Jumbo tight end grabs the attention of Bobo

[aubiefifty 16,791]

Jumbo tight end grabs the attention of Auburn's offensive coordinator

By Mark MurphyTue Mar 23 2021

AUBURN, Alabama–Listed at 6-3, 308 pounds, JJ Pegues could appropriately be called Auburn’s super-sized tight end last season. Competing as a true freshman in 2020, he was a regular in playing rotation for Coach Gus Malzahn’s Tigers.

AUBURN, Alabama–Listed at 6-3, 308 pounds, JJ Pegues could appropriately be called Auburn’s super-sized tight end last season. Competing as a true freshman in 2020, he was a regular in playing rotation for Coach Gus Malzahn’s Tigers.

With a new coaching staff running the show, Pegues is going through spring drills looking to impress AU's head coach Bryan Harsin along with Mike Bobo, the new offensive coordinator, as well as new tight ends coach Brad Bedell.

Last season Pegues caught seven passes for 57 yards and ran the football five times for 14 yards, but his most impressive plays came as a blocker. This season he could see action at fullback.

Asked if he has previously coached a tight end like Pegues, Bobo said, “No. I have seen some athletic guys like that who are athletic and can move and have short-area quickness, but they were playing D-line, not tight end.

“I have coached against and coached with, on the same team, some D-linemen who are like that, but this guy, he’s that guy who you always say, ‘Hey, this guy could play tight end’ like you do with some D-linemen. ‘He can play tight end. He’s that athletic.’ He’s like one of those guys.

“We are moving him around a lot, playing him at a lot of positions,” Bobo said of the player who lined up at quarterback, tight end and receiver at Oxford, Miss., High School in addition to helping out on defense. He could see action at H-back and fullback this fall for the Tigers.

J.J. Pegues will try to earn expanded playing time in 2021. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Inside The Auburn Tigers, 247Sports)

“Coach Bedell has done a nice job with teaching him,” Bobo said. “He has been very, very diligent in how he has approached learning what to do. It’s a lot different–he was just the off-the-ball guy last year. He has been off the ball and on the ball for us. This is new stuff for him, but he is athletic and he is over 300 pounds.

 

“He is going to be able to move some people at the point of attack, and he is going to be able to get out and be able to run routes and stretch the field vertically, too. He can do that.

“The thing for him is just getting him in shape to where he can do it for a whole game, but I have been pleased with J.J., how he has worked.”

[McLoofus 35,182]

Jay Prosch and CJ Uzomah in the same body. Eric Smith, but bigger and maybe more athletic.  

Hate to say it, but some nanny nanny boo boos will be distributed to the "move him to DL" crowd this season. 

[Hank2020 3,199]

6 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Jay Prosch and CJ Uzomah in the same body. Eric Smith, but bigger and maybe more athletic.  

Hate to say it, but some nanny nanny boo boos will be distributed to the "move him to DL" crowd this season. 

Just because they haven’t, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t. It may be as simple as he has stated he prefers to stay on offense.

[gravejd 3,270]

I still think he should be moved to DL but i'm keeping an open mind and look forward to seeing how he is used this season. 

[AuburnEagle79 2,167]

I really like the idea of him leading the way for Tank, and then slipping into the flats on a play action boot with the option for Bo to get it out to him or he can block if Bo scrambles. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

Just now, Hank2020 said:

Just because they haven’t, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t. It may be as simple as he has stated he prefers to stay on offense.

If he sees the field, then it will be because he is playing at the correct position and not because he just preferred it. 

I watched the kid play last season. He's a tremendous blocker and a playmaker. He's not big enough to play the nose in a 3-4, and he may or may not have the frame and skills to play DE. We have defensive linemen who are plenty skilled in that trade. I'm not sure why this is a thing with the fans. But then again, Auburn fans do like to crap on absolute gifts given us by the football gods while they're here and then pretend they loved them later on. (I myself was guilty of that with Nick Marshall and I'm trying to make sure I never make that mistake again.)

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

5 minutes ago, gravejd said:

I still think he should be moved to DL

Why? Who on the DL should he be ahead of? Who else do we have that would be a better FB or TE? 

[DAG 33,982]

An offensive weapon in so many different ways. Again, it is going to be awesome to see how the coaches utilize his unique skill set. Unicorn in the making 

[DAG 33,982]

7 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

If he sees the field, then it will be because he is playing at the correct position and not because he just preferred it. 

I still don’t get why this guy thinks the players are going to dictate what this staff is going to do . 

[McLoofus 35,182]

Just now, DAG said:

I still don’t get why this guy thinks the players are going to dictate what this staff is going to do . 

Me either, unless that's how it was with certain players and the last two coaches and some fans just think that's how it is. I know I catch myself making certain assumptions and then being like, "Oh, that's right, it's not Groundhog Day anymore."

[DAG 33,982]

Just now, McLoofus said:

Me either, unless that's how it was with certain players and the last two coaches and some fans just think that's how it is. I know I catch myself making certain assumptions and then being like, "Oh, that's right, it's not Groundhog Day anymore."

Exactly . That is Gus syndrome. I think people have been conditioned by the BS from our previous coach 

[gravejd 3,270]

52 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Why? Who on the DL should he be ahead of? Who else do we have that would be a better FB or TE? 

First off a man with that athletic ability and size seems like a sure fire NFL starter on the DL. How many NFL teams use and sign FBs? Probably some but when was the last time you saw a FB drafted high? Now how do DTs with size and speed do in the draft?? If he can also stretch the field as a TE then that ups his value on the offensive side. I have not seen him actually do anything as a TE other then block so that is why i said i look forward to seeing how he is used this coming up season. I'm keeping an open mind here to the possibilities. But my assumption is that he is too big to actually stretch the defense as a TE. While it will be fun seeing him plaster people at FB its my opinion he has a brighter future and higher ceiling on the DL. 

[AUGoo 2,664]

Uh oh!

Look out!

Here comes the Gus is in your head crowd!

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, gravejd said:

First off a man with that athletic ability and size seems like a sure fire NFL starter on the DL. 

If he is a sure fire NFL starter on the DL, then I'm pretty shocked that he's not a sure fire on this Auburn DL. (If he were a sure fire starter on this DL, that move would have happened already.)

I'm not sure everybody understands what this kid is. He was top 10 TE nationally coming out of high school. He had over 2600 yards of total offense, with over 1000 each rushing and receiving (and 100 passing yards to boot). He always projected as a TE in college. He's not some project or circus oddity, although it is fair to call him a freak in the non-pejorative sense. 

Maybe he can play DL, maybe not. There's no evidence to suggest that he'd be any better at it than the guys we've got. But we know that he can play TE and FB. And three consecutive- and very different- coaching staffs seem to agree. 

 

[gravejd 3,270]

16 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

If he is a sure fire NFL starter on the DL, then I'm pretty shocked that he's not a sure fire on this Auburn DL. (If he were a sure fire starter on this DL, that move would have happened already.)

I'm not sure everybody understands what this kid is. He was top 10 TE nationally coming out of high school. He had over 2600 yards of total offense, with over 1000 each rushing and receiving (and 100 passing yards to boot). He always projected as a TE in college. He's not some project or circus oddity, although it is fair to call him a freak in the non-pejorative sense. 

Maybe he can play DL, maybe not. There's no evidence to suggest that he'd be any better at it than the guys we've got. But we know that he can play TE and FB. And three consecutive- and very different- coaching staffs seem to agree. 

 

He was used as a gimmick last year. But that was the coach and not him. Gus always pigeoned holed guys into 2-3 plays. I look forward to seeing him show out as a TE this coming up season. He would have been wasted in a Gus offense. Maybe he won't be in the Harsin/Bobo offense. 

[DAG 33,982]

17 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

If he is a sure fire NFL starter on the DL, then I'm pretty shocked that he's not a sure fire on this Auburn DL. (If he were a sure fire starter on this DL, that move would have happened already.)

I'm not sure everybody understands what this kid is. He was top 10 TE nationally coming out of high school. He had over 2600 yards of total offense, with over 1000 each rushing and receiving (and 100 passing yards to boot). He always projected as a TE in college. He's not some project or circus oddity, although it is fair to call him a freak in the non-pejorative sense. 

Maybe he can play DL, maybe not. There's no evidence to suggest that he'd be any better at it than the guys we've got. But we know that he can play TE and FB. And three consecutive- and very different- coaching staffs seem to agree. 

 

These are the same people that said KD should be banging down low out of high school. The kid has a special talent set for his size and natural with the ball in his hands . Many defensive linemen don’t have that , which is why they are on the line. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, gravejd said:

He was used as a gimmick last year. But that was the coach and not him. Gus always pigeoned holed guys into 2-3 plays. I look forward to seeing him show out as a TE this coming up season. He would have been wasted in a Gus offense. Maybe he won't be in the Harsin/Bobo offense. 

7 catches and a few runs as a true freshman from the TE position under Gus Malzahn... I totally agree that he would have been wasted by Gus like most skill players typically have been, but within the extremely narrow parameters of what Gus is capable of, those numbers are actually pretty impressive.  Also, he got most of his stats in big games. 6 of his 7 catches came against LSU, uga and bama, and he notched 2 first downs rushing against uga. If you were to point out that Gus gets most gimmicky against big time opponents, I wouldn't have a retort to come back with. But I feel like Pegues was in Gus's circle of trust, and that's no easy feat- especially for a true frosh or a TE, much less a guy who was both. 

Appreciate the convo. I know you're not looking for an argument or to denigrate the kid, and you've stated your case with class as always. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

12 minutes ago, DAG said:

said KD should be banging down low out of high school

Man. I'm glad I don't have that on my record. Hahaha

[AUApostle 7,651]

Ledarious Phillips part 2?  All you have to do with big ball carriers is cut their legs out from underneath them.  I think DL or OL are the better long term options, but thankfully (for you all) I'm not a  coach, and never plan to be.

[auburnphan 6,050]

Can be a great college toy on offense for a coach, but TE and the NFL has zero chances of happening.  Chance at fullback, but there are maybe 16 of them in the NFL and you need to be a special teams demon as well.  

[McLoofus 35,182]

6 minutes ago, AUDevil said:

Ledarious Phillips part 2? 

I beg of you, pleeeaaaaase do just a tiny bit of research before asking something like that. I even provided the Pegues half of it for you just a few posts up.

7 minutes ago, AUDevil said:

All you have to do with big ball carriers is cut their legs out from underneath them.

Well he's primarily going to be a blocker and pass catcher, but if you want to label him a ball carrier: Derrick Henry, Brandon Jacobs, Eddie George, Eric Dickerson, Jim Brown, Matt Forte, Steven Jackson... all as tall or taller than Pegues. 

 

Well, at least we're disrespecting offensive linemen, defensive linemen, and JJ Pegues and all the hard work it has taken to hone their respective crafts- in addition to unteachable things like wing span, lateral agility, and hand size, about which I'm guessing nobody knows with regard to Pegues- equally. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

10 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

Can be a great college toy on offense for a coach

I'm glad Harsin and Bobo agree. Dude is going to help us win games. 

As for his NFL future, I'll say again that if he projects as a DL or OL, then he'd probably be headed to one of those spots right now. Especially OL. If he was an NFL OL, he'd have a job on our OL today. He could take his pick. DL is probably in better shape, but whose job is he going to take? On the other side, who's going to give us the same combination of blocking and pass catching ability that Pegues does? Why aren't we reading articles about Frazier, or Shenker, or Deal? 

bama, LSU and Ole Miss, among others, also offered this guy as a TE, as tends to happen with guys who are top 10 nationally at their position.

This conversation is just wild to me. 

[Beaker 2,457]

4 hours ago, AUGoo said:

Uh oh!

Look out!

Here comes the Gus is in your head crowd!

Has anyone else awoke this winter and after a short bit remembered we had Harsin as coach and just smiled?

I have truly done this twice.   Not lately, but I did. 

[AUApostle 7,651]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

I beg of you, pleeeaaaaase do just a tiny bit of research before asking something like that. I even provided the Pegues half of it for you just a few posts up.

Well he's primarily going to be a blocker and pass catcher, but if you want to label him a ball carrier: Derrick Henry, Brandon Jacobs, Eddie George, Eric Dickerson, Jim Brown, Matt Forte, Steven Jackson... all as tall or taller than Pegues. 

 

Well, at least we're disrespecting offensive linemen, defensive linemen, and JJ Pegues and all the hard work it has taken to hone their respective crafts- in addition to unteachable things like wing span, lateral agility, and hand size, about which I'm guessing nobody knows with regard to Pegues- equally. 

I want to use all the reactions for this post!

[auburnphan 6,050]

4 hours ago, McLoofus said:

I'm glad Harsin and Bobo agree. Dude is going to help us win games. 

As for his NFL future, I'll say again that if he projects as a DL or OL, then he'd probably be headed to one of those spots right now. Especially OL. If he was an NFL OL, he'd have a job on our OL today. He could take his pick. DL is probably in better shape, but whose job is he going to take? On the other side, who's going to give us the same combination of blocking and pass catching ability that Pegues does? Why aren't we reading articles about Frazier, or Shenker, or Deal? 

bama, LSU and Ole Miss, among others, also offered this guy as a TE, as tends to happen with guys who are top 10 nationally at their position.

This conversation is just wild to me. 

It really isn't that complicated, if you take his skill set he is average for a tight end in college.  He is short for the position and does not have elite speed which translates to no NFL.  However that skill set when put with other 300 pound defensive lineman is elite, I mean Bobo acknowledges as much in the article.  Also, he was not a top 10 TE nationally, he wasn't even listed as a TE in the composite, he was listed as an athlete, because for all the obvious reasons we have talked about.

I really don't know why this bothers you so much.  College coaches use players that is best for the program over what is best for their chances at the NFL and the reasons very from the players want to play that position or the coaches convince them to play that position.   Do you think there was a single coach on the Auburn staff that thought Nick Marshall would be an NFL quarterback???   DO you think that there was a single defensive coach that wasn't salivating to have the chance to have Nick on the defensive side of the ball???