Another freshman corner making a move

AUBURN | After enrolling in January, Christian Tutt was a standout at cornerback this spring and could be Auburn’s punt returner.

Now, a second true freshman corner is making a push for playing time.

Roger McCreary, who enrolled this summer out of Williamson in Mobile, Ala., was a standout during Thursday’s opening scrimmage of preseason drills.

“He made a lot of plays today. He made a lot of big open field tackles,” said senior linebacker Deshaun Davis following the 100-play scrimmage. “He’s still picking up on the playbook, he’s still learning the playbook, but what I like seeing from him is that he’s actually up there with the coaches.

“When we’re not having meetings, we’re on lunch right now, he’ll usually get his lunch and eat his food and then he’s talking to a GA or he wants to get an extra film in with the players to see what he should do on this play. He wants to know all of the adjustments. He’s trying to become a student of the game.”

McCreary, who was a star on both sides of the ball in high school, has also caught the eye of defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who listed him as one of a handful of freshmen standouts on defense.

“He’s a lot like Noah (Igbinoghene) in that he can run, he understands it, and he’s a physical guy,” Steele said. “I mean, of course, he played every position on the field in high school. When you can run like that and be an edge player still who has some physicality to you, that helps. Long arms. Long arms.”

Building depth in the secondary was one of the biggest tasks that Steele and the defensive staff faced in the offseason after the loss of three starters. But after a spring and nearly two weeks of fall, the pieces seem to be coming together.

Jamel Dean, Igbinoghene and Javaris Davis, who also plays nickel, are projected as Auburn’s top three cornerbacks. But Tutt and McCreary are competing with junior John Broussard and sophomore Traivon Leonard for the next spots in the playing rotation.

And that group can’t help but get better everyday competing against veteran receivers like Ryan Davis, Darius Slayton and Nate Craig-Myers.

“(McCreary) showed the ability to tackle and the ability to cover guys like Ryan and Slayton in 1-on-1 situations,” Davis said. “I don't know how much they're going to use him, but I know his ability. I know his heart. If he was out there, I know he could make some plays.”