next leading pass rusher this spring?

[aubiefifty 16,798]

Auburn Football

Will Auburn identify its next leading pass rusher this spring?

Updated 6:01 AM; Posted 6:00 AM

Auburn buck Markaviest Bryant (1) works out Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, during fall football practice at the Auburn Athletic Complex in Auburn, Ala.(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

0 shares

By James Crepea

jcrepea@al.com

We're taking a look at each position group as Auburn prepares to open spring practice on March 1. The seventh of a nine-part series looks at the defensive line.

For the second straight season, Auburn has to replace its top pass rusher.

Jeff Holland's departure creates a void at Buck end that several players can fill and the spring will be the first prolonged look most of them get with the first-team defensive line, which returns its other three starters.

Projected depth chart:

Buck:
Markaviest Bryant, sophomore, 5 tackles, 2.5 TFLs including 2 sacks
T.D. Moultry, sophomore, 15 tackles, 2.5 TFLs including 1.5 sacks
Paul James III, senior, 9 tackles with 1 TFL

Defensive tackle:
Derrick Brown, junior, 56 tackles, 9 TFLs including 3.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles
Andrew Williams, redshirt-senior, 38 tackles, 1.5 TFLs
Daquan Newkirk, sophomore
Nick Coe, redshirt-sophomore, 29 tackles, 4.5 TFLs including 2 sacks
Alec Jackson, redshirt-freshman

Nose tackle:
Dontavius Russell, redshirt-senior, 46 tackles, 6.5 TFLs including 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble
Tyrone Truesdell, sophomore, 5 tackles, 1 TFL
Jauntavius Johnson, redshirt-junior
Alec Jackson, redshirt-freshman
Tashawn Manning, redshirt-freshman

Defensive end:
Marlon Davidson, junior, 43 tackles, 6.5 TFLs including 3.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and 1 forced fumble
Nick Coe, redshirt-sophomore, 29 tackles, 4.5 TFLs including 2 sacks
Daquan Newkirk, sophomore
Gary Walker, redshirt-junior

Departed: Jeff Holland, 45 tackles, 13 TFLs including 10 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and 4 forced fumbles

Due to arrive in the fall: Richard Jibunor, Kayode Oladele, Caleb Johnson, Coynis Miller Jr.

Outlook: Having Dontavius Russell, Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson back gives Auburn a lot to build around defensively.

With three starters gone in the secondary, having most of the front seven back is going to help a lot once the season arrives. Until then, Auburn has to identify who will be applying pressure off the edge.

T.D. Moultry did well as a situational pass rusher and Markaviest Bryant showed flashes in limited spots as well last season. Both sophomores should get a chance to compete for the job along with Paul James III.

Nick Coe will clearly be involved as a pass rusher, it's just a matter of whether he's at end or tackle in certain packages.

Where Daquan Newkirk gits in the rotation at tackle, and possibly off the edge, and how much Alec Jackson developed while redshirting will be other players to watch further down the depth chart.

James Crepea is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @JamesCrepea.