2^nd – SEC West

Auburn, AL| Jordan-Hare Stadium (87, 451) | 2017 Record: 10-4 (7-1)

Can we put to bed the notion that Gus Malzhan is not worthy of coaching in the SEC West? Is he Nick Saban? No. But what he has done at Auburn has been pretty dang impressive. Winning seven games in the SEC last season, including wins over Alabama and Georgia, and competing with Clemson at Clemson should show just how good a coach Gus Malzhan is. This year, his quarterback, defensive line, and a lot of talent return for what should be a strong 2018 season.

Offense

 Quarterbacks: Jarrett Stidham (6-3, 215) returns for his junior season at Auburn after putting up some impressive numbers last year. Stidham finished the 2017 season with 3,158 passing yards, a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 3:1, an appearance in the SEC title game, and most importantly, wins over rivals Georgia and Alabama. I look for him to build on those successes in 2018. He checks all the boxes you are looking for in a quarterback. He is big, he is mobile, he has a strong arm, and he doesn’t make mistakes with the football. Behind him are sophomore Malik Willis (6-1, 200), who is one of the more athletic weapons on this Auburn offense, and blue chip true freshman Joey Gatewood (6-5, 230), who looks the part but has yet to take a snap of college football.

Jarrett Stidham didn’t seem to have a sophomore slump. He returns for his junior year. Image from SEC Country.

Running Back: Kam Pettaway and Kerryon Johnson both took their talents to the NFL after absolutely electrifying the SEC West these past few seasons. The obvious replacement to fill those massive shoes is junior Kam Martin (5-10, 180). Martin can absolutely fly. What makes him especially dangerous is that behind those massive Auburn offensive linemen, defenders don’t see Martin until he is already accelerating through the hole. Auburn does a masterful job of using misdirection to open up their rushing attack, and Martin will reap the benefits.

The elusive Kam Martin will replace Pettaway & Johnson at RB. Image from AL.com.

Another Martin to keep an eye on is true freshman Asa Martin (6-0, 200). Asa Martin had offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas coming out of high school. Everyone wanted him, and it’s easy to see why when you watch his tape. Martin was named Mr. Football for the state of Alabama in 2018, and he will continue to show off his talent this year for Auburn.

Wide Receiver: Ryan Davis (5-9, 175) might be the most dependable receiver in the SEC after tallying 84 receptions last season out of the slot. Davis is your prototypical slot receiver. He isn’t big, he isn’t physical, but the guy has great hands and is extremely shifty and elusive. He reminds me a lot of South Carolina’s Ace Sanders (2010-2012). Both played with their hair on fire, both had great top-end speed, and both of them could make you miss in a phone booth. Watch Davis against Alabama last year. He made some of the best defensive football players in the country (Minkah Fitzpatrick included) look silly.

Darius Slayton (6-2, 190) is also an elite SEC wide receiver. Slayton is more of a big play threat, averaging over 22 yards per reception in 2017. He hauled in five touchdowns, but he caught a significantly lower number of footballs last year than Davis did. Look for more balls to go his way. There is a lot of talent besides these two guys, but unfortunately, a lot of it is either unproven or hurt. Both Eli Stove (6-0,185), who is a threat in both the passing game and the rushing attack, and fast, crafty senior Will Hastings (5-10, 170) are rehabbing after serious leg injuries. Stove should be back in time for the season opener, but Hastings may be out a little longer.

Slayton at 6-2, 190 is a big target. Image from Auburn Athletics.

The remaining open question is when will Nate Craig-Myers (6-2, 215) play like the stud he was made out to be? In the 2016 recruiting cycle, Craig-Myers was considered one of the best wide receivers and one of the best prospects in Florida. He has recorded 20 receptions in two years at Auburn. This is the year – I feel it.

Offensive Line: Auburn for the past couple of years has had one of the best offensive lines in the SEC. A couple of reasons for that both are no longer playing college football (Braden Smith and Austin Golson) after having stellar All-SEC campaigns last season. And while I am sure Auburn fans will wish those two young men great success making an NFL team, those fans are also nervous about what that means for the Tigers in 2018.

Never fear, this offensive line will be just fine. Remember the name Prince Tega Wanogho (6-7, 305). The man keeps maturing and keeps fine-tuning his technique, which is scary for the rest of the SEC, because this man is unbelievably athletic. I went back and watched solely him in a couple of 2017 Auburn games. Did he make mistakes? Yeah, a lot of them. But he also showed how much pure talent he has. I think 2018 is his coming out party as one of the conference’s next elite offensive tackles.

Wanogho has the size and athleticism to be effective in both the run and pass. Image from Scout.com.

Guards Marquel Harrell (6-3, 310) and Mike Horton (6-4, 320) are both veterans. And look out for redshirt freshman Calvin Ashley (6-6, 350) at right tackle. He is a monster of a human being and was one of the top-rated prospects in 2017 – no matter the position. But the five-star talent needs to play like it, or else Auburn will turn to one of the many other SEC-caliber offensive linemen on their roster. Both Horton and Ashley are taking reps in multiple spots. No matter where they end up Auburn fans can expect these guys to start.

Horton can play anywhere on this line. Image from USA Today.

Defense

Defensive Line: There are so many great defensive lines in this conference. Alabama continues to churn out NFL-ready defensive linemen. Kirby has recruited some studs to Georgia. Florida might have the most underrated defensive line in the country. Mississippi State. LSU. South Carolina’s will be sneaky good defensive line in 2018. But this Auburn defensive line might just be the best in the whole dang conference. It’s hard to make a claim like that because any distinction you make comes down to splitting hairs, but regardless if they’re the best or simply one of the best, you get my point. What do we talk about most in the SEC? Large, athletic, crazy-fast human beings. Auburn has more than their share.

First, the senior, Dontavius Russell (6-3, 310). It’s not completely accurate to call Russell a nose tackle because of how active and versatile he is (he finished 2017 with 46 tackles and 2 sacks), but in many ways the Tigers use him as a run-stuffing, block-eating force of nature. Next to Russell is big Derrick Brown (6-5, 315), who enters his junior season poised to show why he was considered one of the top ten prospects, regardless of position, in the 2016 recruiting cycle according to 247 Sports. Brown registered 56 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a pass deflection as a sophomore. The buzz around the NFL makes it sound like if he has the type of season he is capable of having in 2018, he will be in the green room waiting to shake Roger Goodell’s hand as a top NFL Draft Pick next April.

Derrick Brown is a nightmare for any offense. Image from Auburn Athletics.

Probably the two least appreciated defensive linemen of the group are defensive tackle Andrew Williams (6-4, 285) who registered 38 tackles last season, and defensive end Marlon Davidson (6-3, 280) who does a great job of tying up offensive tackles and stringing out plays heading outside of the tackle box. Both will make NFL rosters. The only slight concern for the Tigers is who will replace pass rushing specialist Jeff Holland, who finished last season with 10 sacks. But Auburn has recruited the heck out of the position, and both T.D. Moultry (6-2, 240) and Big Kat Bryant (6-5, 225) – best name on the roster, and in the SEC, that’s always saying something – were brought in to get after the passer. Judging by the other coaches who recruited them, I think Moultry and Bryant have the talent needed to play the position.

T.D. Moultry (55) adds speed to an already fast defensive front. Image from Scout.com.

Linebacker: 2017’s leading tackler and leader of the defense, senior Deshaun Davis (5-11, 245), returns for what should be another solid season. He will finish the 2018 season with at least 90 tackles. On either side of him will be two other seniors in Darrell Williams (6-2, 245) who recorded 57 tackles in 2017, and Montavious Atkinson (6-1, 220) who played a ton of snaps in 2017 and recorded 43 tackles. Three seniors starting in the middle of an SEC defense should give Auburn fans chills. These three will be able to wreak havoc playing behind a defensive line like the one they are this year.

Williams (49) & Davis (57) bring experience and skill to the linebacker corps. Image from Auburn Athletics

And reinforcements are coming. Auburn signed a few top-rated linebackers in Richard Jibunor, Michael Harris and Zakoby McClain, and currently have a commitment from 2019’s highest ranked linebacker in the country in Owen Pappoe.

Defensive Backs: This was a top 20 passing defense in 2017, and even though the Tigers lost safety Tray Matthews and cornerback Carlton Davis, I think they still produce a fine ranking when 2018 is all said and done. Javaris Davis (5-10, 185) returns at cornerback after recording two interceptions last season, and Jamel Dean (6-2, 215) returns opposite him after playing a significant number of snaps in 2017. Dean is a big, physical cornerback that defensive coordinator must be excited about.

Almost everyone in the secondary returns. Image from Getty Images.

At safety, juniors Daniel Thomas (5-11, 205) and Jeremiah Dinson (6-0, 185) will play a lot of football, but I am most excited to see what the fast, long, instinctive freshman, Smoke Monday (6-3, 190) does. Smoke, from Atlanta, chose Auburn over Alabama, Clemson, Florida, and Georgia, and he doesn’t shy away from making the big-time play.

 Special Teams

Daniel Carlson was one of the greatest kickers to ever play in the SEC. But like all good things, that too had to come to an end. Never fear, Tiger fans, because Daniel’s younger brother Anders Carlson will be taking his place. Australian-Rules Football player Aryyn Siposs will man the punting duties. Ryan Davis should exclusively handle all kick and punt returns.

Coaching Staff

A lot of stability in a program that hadn’t had it in a while. Gus has this program moving along at a time where six other SEC programs have new coaches. Kevin Steele enters his third season as defensive coordinator and it looks like he has turned a chapter on his coaching career after stinking it up at Clemson.

Biggest Strength: Veteran Presence – Anywhere from 10-12 upperclassman will play a significant number of snaps on this Auburn defense this year. The entire linebacking corps will be seniors. Jarrett Stidham is returning as the quarterback for his junior season. Wide receiver, Ryan Davis is a senior. Fullback/H-Back Chandler Cox (6-1, 240) returns for his senior season, and should play an integral role in run blocking. This is a veteran-heavy team. And they all have been playing in the same system for years now.

Biggest Weakness: Attrition on the Offensive Line – There are a lot of talented offensive linemen, but these past couple of NFL Drafts/Graduating Classes have sucked a lot of good football players out of this program.

Offensive, Defensive, and Freshman Players of the Year

 Offensive: Nate Craig-Myers. With Eli Stove and Will Hastings both sitting out this August, Craig-Myers will be thrown to early and often, and I think he will finally be able to show off why he was one of the best players coming out of Florida just a few years ago.

Defensive: Derrick Brown. He will be First Team All-SEC and will be picked in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Freshman: Smoke Monday. He has the talent and the size, and he enrolled early. So at the beginning of the season, this will be easier for him than most other freshman. He will get his opportunities to play, and with the type of swagger he has, I expect him to make the most of it.

 Schedule Breakdown and Projected Wins and Losses

 Win – Washington

Win – Alabama State

Win – LSU

Win – Arkansas

Win – Southern Miss

Win – at Mississippi State

Win – Tennessee

Win – at Ole Miss

Win – Texas A&M

at Georgia – Loss

Win – Liberty

at Alabama – Loss

Final Record: 10-2 (6-2)

 The Final Word

This schedule wants me to say 8-4 or 9-3, but this roster and the veterans on it push me up to 10 wins. Washington is going to be a heckuva test, and if they win that game then the whole country has been put on notice. That crowd will be heavily favored towards Auburn, so I think they get it done in Atlanta. LSU is always a tough game and was Auburn’s only regular season SEC loss last season, and I think they avenge that loss at home. Mississippi State feels like a coin flip, but I will take a veteran Gus Malzhan over a first-year head coach in that game. Tennessee, at Ole Miss, and Texas A&M certainly won’t be easy, but I think Auburn is a superior team this year compared to those three.

That leaves trips to Athens and Tuscaloosa. If they can find a way to win one of those game, not only will they make it back to the SEC Title Game, but they may have punched their ticket into the Playoff. I just don’t see it happening. Auburn hasn’t won in Athens since 2005, and Alabama isn’t going to let Auburn beat them two years in a row. What a shame for this team to not be able to play in the 2018 SEC Title Game, but this schedule is from hell. 10-2 is the ceiling on this year’s Auburn Tigers team, unfortunately.