Britton over to left guard. In the most recent practices, fifth-year senior Jalil Irvin, who’s spent his Auburn career at either guard or center, worked the second-team right tackle spot.

What they said: “Clay Wedin was with us through the spring. Clay has improved tremendously from when I first saw him to how he is now. He’s another player that I see has a high ceiling and will continue to get better under Coach Thornton’s wisdom.” — left tackle Dillon Wade

Redshirt likelihood: High

JACK BRENTON WILLIAMS

Where he stands: Auburn’s trio of transfer additions will undoubtedly be the defense’s top options at the jack linebacker spot. So the question is, who will be the team’s No. 4 pass-rusher, with a chance for some rotational playing time this season? The competition is between Williams and veteran walk-on Hayden Brice, both of whom worked with the third-team defense in camp.

Redshirt likelihood: Medium

OT TYLER JOHNSON

Where he stands: At 6-foot-6 and 304 pounds, Johnson certainly stands out at practice, especially among the freshman class. On signing day, Freeze said Johnson, a flip from Texas Tech, has all the tools to become an NFL offensive tackle one day, but the 2023 season won’t be one where he’ll likely see the field yet. Johnson isn’t in the two-deep on the offensive line right now, and Jaden Muskrat and Dylan Senda are both above him at left tackle right now, too.

What they said: “He’s got a chance to be good. He’s a young guy. Struggled like any freshman the first couple of days. But really, because the room is so strong with leadership, he;’s done a good job of learning from them and learning what it’s like to be an SEC O-lineman and growing in that way. So he’s made progress and has all the physical attributes to be a really good player.” — Thornton

Redshirt likelihood: High

CB JC HART

Where he stands: On top of the NFL talent already at the top of the depth chart for the Tigers at cornerback, they brought in four more players in the 2023 class. And perhaps the most raw is Hart, whom the Auburn coaches toyed with the idea of playing at receiver before solidifying him at cornerback. He stands out in the crowd at 6-foot-2, and Auburn’s staff is excited to dissect his skill set in the coming years. But this year probably won’t yield much playing time.

What they said: “JC Hart, you've got to remember now, his cup is empty. He hasn't lived that DB life a lot, but with that size and speed, man, he's catching on. And when he catches on, I promise you, he's going to be a household name. You don't have many Americans with that size that can run like that. So the biggest thing I'm having to coach with that young man is just confidence. The more confident he gets, the more his skillset and talent going to show up.” — CB coach Wesley McGriff

Redshirt likelihood: High

CB CHAMP ANTHONY (JUCO)

Where he stands: The final addition to the Tigers’ 2023 class was Anthony, the nation’s No. 4 JUCO corner who committed in early June. While Auburn was confident in its two-deep rotation at cornerback exiting the spring, with Kayin Lee and J.D. Rhym as its backups, Anthony’s progression this preseason has given the coaches something to think about. He’s seen some second-team work and is likely in good position to contend as the fourth or fifth option on the team at his position.

What they said: “One guy that's really surprised us — and we have to remember that he's really not a true freshman — is Chancellor Anthony. He's doing a good job and you go like, 'Whoa.' He's kind of far ahead of the other freshmen, and then you have to realize that 'OK, yeah, he's really not a true freshman,' being in JUCO for a year. He's probably been the biggest surprise of the young guys so far.” — McGriff

DT QUIENTRAIL JAMISON-TRAVIS (JUCO)

Where he stands: The latest arrival on the team this summer, “Bobby” Jamison-Travis reported to campus just a few days before camp began in early August. Rated as the No. 3 JUCO defensive lineman in the class, Jamison-Travis needed to play catch-up with his peers in terms of both the weight room and the playbook, and mostly received fourth-team reps at defensive tackle. Auburn’s coaches are excited about his future in the program, though.

What they said: “He has all the talent stuff. He was not here this summer so he’s a little far behind. We’re trying to play catch-up with him on a mental standpoint, what’s going on and what he has to do. He will impact and he’ll be a big part, because he’s a talented individual. So he’s got to play himself into shape.” — DC Ron Roberts

CB COLTON HOOD

Where he stands: A couple weeks into camp, Hood was one of the biggest standouts among Auburn’s defensive coaches and players. In addition to his tenacity in the meeting room and picking the brains of his peers, Hood had a standout few days on the field, including two interceptions in a single practice. All indications are that he’s playing at a much more mature level than a true freshman — safeties coach Zac Etheridge called him “a young veteran” — and that could help his chances to be a rotational piece in the secondary this fall.

What they said: "He's like — wow, that dude's, he's gonna be something. He is playing on the ball, man. He asks questions in meetings. He's on top of it, man. You can see the motor he has.” — LB Austin Keys

Redshirt likelihood: Medium

DE WILKY DENAUD

Where he stands: One of the most athletically impressive freshmen on the roster, the 6-foot-3, 273-pound Denaud quickly settled into a defensive end role this preseason, where he’s worked behind Keldric Faulk, Mosiah Nasili-Kite and Zykeivous Walker. Position coach Jeremy Garrett wants a deep rotation, but it seems unlikely at this point that Denaud will be needed much more than a few snaps per game in mop-up duty.

Redshirt likelihood: High

OT IZAVION MILLER (JUCO)

Where he stands: Thornton has been high on Miller’s potential as an SEC offensive tackle for years, and the No. 4 JUCO offensive tackle followed him from Ole Miss to Auburn once Thornton was hired. And the 6-foot-5, 318-pound Miller has progressed masterfully through the spring and preseason, putting him in position now to start at right tackle — a surge that moved Britton to starting left guard.

What they said: “Too Tall has had a phenomenal camp. Watching him progress, getting stronger, body quickness, first and second step off the ball, he is definitely making his presence known out there. He's doing a great job, he's being consistent day in and day out.” — Thornton

S TERRANCE LOVE

Where he stands: With rare physical tools for a defensive back at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Love obviously works at strong safety this preseason. By all accounts, Love, a 4-star prospect, had a fine camp, but there wasn’t necessarily any buzz around his name. An intriguing talent for the future of Auburn’s defense, Love will likely take a redshirt this fall.

Redshirt likelihood: High

S SYLVESTER SMITH

Where he stands: With Kaufman’s move to safety, a competition was opened up for the No. 2 nickel spot behind Keionte Scott. The contenders: sophomore Caleb Wooden and Smith, the No. 4 highest-rated defensive signee in the 2023 class. They’ve swapped second-team reps throughout the preseason, and though Wooden has the advantage of experience, Smith’s athleticism and ball skills have certainly turned some heads already.

What they said: “I bulked him up. He’s running with the 2s and sometimes he’s running with the 1s, and trying to push guys — because the biggest thing is just getting him to play the next play and know what’s going on. But very instinctive, very smart. He’ll want to know and call you at 10 o’clock at night, ‘Coach what am I supposed to do?’ Takes really good notes. So just to see his growth from Day 1 to now has been good to see.” — Etheridge

Redshirt likelihood: Medium

C CONNOR LEW

Where he stands: Auburn’s known what it has with Lew for months now, after he was one of the standout freshmen in spring practice. The former Miami commit is undoubtedly the No. 2 center on the team, but the feeling is that he could also fill in a guard spot if needed this season. The freshman is supremely skilled, and his peers and coaches will be shocked if he’s not seeing the field as a starter as early as next season.

What they said: “He knows all the calls to make. For a young guy — I remember being a young guy, that was something I struggled with was really getting the offense down. He's a great football player. He's athletic, he's strong and he can do everything we have to do. And he plays super hard. I can't say enough good things about Connor and he's got such a bright future here.” — OG Tate Johnson

Redshirt likelihood: Medium

RB JEREMIAH COBB

Where he stands: Auburn’s top-rated running back signee since Tank Bigsby in 2020, Cobb took a week or so to find his footing and adjust to the speed of Auburn’s defense, his position coach, Cadillac Williams, admitted. But one of the most prolific players in Alabama high school history has since been impressive, and turned in several strong runs in the scrimmage last Saturday. He has a long way to go to break into the rotation of the Tiger’s top three ball-carriers, but as a No. 4 option, Cobb is certainly a big talent who should be in position for a few touches a game.

What they said: “His vision, quickness, explosiveness. He is going to be — I’m excited for this guy’s future. I honestly think he will be one of those household names.” — Williams

Redshirt likelihood: Low

CB TYLER SCOTT

Where he stands: A top-20 player from the state of Georgia, Scott is another notch for Auburn’s secondary outlook in the future — and the unit’s young depth right away. Players like Hood and Anthony seem to be in better position to contribute at cornerback this season, though.

Redshirt likelihood: High

DT DARRON REED JR.

Where he stands: At 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, Reed has all the tools to be an impact player along Auburn’s interior defensive front in the coming years. Breaking into a deep D-line rotation was going to be a difficult task, though, and Reed exited camp as the No. 4 defensive tackle behind Marcus Harris, Lawrence Johnson and Garrison Walker.

What they said: “I think D.J. Reed is picking it up, he’s a physical kid. He has some twitch. Now it’s just getting the playbook down. He’s done a really good job for us.” — Garrett

Redshirt likelihood: High

CB KAYIN LEE

Where he stands: If you’ve forgotten Lee is a freshman, you’re not the only one. Auburn’s coaches and players don’t lump him in with the summer arrivals, after Lee was a big contributor in the spring. The former Ohio State commit was able to earn No. 3 reps at cornerback due to Rhym’s injury, and it appears he’s still yet to relinquish that spot this preseason, as Rhym is still bothered by his leg issue.

What they said: “K-Lee is a guy. I tell him all the time, ‘You don’t need to walk around here like a freshman because you’re going to play.’” — S Jaylin Simpson

Redshirt likelihood: Low

DE KELDRIC FAULK

Where he stands: The top-rated freshman in Auburn’s 2023 class will likely be the most utilized this season, too. The former top-75 overall recruit, who was named a 247Sports preseason freshman All-American last week, looks to be an important piece not only for the Tigers’ defensive line this season, but the defense as a whole. When healthy this preseason, he’s been Auburn’s starting defensive end, and looks to be positioned to make one of the biggest impacts on defense for an Auburn freshman in recent years.

What they said: "That boy's special. I ain't never seen a freshman like that. He's going to be special here, definitely going to be special. To me, it's like how he picks up on football quick and just — he's like a sponge. He picks stuff up real quick, so he's definitely going to be a special kid here." — NT Justin Rogers

Redshirt likelihood: Low

[NWALA Tiger 3,709]

Alot of good stuff here.Thanks for the info 👍 

[TigerHorn 1,447]

This is a good article, and worth breaking out from Fifty's posting of all 8/27 articles. I posted a comment on it that I'll repeat here:

If you read through Fifty's daily posting of articles for the 27th on the Football board, there is an article of likelihood of redshirts for each of our incoming freshmen. Ever since Saban's arrival at bammer, it seems like we have had to count on significant numbers of TF's to play every year. For those who don't remember, Saban made taking every LB we had a shot at, or encouraging them to go elsewhere, a high art for the first few years, leaving us chronically short at that position for one. We lost at least one IB because our limited depth at LB was all playing hurt. I'll never forget one guy who was considered an AU lock visiting bammer late, then committing within days to some OOC school that was hardly even on his radar. In the Gus era, we just always seemed short handed at multiple positions too. 

This year, 14 of our 21 player freshman class have likelihoods of redshirt either medium or high. I may be wrong, but I can't recall the last time we had such a large percentage of the freshman class headed for a RS. That is in large part because of the number of probable starters CHF pulled from the portal, of course.

This is a good thing for the future of the program, and excellent roster management by the staff so far. It wasn't the greatest class ever, so maybe that's some of the reason, but if these guys aren't chasing NIL to xfer because they weren't 4-5* to begin with, we might be able to do something with them in 2-3 years of physical development and coaching. 

 

[ellitor 33,904]

1 hour ago, TigerHorn said:

This is a good article, and worth breaking out from Fifty's posting of all 8/27 articles. I posted a comment on it that I'll repeat here:

If you read through Fifty's daily posting of articles for the 27th on the Football board, there is an article of likelihood of redshirts for each of our incoming freshmen. Ever since Saban's arrival at bammer, it seems like we have had to count on significant numbers of TF's to play every year. For those who don't remember, Saban made taking every LB we had a shot at, or encouraging them to go elsewhere, a high art for the first few years, leaving us chronically short at that position for one. We lost at least one IB because our limited depth at LB was all playing hurt. I'll never forget one guy who was considered an AU lock visiting bammer late, then committing within days to some OOC school that was hardly even on his radar. In the Gus era, we just always seemed short handed at multiple positions too. 

This year, 14 of our 21 player freshman class have likelihoods of redshirt either medium or high. I may be wrong, but I can't recall the last time we had such a large percentage of the freshman class headed for a RS. That is in large part because of the number of probable starters CHF pulled from the portal, of course.

This is a good thing for the future of the program, and excellent roster management by the staff so far. It wasn't the greatest class ever, so maybe that's some of the reason, but if these guys aren't chasing NIL to xfer because they weren't 4-5* to begin with, we might be able to do something with them in 2-3 years of physical development and coaching. 

 

The article is too noteworthy IMO to bet buried in a thread of daily articles.

[toddc 13,197]

8 minutes ago, ellitor said:

The article is too noteworthy IMO to bet buried in a thread of daily articles.

I think I posted it in the Post Fall Camp Exit Survey thread too a few days ago 

Edited August 28, 2023 by toddc

[ellitor 33,904]

7 minutes ago, toddc said:

I think I posted it in the Post Fall Camp Exit Survey thread too a few days ago 

And that was a separate article by 247 so I didn't even think to look in that thread. Like I said, this article deserved it's own thread.

[DAG 35,089]

A lot of solid foundation. Me LIKEY.