AUBURN | Auburn signed one of the best wide receiver classes in the nation in February and those four true freshmen are completing for a spot in the playing rotation this fall.

What is one of the biggest limiting factor for the newcomers?

It’s blocking according to wide receivers coach Kodi Burns.

“I told those guys if you're going to be a receiver at Auburn you've got to be able to block down the field,” Burns said. “We're going to make plays down the field and all that stuff but in our offense, we're run, we take deep shots, play-action offense. When we run the ball we've got to be able to fit up on safeties, cornerbacks, linebackers and be big, physical guys.”

One of the things all four of the freshmen wideouts have in common is size including Nate Craig-Myers, who checks in at 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds. Craig-Myers has already caught the eye of one of Auburn’s veteran defensive backs.

“He’s real big and aggressive. Great blocker, and he can run routes really well, too,” junior safety Stephen Roberts said.

Another key for freshmen is how quickly they pick up the offense and how well they can handle the pressure of college coaching. Some players aren’t emotionally mature enough to deal with the daily grind.

So far, Burns likes what he’s seen out of Craig-Myers and his three other freshmen.

“He's picking it up great. Nate is a great kid. He's humble, just like all of the freshmen,” Burns said. “Nate, Eli Stove, Marquis McClain, Kyle Davis are all humble guys that are willing to work and that I can work with. Nate Craig is doing a great job for us. He listens to what I say and he's a coachable guy.

“It's about development now. These guys are all talented and now we've got to develop them.”

If Craig-Myers continues that development, he could become a much-needed big-play wide receiver in Auburn’s offense. As a senior at Tampa Catholic, Craig-Myers had 63 receptions for 1,018 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging over 16 yards per catch.

He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown and two interceptions for touchdowns.

“Nate's pretty good. He's good with his hands. He's pretty fast and he's big too. I'm impressed with him,” senior wide receiver Tony Stevens said.