AUBURN | Jalil Irvin’s time probably won’t be this season, but it’s coming.

The redshirt freshmen was one of Auburn’s most improved players during fall camp as he made the move up from the scout team to the second-team offensive line.

“Jalil had a great fall camp,” senior offensive guard Marquel Harrell said. “Just one of those guys that has worked hard. He came in extra during the summertime, he was in there with me and Jack (Driscoll) as well.”

Irvin, who worked at center and both guard positions during camp, was listed as the Tigers’ second-team right guard on the preseason depth chart, which was released Tuesday.

“One of the surprises of camp in my opinion has been Jalil Irvin,” offensive line coach J.B. Grimes said. “He’s had an excellent fall camp so far and he’s a tough guy and he’s a really smart guy. Because of that, when the bus pulls out he’s going to be sitting on the bus. That has been a really, really positive thing.”

Irvin, who is listed as 6-foot-2 and 299 pounds, put in a lot of work during the offseason to understand the offense better and improve his fundamentals.

“I just think the knowledge of the offense and the knowledge of the techniques and the fundamentals that we’re teaching right now,” said Grimes of what led to Irvin’s improvement. “The who part of it is really easy — who do you block? To me, that’s not really hard. The how part is the hard part — how do you block those guys? How do you move a guy that’s as big as you are and in a bad mood from one place to another? That’s the hard part, the how part of it, and he’s gotten much better at that.”

Auburn will start five fifth-year seniors on its offensive line in its season opener. That experience should pay big dividends this season, but means the Tigers will have to find five new starters next year.

Irvin should now be considered a favorite to win one of those jobs.

“It will be a tremendous competition,” Grimes said.

No. 16 Auburn opens the season Saturday night against No. 11 Oregon Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.