AUBURN | Amaris Williams has something you can’t coach.

You can build on it, hone it and make it better, but his floor is higher than a lot of player’s ceilings. Just ask Auburn outside linebacker coach Josh Aldridge.

“How naturally strong he is,” said Aldridge on Williams’ greatest asset. “So, his birthday was yesterday (Aug. 13). He turned 18 yesterday and he's as strong as anybody on this football team.

“It's pretty incredible to think about his potential, to be a guy who just turned 18 and is going into his freshman year of SEC football. His natural strength ... And to be twitchy for a big guy — he's 260 pounds already and moves like a buck. He's really athletic.”

Keldric Faulk was Auburn’s star freshman last season, starting the final eight games of the season at defensive end. He sees a lot of himself in Williams.

“He's a freak athlete,” said Faulk. “When he came in, he already looked like he was a college athlete. He had his body built up. He's powerful. He's fast. He's quick off the line. He's everything that an edge guy is supposed to be.

“He needs to learn the little things about how to play football. He's getting it now. And, like, once he gets it down pat, he's gonna be stupid crazy. He's gonna be stupid good. He's gonna be great.”

Williams has been working on a lot of those little things during fall camp. But even when his fundamentals are lacking or he’s not executing the defensive call, he finds a way to make plays.

“He makes plays that he shouldn't make sometimes,” said Aldridge. “Like, he's using bad fundamentals. But he's such a great athlete, and he's so strong that it's like, well, it's hard to tell him he's doing wrong — because he's making the play.

“But that's part of growing and learning. He's got a great attitude. He's shown me a lot in terms of his effort and in terms of his natural ability. He'll definitely play for us this year.”

Auburn opens the season Saturday night against Alabama A&M. Kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+/SECN+.