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Spring Practice Stock Report at halfway point


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Auburn football spring practice stock report: Updated depth chart at halfway point of camp

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By Justin Ferguson, Auburn Beat Reporter
 

AUBURN, Ala. — Even though the annual A-Day Game is only 10 days away, Auburn football is at the midway point of its 2018 spring practices. The Tigers had the eighth of 15 sessions Tuesday and will continue this week with a Thursday practice and another Saturday scrimmage.

Auburn’s first scrimmage last Saturday featured a few notable developments with depth chart projections. Some leaders are starting to break out at certain positions, while other spots that featured clear-cut starter candidates are turning into heated battles — especially on the offensive and defensive lines. A few injuries have caused some early headaches, too.

Here is SEC Country’s latest depth chart projection for Auburn football at the halfway point of spring practices, along with six players who have stood out the most over the last couple of weeks.

MORE: Why it’s no surprise defense dominated Auburn football’s first scrimmage

Quarterback

  • Jarrett Stidham (limited in recovery from left shoulder surgery)
  • Malik Willis
  • Joey Gatewood
Auburn football-Auburn Tigers-Auburn-Auburn depth chart-Auburn spring practice-Auburn scrimmage-JaTarvious Whitlow
Auburn running back JaTarvious Whitlow had a 70-yard touchdown run in Saturday’s scrimmage, one of the few offensive highlights. (Benjamin Wolk/SEC Country)

Running back

  • Kam Martin
  • JaTarvious Whitlow ↑
  • Devan Barrett
  • Asa Martin
  • Malik Miller

Whitlow provided a major highlight for the offense in a defense-led scrimmage Saturday with a 70-yard rushing touchdown that included a cross-field cut. The redshirt freshman has been getting more snaps with the first and second teams recently, and he’s garnered the most vocal reactions among teammates so far in spring practices. Kam Martin is still the first name here, but Whitlow is the early star of the younger backs.

H-back

  • Chandler Cox
  • Spencer Nigh
  • John Samuel Shenker
Auburn football-Auburn Tigers-Auburn-Auburn spring practice-Auburn scrimmage-Auburn depth chart-Nate Craig Myers
Auburn wide receiver  Nate Craig-Myers is turning in to a key contributor.  (Todd Van Emst/Auburn Athletics)

Wide receiver — X/split end

  • Darius Slayton
  • Nate Craig-Myers ↑
  • Marquis McClain

Wide receiver — Y/big slot

  • Nate Craig-Myers ↑
  • Marquis McClain
  • Sal Cannella

It might be time to invest in Craig-Myers’ stock. The junior wide receiver said he feels like Auburn’s coaching staff finally has full faith in him, and he’s getting more opportunities to make plays downfield. While he’s mostly repping at the split end spot, Craig-Myers is still the No. 1 name to watch at the big slot position. He could be in line for a breakout season.

Wide receiver — Z/flanker

  • Eli Stove (out for spring with torn ACL)
  • Noah Igbinoghene or Shedrick Jackson

Wide receiver — slot

  • Ryan Davis
  • Will Hastings (suffered knee injury Saturday)
  • Eli Stove (out for spring with torn ACL)

Auburn has a lot of depth at wide receiver, but three of its scholarship players at the position — Matthew Hill, Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz — won’t arrive until the summer. Stove is out for the summer, and probably a lot longer, with a torn ACL. There’s no official word yet on Hastings, but the fears are that he suffered a similar injury Saturday. Noah Igbinoghene will get more reps at receiver this week, and he might be the new top name at flanker. Auburn needs a healthy Ryan Davis right now, too.

Tight end

  • Jalen Harris
  • Sal Cannella
  • John Samuel Shenker

Left tackle

  • Prince Tega Wanogho
  • Bailey Sharp

Left guard

  • Marquel Harrell
  • Brodarious Hamm
  • Tyler Carr

Center

  • Kaleb Kim
  • Nick Brahms
  • Tucker Brown

Right guard

  • Mike Horton
  • Tashawn Manning
Auburn football-Auburn Tigers-Auburn-Auburn spring practice-Auburn scrimmage-Auburn depth chart-Austin Troxell
Auburn right tackle Austin Troxell has been the surprise of the spring thus far along the offensive line. (Justin Ferguson/SEC Country)

Right tackle

  • Calvin Ashley or Austin Troxell ↑
  • Prince Sammons

Troxell was a blue-chip recruit just like Calvin Ashley, but Troxell wasn’t expected to make a serious push for a starting job this spring. That’s changed. Troxell is rotating with Ashley at the first-team right tackle spot, and he’s more than holding his own there. The Madison (Ala.) Academy product has the look of a future star tackle in the SEC after overcoming two knee injuries in two years. That path could start in 2018.

Auburn football-Auburn Tigers-Auburn-Auburn spring practice-Auburn scrimmage-Auburn depth chart-Big Kat Bryant
Auburn defensive end Big Kat Bryant (1) was dominant in Saturday’s scrimmage. (Todd Van Emst/Auburn Athletics)

Buck defensive end

  • T.D. Moultry
  • Big Kat Bryant ↑

Marlon Davidson mentioned Saturday that there’s a “good battle” between T.D. Moultry and Big Kat Bryant at Buck defensive end. Bryant was dominant in the Saturday scrimmage, per multiple sources who watched the closed-doors practice. While Moultry is still the favorite, it appears Auburn has two edge rushers ready to roll in the absence of Jeff Holland in 2018.

Defensive tackle

  • Derrick Brown
  • Andrew Williams
  • Alec Jackson
  • Daquan Newkirk (out for spring with torn Achilles)

Nose tackle

  • Dontavius Russell
  • Tyrone Truesdell
  • Jaunta’vius Johnson

Defensive end

  • Marlon Davidson
  • Nick Coe

Middle linebacker

  • Deshaun Davis
  • K.J. Britt

Strongside linebacker

  • Darrell Williams
  • Chandler Wooten

Weakside linebacker

  • Montavious Atkinson
  • Richard McBryde
  • Josh Marsh (out for spring with knee injury)

Cornerback

  • Jamel Dean
  • Christian Tutt
  • Travion Leonard
  • Jayvaughn Myers

Cornerback

  • Javaris Davis
  • Noah Igbinoghene
  • John Broussard Jr.
  • Malcolm Askew

Nickel back

  • Jordyn Peters
  • Daniel Thomas or Javaris Davis or Jeremiah Dinson
  • Jayvaughn Myers
  • Malcolm Askew

Free safety

  • Jeremiah Dinson
  • Jamien Sherwood
Auburn football-Auburn Tigers-Auburn-Auburn spring practice-Auburn scrimmage-Auburn depth chart-Daniel Thomas
Auburn defensive back Daniel Thomas had 2 interceptions in Saturday’s scrimmage.  (Benjamin Wolk/SEC Country)

Strong safety

  • Daniel Thomas ↑
  • Smoke Monday
  •  
  • Thomas is maintaining an early edge over a couple of star freshman safeties so far in spring practices. Thomas picked off 2 passes in the scrimmage Saturday and has been a fixture on the first-team defense. He has the versatility to move down to nickel, too, and Auburn has tried out a lot of faces there with Jordyn Peters coming back from a pre-spring break knee injury. Thomas’ start is a great sign for a secondary that has to replace two starters at safety this season.

Kicker

  • Anders Carlson
  • Ian Shannon

Punter

  • Aidan Marshall

Holder

  • Ian Shannon
  • Griffin King
  • Will Hastings (injured knee on Saturday)

Long snapper

  • Bill Taylor
Auburn football-Auburn Tigers-Auburn-Auburn spring practice-Auburn scrimmage-Auburn depth chart-Asa Martin
Auburn running back Asa Martin is expected to play a big role in the return game for the Tigers. (Todd Van Emst/Auburn Athletics)

Kick returners

  • Noah Igbinoghene and Asa Martin ↑
  • Devan Barrett and Javaris Davis

Punt returner

  • Ryan Davis
  • Asa Martin ↑
  • Christian Tutt
  • Griffin King

Although Martin doesn’t have as much buzz around him at running back as Whitlow, the freshman early enrollee is making his mark on special teams. Malzahn said Saturday that Martin repped at both kick returner and punt returner. After a stunning senior season at Austin High School in Decatur, Ala., it’s hard to imagine Auburn leaving Martin on the sidelines in 2018. If he can’t be one of the top running backs, he’ll get his chances on special teams.

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1 hour ago, WFE12 said:

Wide receiver — slot

  • Ryan Davis
  • Will Hastings (suffered knee injury Saturday)
  • Eli Stove (out for spring with torn ACL)

Auburn has a lot of depth at wide receiver, but three of its scholarship players at the position — Matthew Hill, Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz — won’t arrive until the summer. Stove is out for the summer, and probably a lot longer, with a torn ACL. There’s no official word yet on Hastings, but the fears are that he suffered a similar injury Saturday. Noah Igbinoghene will get more reps at receiver this week, and he might be the new top name at flanker. Auburn needs a healthy Ryan Davis right now, too.

I know a lot of folks hate it, but this makes sense to me. 

 

 

Quote

Strong safety

  • Daniel Thomas ↑
  • Smoke Monday
  •  
  • Thomas is maintaining an early edge over a couple of star freshman safeties so far in spring practices. Thomas picked off 2 passes in the scrimmage Saturday and has been a fixture on the first-team defense. He has the versatility to move down to nickel, too, and Auburn has tried out a lot of faces there with Jordyn Peters coming back from a pre-spring break knee injury. Thomas’ start is a great sign for a secondary that has to replace two starters at safety this season.
 

 

Thoughts, @bigbird?

 

Quote

Punt returner

  • Ryan Davis
  • Asa Martin ↑
  • Christian Tutt
  • Griffin King

Although Martin doesn’t have as much buzz around him at running back as Whitlow, the freshman early enrollee is making his mark on special teams. Malzahn said Saturday that Martin repped at both kick returner and punt returner. After a stunning senior season at Austin High School in Decatur, Ala., it’s hard to imagine Auburn leaving Martin on the sidelines in 2018. If he can’t be one of the top running backs, he’ll get his chances on special teams.

IIRC, Tre Mason's first touch of his career as a true freshman was a kick return for a TD. You heard it here, first, folks. I am saying, without qualification, that Asa Martin is the next Tr... J/k. 

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56 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

IIRC, Tre Mason's first touch of his career as a true freshman was a kick return for a TD. You heard it here, first, folks. I am saying, without qualification, that Asa Martin is the next Tr... J/k. 

I think Asa & Shivers will be the kick returners going into the opener...

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7 minutes ago, LKEEL75 said:

I think Asa & Shivers will be the kick returners going into the opener...

You think they'll take it over from Iggy? 

I agree that Shivers might also be a great candidate. I love our young weapons going into this season. Just need these guys to stop getting hurt. 

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3 hours ago, McLoofus said:

Thoughts, @bigbird?

I still think that Smoke will start by the end of the year. If not, I'll be thrilled for the team and DT.

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35 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

You think they'll take it over from Iggy? 

I agree that Shivers might also be a great candidate. I love our young weapons going into this season. Just need these guys to stop getting hurt. 

I do.  I think they are going to find a way to get him on the field and KR is ideal.  I think Iggy is going to see more of a role as WR and/or DB this year.  The RB position is a log jam at the current moment and that is going to make it tough for Shivers to get a lot of time there.  Special teams is a great place to get started.

Of course that is just my opinion...  I have been wrong before.

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"Out for Spring" is a star on this depth chart...jeez.

Stidham - shoulder

Stove - knee

Hastings - knee

Marsh - knee

Newkirk - achilles

R. Davis - I'm sure we're being extra cautious with him.

Is this just bad luck, a result of physical practices, or something wrong with the way we train?

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14 hours ago, AUDevil said:

"Out for Spring" is a star on this depth chart...jeez.

Stidham - shoulder

Stove - knee

Hastings - knee

Marsh - knee

Newkirk - achilles

R. Davis - I'm sure we're being extra cautious with him.

Is this just bad luck, a result of physical practices, or something wrong with the way we train?

@lionheartkc, you might need to prepare him. :Sing:

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15 hours ago, AUDevil said:

"Out for Spring" is a star on this depth chart...jeez.

Stidham - shoulder

Stove - knee

Hastings - knee

Marsh - knee

Newkirk - achilles

R. Davis - I'm sure we're being extra cautious with him.

Is this just bad luck, a result of physical practices, or something wrong with the way we train?

I think it’s just football ?!

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