AUBURN | The votes from our subscribers and moderators are in as we continue our Top 20 with an explosive weapon on offense.
NO. 5 ANTHONY SCHWARTZ
6-0, 179, Junior
Pembroke Pines, Fla.
VOTES: Jay G (5), BMatt (4), J Lee (8), Nate (13), Bunker (5)
Anthony Schwartz has flashed his big-play ability throughout his first two years at Auburn including a 76-yard touchdown reception against Tennessee, a 57-yard touchdown reception against Alabama State and a 42-yard reception against Arkansas as a freshman, and a 57-yard touchdown run at Texas A&M, 50-yard reception against Ole Miss and 48-yard reception against Mississippi State last season. PFF credits Schwartz with just three drops in 53 targets and gaining 256 of his 438 receiving yards after contact.
Schwartz will enter this fall with eight starts in 26 games played, having accounted for 1,126 all-purpose yards (329 rushing and 797 receiving) and 10 touchdowns. He also recovered a fumble for a touchdown at Ole Miss in 2018.
WHY NO. 4 (BMatt): Schwartz can beat defenses over the top, turn a short screen pass into a big play or turn the corner on an end around and take it to the house. Combine that big-play ability with his experience, an upgraded passing offense under Chad Morris and a second-year starting quarterback in Bo Nix, and Schwartz could be poised for a huge junior season. His explosive ability should also compliment the play of Seth Williams, who is a reliable receiver with a large catch radius and big-play ability of his own.
While he's not AU's highest-rated receiver in this ranking, he could have the highest upside due to his world class speed. He ran track for Auburn last spring and would have again this spring, with the possibility of giving up football for an opportunity to run in the Olympics. That dream is on hold and the extra two-week minicamp Schwartz will go through at the end of July should be a bonus for his football development.
