Auburn fall camp primer: Depth chart lookahead, position battle previews

In the blink of an eye, Auburn football has bounced from a rainy A-Day scrimmage to the start of fall camp, its first in the Hugh Freeze era.

It’ll be a much different product on the field than what Auburn had last season, and that’s on top of Freeze bringing in an entirely new staff and installing new offensive and defensive systems. The program salvaged what it could for a top-20 recruiting class in the spring, and it continued putting touches on one of the premier transfer classes in the nation this summer.

After pulling in 20 players from the portal, there will be several new names competing for starting spots heading into Auburn’s season-opener against UMass on Sept. 2.

Here’s a prediction of what Auburn’s depth chart could look like following the close of fall camp:

QUARTERBACK

• Starter: Payton Thorne
• Reserves: Robby Ashford; Holden Geriner

It’s easy to surmise that the Power Five quarterback who started the past two seasons in the Big Ten is the early favorite in a new coaching staff’s quarterback room. But while Thorne is the likely starter to open the year, the lack of strength in Auburn’s early season schedule (UMass, Cal, Samford) sets it up to give Ashford in-game snaps. That’s something Freeze has acknowledged at length, and his history indicates it’s more than just a possibility.

RUNNING BACK

• Starter: Jarquez Hunter
• Reserves: Damari Alston; Brian Battie

Assuming Auburn’s running back room is at full strength, this is the likeliest outcome. Hunter’s the presumed successor to Tank Bigsby, and while Battie appears to be a dynamic weapon who’s capable of rushing against Southeastern Conference defenses, Alston fits the mold of an every-down back. Even if Battie is listed as a third-string player, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be a well-used weapon on third downs.

WIDE RECEIVER

• Staters: Camden Brown; Jyaire Shorter; Ja’Varrius Johnson
• Reserves: Shane Hooks; Koy Moore; Caleb Burton III

While there’s a boom of new faces with potential to make significant impacts, experience will likely be a difference-maker for who starts early. Brown’s spring poised him for a breakout fall, and Johnson was the program’s go-to target last season. Hooks, Shorter and Burton all arrive without a spring practice under their belt. While their potential is exciting, they’ll have to learn fast.

TIGHT END

• Starter: Rivaldo Fairweather
• Reserves: Luke Deal; Micah Riley

Fairweather, the pass-catching tight end transfer from FIU, was well-discussed in the spring. Based on the philosophies of Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, it’s hard to imagine him not starting. Should Auburn rely more on the tight end position in the passing game, expect Deal and Riley to both be contributors, as well as Tyler Fromm.

OFFENSIVE LINE

• Staters:
• Reserves:

The offensive line overhaul Auburn underwent should bear fruit in the form of an offensive line that looks virtually new this fall. Wade, Jones and Britton all feel like certainties to start, and Wright is the most experienced guard left from last season based on snaps. Both Johnson and Stutts should be in the mix for either guard spot, especially considering Muskrat is joining the program post-spring practices.

DEFENSIVE LINE

• Starters: Jayson Jones (NT); Justin Rogers (DT); Marcus Harris (DE)
• Reserves: Lawrence Johnson; Mosiah Nasili-Kite

This was the starting bunch for Auburn’s A-Day game, and it highlights that the Tigers are set to be fluid on their defensive line. The program’s roster lists every player mentioned here as “defensive lineman,” meaning we’re likely to see Harris play more than just end, Rogers play more than tackle, and so on. While that trio is the presumptive favorite to start, both Johnson and Nasili-Kite will be likely contributors.

JACK LINEBACKER

• Starter: Elijah McAllister
• Reserves: Keldric Faulk; Jalen McLeod

Fluidity may be the buzzword for this defense, and this position highlights it. McAllister and Faulk both provide a sizable, prototypical edge rusher, but McLeod plays much differently. Regardless of who starts, all three are plausible options to impact the pass rush.

LINEBACKER

• Starters: Austin Keys, Larry Nixon III
• Reserves: Wesley Steiner, Cam Riley

Auburn’s dip into the transfer portal gave it two experienced linebackers in Keys and Nixon. While Nixon comes into fall camp without being at Auburn for the spring, both he and Keys bring something Steiner and Riley don’t. Still, expect the pair that was on last season’s roster to make a run at those spots.

CORNERBACK

• Starters: DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett
• Reserves: Kayin Lee, JD Rhym

A pair of returning starters who not only passed up NFL Draft opportunities but were named preseason All-SEC makes James and Pritchett the most likely starters of any player on this roster. The bigger question is who sits behind them. Lee was one of the most-discussed freshmen in the spring, and while Rhym was sidelined with an injury during that span, Freeze said at SEC Media Days that he’s back to full strength.

STAR

• Starter: Keionte Scott
• Reserves: TBD

This position will be akin to the nickelback position on last season’s depth chart, where Scott started. He’s a great fit for the spot, and while he may be listed as its starter, most every defensive back will work at the position to an extent. Other names to watch here include Jaylin Simpson, Donovan Kaufman and Austin Ausberry.

SAFETY

• Starters: Jaylin Simpson, Zion Puckett
• Reserves: Donovan Kaufman, Marquise Gilbert

After starting last season at cornerback, Simpson worked primarily at safety in the spring. It gives the group three starters from a season ago in him, Puckett and Kaufman. Gilbert was also someone who received high praise in the spring.

KICKER AND PUNTER

• Starters: Alex McPherson (K); Oscar Chapman (P)

A pair of preseason All-SEC picks, this duo will undoubtedly be starting for Auburn.

KICK AND PUNT RETURN

• Starters: Brian Battie (KR); Keionte Scott (PR)
• Reserves: Jarquez Hunter; Damari Alston; Nehemiah Pritchett

Battie’s All-American status as a return man makes him the likely choice, but the biggest questions remain at punt return. Scott is the only player on this roster who returned punts last season, but he had his share of troubles. Hunter, Alston and Pritchett — all of whom got some work at kick return — could be options at either spot.