Chandler Wooten

[aubiefifty 16,694]

Auburn rookie Chandler Wooten 'don't look like a freshman'

Wesley Sinor | wsinor@al.com

Chandler Wooten should be in high school right now, but he's not.

He graduated early from North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Ga., and is in the thick of Auburn spring practices, fighting for a spot on the depth chart.

The young linebacker has performed well enough in the first week to catch the eye of defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and at least two of his teammates.

"We're trying to create competition at every position, and we've got guys like Chandler Wooten out there, I mean he's a smart guy," Steele said Thursday. "He's made some plays already the first two days that don't look like a freshman who should be getting ready for his prom." 

In high school Wooten was moved from defensive end to linebacker, where he racked up 124 tackles including 15 for loss as a senior. He was ranked as a three-star prospect and played in the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder arrived on the Plains in January. He has been practicing at "money linebacker" in Steele's scheme and is picking things up relatively quickly, according to his teammates.

"He's a really good linebacker," said returning starting linebacker Deshaun Davis. "He's really just learning the system, but I think he's really getting the hang of it. He's out there communicating and everything now. You don't really see a young guy coming in at linebacker and making calls and checks already."

Wooten is the only true freshman linebacker currently practicing with the Tigers, as K.J. Britt has been sidelined with a leg injury and T.D. Moultry is not yet enrolled.

During the media's 15-minute viewing period of Tuesday's practice, Wooten was working with the second-team defense.

"Chandler is a very smart player," said rising senior linebacker Tre' Williams. "He already has the defense down. Just like everybody else on the defense, there's some technique things we have to work on, but he's getting the defense down. That's just something we have to force on him first because once he knows the defense, everything else will come together."

Davis said he knows Wooten wants to be a "student of the game." When he's not turning heads on the field, he's attached to the hip of linebackers coach Travis Williams. 

"He's not in the game room," Davis said. "At practice he's walking beside T-Will or with me and Tre. I think he has a really high ceiling. I'm really excited to see how he's going to turn out."

 

[Barnacle 9,064]

This should be music to everyone's ears. Smart kid, doing everything he can to get better. Not to mention, he's a long, rangy linebacker, which I already like. 

[Eagle-1 3,821]

On the hoof, I have been excited about this kid right from the start.

[JDUBB4AU 5,102]

3 hours ago, Barnacle said:

This should be music to everyone's ears. Smart kid, doing everything he can to get better. Not to mention, he's a long, rangy linebacker, which I already like. 

A lot of folks in the know said he was the best LB AU picked up this year. Glad to have a kid who is ready to grab the SEC by the balls 

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

52 minutes ago, JDUBB4AU said:

A lot of folks in the know said he was the best LB AU picked up this year. Glad to have a kid who is ready to grab the SEC by the balls 

Wouldn't mind establishment of a "steal curtain,"

as long as he grabs the SEC by the RBs as well.