Auburn's early enrollee safeties establish freshman roles in defense
AUBURN — The future of Auburn's safety position, in some ways, began on an official visit to the University of Louisville.
In the fall of 2017, Jamien Sherwood and Smoke Monday had already committed to Auburn. They'd both made those decisions in the summer before their senior seasons. As is often the case, the committed prospects diligently approached the recruiting process with just-in-case official visits to other places, including Louisville.
By that time, Sherwood and Monday knew they were future Tigers. They just wanted to be sure. The future teammate time in Louisville, Ky. — compounded with a few experiences together on the Plains — helped build that relationship before the two early enrollees arrived on campus.
"My first time meeting Smoke was at the barbecue last summer. We got each other’s numbers. We went on a visit to somewhere else together," Sherwood said last week. "We just hit it off. We knew we were coming here. We knew this is where we wanted to be."
The message from Auburn to the safeties was clear: You are the future of the position.
Auburn had gone through a bit of a safety lull in recruiting.
Jordyn Peters, the only listed safety from the 2017 class, projected more at the nickel in Kevin Steele's defense. In the 2017 class, Marlon Character Jr. left the team before making an impact. Auburn struck a fortunate gold mine with Daniel Thomas. Jeremiah Dinson was a position shift from cornerback to safety.
Steele and defensive backs coach Greg Brown knew they needed two cornerstone safeties in the Class of 2018 to solve it. They found Monday and Sherwood early in the spring, pursued them as their top two targets at the position and were successful.
"Me and Jamien, we knew that we were the only safeties coming in together, and we just created that bond to stick together," Monday said. "We helped each other out, and when we got here, Daniel [Thomas] and Jeremiah [Dinson] and Javaris Davis and [Jamel] Dean, they brought us in and kept us tight. They kept working us. ... We’re going to be special."
Sherwood and Monday have each shown their special flashes early in their careers.
Monday, who came in with slightly more publicized hype, made his presence felt — at least in the eye of the public observer — Week 1 against Washington. His game-clinching sack gave the Tigers the early-season momentum it needed. Sherwood's highlight play came in interception form against Alabama State and a sack against Ole Miss. Sherwood's consistency, which has resulted in Auburn's best Pro Football Focus grade, has given coaches early confidence to put him on the field.
Their fast track to the field was sparked by their decisions to enroll in January — with the understanding they had to be ready as true freshmen.
"I feel like, since I came in the spring, that’s what really got me my shot to play as much as I did so far. Because when I first got here, I was just a freshman, never played in that type of defense before, and I just had to get used to it and be able to memorize everything," Sherwood said. "I feel like if I would’ve came in the fall, right before fall camp, I wouldn’t have got the chance to adjust to all of it as quickly as I adjusted, and get my as opportunities as I do."
As the cliche goes, this far into the season, they're not freshmen anymore. Sherwood and Monday have each seen their weekly snap totals increase, seeing a significant jump against Ole Miss in Jeremiah Dinson's first-half absence.
They bring a different style to the field, much like they do off it.
Sherwood operates in silence, more or less. He brings a calmer role to the safety tandem. Monday is well-documented as one of the team's most notable trash talkers. He's not afraid to speak his mind or hit somebody. Both players' on-field playing style matches their off-field personality.
It's a compatible blend that makes the future of Auburn's safety position one the rest of the country will soon know well.
"You know there’s always like, there’ll be two brothers, one of them will be more outgoing and one will be more in the back. That’s exactly how we are. I like to be in the corner, and he’s, like, front and center," Sherwood said. "Coach Steele told us on our visits that he was going to give us our opportunity. Coach Brown said they were going to give us a fair opportunity — Smoke and I. That’s exactly what they did. I just run with it and try to make as many great plays as I can."