bright future at weakside linebacker

[aubiefifty 16,761]

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Auburn has bright future at weakside linebacker with Zakoby McClain, Owen Pappoe

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com | Posted May 25, 2019 at 09:07 AM

5-7 minutes

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With spring practice over AL.com is reviewing Auburn's depth chart position by position. The 19th of a 25-part series looks at Auburn's weakside linebackers. 

Auburn's weakside linebackers may have the least experience among the team's corps of linebackers, but it could be the role with the most upside due to the combo of former four-star prospect Zakoby McClain and five-star early enrollee Owen Pappoe. McClain should enter the fall as the starer at that spot, but Pappoe will factor heavily into the rotation, giving the Tigers a very talented -- albeit inexperienced -- combination to fill out the second starting spot (the Money role) in the team's 4-2-5 base defense.

Julie Bennett/AL.com

Post-spring depth chart

Zakoby McClain: 6-foot, 210 pounds, sophomore

Owen Pappoe: 6-foot-1, 219 pounds, freshman

Josh Marsh: 6-foot-2, 218 pounds, redshirt freshman

Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

Gus Malzahn's take

"(Owen Pappoe has) come on. He doesn’t act like a freshman and the moment is not too big for him. He can really run, he has really good instincts and I think he had a really good spring, especially for a freshman."
 

Vasha Hunt/AP Photo

Starter

Zakoby McClain is set to take over as the starting weakside linebacker following the departure of senior Darrell Williams. McClain, a former four-star recruit, received the majority of the first-team reps throughout the spring and got the start alongside K.J. Britt during Auburn's A-Day spring game, finishing the scrimmage with three total tackles and a quarterback hurry.

After appearing in all 13 games last season, largely on special teams, McClain is ready to step into a much larger role for the Tigers this fall. Travis Williams has lauded him for his toughness, an he has great range and a penchant for delivering big hits -- all things Auburn values from its linebackers.

Photo courtesy 247Sports

What we've written about Zakoby McClain

AL.com graphic/247Sports photo

Backup

Five-star signee Owen Pappoe was the gem of Auburn's 2019 recruiting class, and it certainly helped that he enrolled early and was able to go through spring practices. Pappoe impressed coaches and teammates alike throughout the spring, and he will definitely see the field immediately this fall. While he isn't expected to start -- at least not right away -- he will factor heavily into the rotation. He has an ideal combination of speed and strength (according to Travis Williams, strength coach Ryan Russell said Pappoe could have been an Olympic power-lifter if he wanted to go down that path growing up) that should help the Tigers maintain their standard at linebacker despite replacing three key seniors.

Photo courtesy 247Sports

What we've written about Owen Pappoe

 

Photo courtesy 247Sports

Next wave

The next wave at weakside linebacker comes in the form of redshirt freshman Josh Marsh. The speedy former three-star prospect redshirted last season while appearing in just one game (against Alabama State, forcing a fumble on special teams), but he has the ability to play either outside linebacker or potentially at safety. At the very least, he will have an impact on special teams this season.

AL.com graphic/247Sports photo

Summer arrival

Three-star outside linebacker Octavius Brothers arrives on campus this weekend. Brothers is a versatile prospect who is relatively new to the linebacker position, having played quarterback until a handful of games into his junior year at Rockledge (Fla.) High. Brothers was rated as the No. 59 outside linebacker in the nation for the 2019 class.

[Sizzle 3,912]

That’s a lot of speed at that position. All those guys look like safeties than LB’s

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

11 hours ago, Sizzle said:

That’s a lot of speed at that position. All those guys look like safeties than LB’s

Just like TWill. Pretty sure he started at safety then Chizik moved him to LB. 

[AuburnTiger4Life 2,225]

Really liked McClain in high school. Can’t wait to see him on the field 

[cole256 17,043]

McClain is my guy....don't want to get caught up in the small ball though.....big fast guys exist as well, get a mix