Auburn's 2014 Pre-Spring Practice Depth chart prediction for the 2014 season.
Obviously there are some major changes that can/will happen and some unheralded guys could step up, hopefully, and shake things up a bit. These are just the predictions I've got for now.
QB
Nick Marshall
Jeremy Johnson
RB-
Peyton Barber (both CAP and Mason called him the best back on campus)
Cameron Artis-Payne
Roc Thomas
Corey Grant
WR
Dhaquille Williams
Sammie Coates
Ricardo Louis
Marcus Davis
Tony Stevens
Jaylon Denson
Melvin Ray
Stanton Truitt (my sleeper in the 2015 class)
TE-
CJ Uzomah
Brandon Fulse
H-Back/FB
Ricky Parks
Jakell Mitchell
OL
1.Shon Coleman-Alex Kozan- Reese Dismukes - Chad Slade - Avery Young
2. Patrick Miller -Jordan Diamond -Xavier Dampeer -Deon Mix -Braden Smith
DL
Carl Lawson - Gabe Wright - Montravius Adams - Elijiah Daniel
Ladarius Owens - Angelo Blackson - Ben Bradley - Davonte Lambert
also in rotation: Jeffrey Whitaker, Keymiya Harrell
possibly contributing: Justin Thornton (if heavy enough), Andrew Williams and Dontavius Russell
LB
Kris Frost - Cass McKinzy
Tre Williams - Anthony Swain
Cameron Toney - Justin Garrett (if not playing Star)
CB
Jonathon Mincy
Nick Ruffin
Joseph Turner (JUCO guy)
Jonathan Jones
Kalvarez Bessent (likely to RS, IMO, unless he adds 20 lbs before fall camp, but he's a May enrollee so that could help)
STAR
Robenson Therezie
Derrick Moncrief
Justin Garrett
Mackenro Alexander
Safety
Jermaine Whitehead
Joshua Holsey (could move back to corner, if needed)
Khari Harding
Brandon King
Stephen Roberts
With Auburn this year, it is very clear that our strength is on the OL
and DL, but that we will also be greatly improved at the skill
positions. If Nick Marshall can improve his passing acumen as he did
moving along the year and take it up another notch next season, then
Dhaquille Williams and Coates will be a nightmare for defenses to cover
in addition to Marshall running the read option. Our offense should be
ridiculous this year.
On Defense we return almost everyone (except Dee Ford and Chris Davis)
and are adding a very talented recruiting class for depth. I think we
will be greatly improved next year. Our DL will be great again, but I
think our LB play will be the biggest improvement overall if Frost and
McKinzy can just play like they did against FSU all year. The secondary
is the biggest question mark on the entire team. Can we improve there
with the big infusion of talent we signed in the '14 class? If so, we
could have a top 5 scoring defense in the SEC again, and dramatically
improve the ypg numbers we gave up last season
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Post NSD 2014 class grades for Auburn:
For Auburn, I'd go with an overall grade of an A or A-. Only reason we
didn't get an A+ is because we whiffed on our biggest NSD target that
projected as an impact player in a few years (Evans).
QB- A.
I think Sean White has the potential to allow Gus to run a balanced attack, and maybe run an O more similar to his Tulsa days under Paul Smith. White is a gamer, has a strong enough arm, and is possibly the most accurate QB in the class.
RB- A+
Pettway is the #1 fullback in the class (acc'd to Rivals) but he is a thumper at RB with the size to play right away. I think he's an H-back in the future. But the prize was Roc Thomas. He's a slower Percy Harvin ($1 to Neihbur). Doesn't have the top end speed that Harvin has, but he definitely has elite burst and shiftiness, combined with a Caddy Williams kind of leg drive to break tackles. Perfect for Malzahn. I think he plays at 210 or so at Auburn, since he's about 202 lbs right now.
TE- B-.
Chris Laye is a solid player, but more of an in-line blocker and developmental guy. Jakell Mitchell had offers from everyone before he tore his ACL. He's ahead of schedule in rehab and has a great skillset at TE/HBack. Still think Mitchell takes a few years behind Uzomah and Ricky Parks.
WR- A-.
Auburn landed possibly the best overall player in the class in Dhaquille Williams. He is the reason this position is given an A- grade, without him, it's a B or B-. He has a Dez Bryant skillset and is ferocious when the ball is in the air. Auburn needed to improve the passing game, and a player like DQ opposite an improved (hopefully) Sammie Coates will be hell on DBs in the SEC, IMO. The most underrated player in Auburn's class, to me, is a WR as well in Stanton Truitt. This kid is freakin' electric in space and was a TD machine playing QB in HS. Myron Burton was a camp standout and a favorite of Coach D Craig.
OL- B+.
Xavier Dampeer fills an immediate need at backup center behind Dismukes and could be the incumbent when Dismukes leaves after 2014, now that Tunde Fariyuke has decided not to continue football. The big prize came in Braden Smith. AU got on him late but immediately when it became clear that Greg Robinson was gone. This was huge because it alleviated the dire need for a massive class in 2015 of offensive tackles. I think Smith has elite NFL potential at tackle if he can improve his agility, which is Auburn S&C coach's (Ryan Russell) big thing with big men. Smith has long arms, he's 6'5 (some list him 6'6) and only 290 lbs but there is video of him benching 515 lbs THREE times on YouTube. Kid is a monster
DL- A
For the second year in a row, Auburn has added four DL rated 4* or better to the unit. We like to rotate 10 or more DL in games to keep them fresh so this is critical to continue to sign great DL classes. We didn't land any 5* like last year but Davonte Lambert is an immediate impact guy that gives some great flexibility on the DL, similar to Elijiah Daniel.
LB- B+
Tre Williams was the staff's top ILB target and ended up ranked that way at the end of the year. Will possibly get PT right away behind Frost, Cass McKinzy and Swain and sets himself up to take over as the incumbent behind one of them. Deshaun Davis' film, to me, is actually better than Tre Williams. Now, he's only about 5'11, 205 lbs, so he'll need to add weight and a lot of strength, but Davis is a player and has great, great film.
DB- A
AU has had major secondary issues for probably the last 5 years, and I think talent is a major reason for that. We've struggled to recruit great DBs. This class was loaded with talented players. Nick Ruffin is the best of the group, IMO. 6' or 6'1 with freakishly long arms and very sound fundamentals. Bessent (if he isn't kicked out of the class due to issues) provides a guy that could develop into a great player with added weight. Stephen Roberts projects best at safety to me and did great there in the Under Armour practices. Derrick Moncrief was the #1 JUCO Safety and is huge at 6'3, 225. He'll provide immediate help back there with Ryan Smith gone.
QB- A.
I think Sean White has the potential to allow Gus to run a balanced attack, and maybe run an O more similar to his Tulsa days under Paul Smith. White is a gamer, has a strong enough arm, and is possibly the most accurate QB in the class.
RB- A+
Pettway is the #1 fullback in the class (acc'd to Rivals) but he is a thumper at RB with the size to play right away. I think he's an H-back in the future. But the prize was Roc Thomas. He's a slower Percy Harvin ($1 to Neihbur). Doesn't have the top end speed that Harvin has, but he definitely has elite burst and shiftiness, combined with a Caddy Williams kind of leg drive to break tackles. Perfect for Malzahn. I think he plays at 210 or so at Auburn, since he's about 202 lbs right now.
TE- B-.
Chris Laye is a solid player, but more of an in-line blocker and developmental guy. Jakell Mitchell had offers from everyone before he tore his ACL. He's ahead of schedule in rehab and has a great skillset at TE/HBack. Still think Mitchell takes a few years behind Uzomah and Ricky Parks.
WR- A-.
Auburn landed possibly the best overall player in the class in Dhaquille Williams. He is the reason this position is given an A- grade, without him, it's a B or B-. He has a Dez Bryant skillset and is ferocious when the ball is in the air. Auburn needed to improve the passing game, and a player like DQ opposite an improved (hopefully) Sammie Coates will be hell on DBs in the SEC, IMO. The most underrated player in Auburn's class, to me, is a WR as well in Stanton Truitt. This kid is freakin' electric in space and was a TD machine playing QB in HS. Myron Burton was a camp standout and a favorite of Coach D Craig.
OL- B+.
Xavier Dampeer fills an immediate need at backup center behind Dismukes and could be the incumbent when Dismukes leaves after 2014, now that Tunde Fariyuke has decided not to continue football. The big prize came in Braden Smith. AU got on him late but immediately when it became clear that Greg Robinson was gone. This was huge because it alleviated the dire need for a massive class in 2015 of offensive tackles. I think Smith has elite NFL potential at tackle if he can improve his agility, which is Auburn S&C coach's (Ryan Russell) big thing with big men. Smith has long arms, he's 6'5 (some list him 6'6) and only 290 lbs but there is video of him benching 515 lbs THREE times on YouTube. Kid is a monster
DL- A
For the second year in a row, Auburn has added four DL rated 4* or better to the unit. We like to rotate 10 or more DL in games to keep them fresh so this is critical to continue to sign great DL classes. We didn't land any 5* like last year but Davonte Lambert is an immediate impact guy that gives some great flexibility on the DL, similar to Elijiah Daniel.
LB- B+
Tre Williams was the staff's top ILB target and ended up ranked that way at the end of the year. Will possibly get PT right away behind Frost, Cass McKinzy and Swain and sets himself up to take over as the incumbent behind one of them. Deshaun Davis' film, to me, is actually better than Tre Williams. Now, he's only about 5'11, 205 lbs, so he'll need to add weight and a lot of strength, but Davis is a player and has great, great film.
DB- A
AU has had major secondary issues for probably the last 5 years, and I think talent is a major reason for that. We've struggled to recruit great DBs. This class was loaded with talented players. Nick Ruffin is the best of the group, IMO. 6' or 6'1 with freakishly long arms and very sound fundamentals. Bessent (if he isn't kicked out of the class due to issues) provides a guy that could develop into a great player with added weight. Stephen Roberts projects best at safety to me and did great there in the Under Armour practices. Derrick Moncrief was the #1 JUCO Safety and is huge at 6'3, 225. He'll provide immediate help back there with Ryan Smith gone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)