WR 'knocking some rust off'

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Auburn wide receiver 'knocking some rust off' in return to practice

Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Auburn may be without one of its key receivers for the remainder of spring, but the Tigers did get some good news at the position on the first day back from spring break.

Redshirt sophomore receiver Darius Slayton was back in the swing of things after being sidelined much of the first two weeks following hernia surgery earlier this spring. Slayton previously was dressed out for a couple of practices prior to spring break, but the 6-foot-2 receiver was limited until Tuesday's session.

"Darius Slayton came back and had his first practice today," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "We didn't just throw him in and let him go; we tried to be strategic and smart about it, but he got quite a few reps, and each practice we'll bring him a little more along."

The return of Slayton was a welcome boost for a receiving corps that was thin through the first two weeks of practice, with walk-ons Will Hastings, James Owens Moss and Griffin King all on the two-deep depth chart.

Slayton is Auburn's leading returning receiver this spring. Last season, Slayton caught 15 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown, second only to Tony Stevens' team-leading 487 yards receiving.

"He's got the ability to kind of be one of the leaders of that group," Malzahn said. "It was good to have him back out there."

Slayton is expected to be one of Auburn's starters at receiver this fall, likely at split end. First, the Tigers will have to get him up to speed in new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey's offense and get his legs back under him.

"He looked pretty good, just knocking some rust off," fellow receiver Ryan Davis said. "You know, it's his first day back; he's been sitting for a while trying to rehab.... He looked fine to me; he looked just as fast as he always did, just knocking some rust off and getting back into the field of play and getting back into the groove of everything."