AUBURN | Auburn’s secondary will lose three key starters after the bowl game in seniors Jeremiah Dinson, Daniel Thomas and Javaris Davis. But Dinson is convinced next year’s group can be even better and the main reason is Jamien Sherwood and Smoke Monday.
Sherwood and Monday, both sophomores, have earned a lot of playing time and experience backing up both Dinson and Thomas at safety. They’ve also started two games apiece over the last two seasons.
“To be completely honest with you, they’re going to be better,” said Dinson of the 2020 secondary. “Jamien and Smoke, those guys have so much potential to be better than me and Daniel. I see it now, to be honest with you. Long guys, they can do both — play the run and play the pass. Man, the sky’s the limit for them.
“You’ve got (Christian) Tutt, you’ve got Noah (Igbinoghene), you’ve got Roger (McCreary) — those guys have excelled this year as well — but Smoke and Sherwood are my two guys I’m going to put a stamp on that within the next years, if they come out early or whatever, those guys are going to be first through third round guys. I’m calling it right now because I see it in practice every day the things that they can do. Once they keep going on and digging more in the playbook, learn how to dissect film and things like that, they’re going to be one of the best DBs in the country.”
What makes Dinson so high on Sherwood and Monday? Well, a whole lot.
“He’s a freak to be honest with you,” said Dinson of Sherwood. “6-2, about 220 pounds, can cover you, can go in the box and play that linebacker role. At safety, he can cover a lot of ground as well.
“(Monday is) another guy that can play all around the place. Had him at corner, he can go to nickel, play safety, he can go in the box as well. Tall, a tall guy. Sometimes when you have a tall guy, the movement skills and the change of direction and things like that kinds lack because he’s a taller guy, but that’s not the thing with Smoke. He’s got movement skills like he’s a 5-9 DB and he’s almost like a 6-2 type of guy.
“I can’t wait to turn on Saturday and talk a whole lot of noise with people because I’ve been wanting to do it this year but I know the things I’m not supposed to say and things like that, but I can’t wait just to see those guys ball out.”
Sherwood and Monday at safety, Igbinoghene and McCreary at corner and Tutt at nickel will enter spring as the favorites to be starters, but Auburn is building some solid depth and there should be plenty of competition.
Juniors Jordyn Peters and Traivon Leonard, sophomore Malcolm Askew, and freshmen Zion Puckett, Nehemiah Pritchett and Jaylin Simpson are all scheduled to return and compete for spots in the playing rotation or provide depth. Puckett played in six games as a backup this fall while Pritchett and Simpson will qualify for redshirts this fall after playing in four games apiece.
More help is due from the 2020 signee class including junior college signee Marco Domio, Chris Thompson Jr., Ladarius Tennison and Eric Reed Jr..
Auburn will continue bowl practice through Saturday before breaking for Christmas and then reporting to Tampa, Fla., Dec. 26 for the Outback Bowl. The 12th-ranked Tigers will take on No. 18 Minnesota Jan. 1 at noon CT on ESPN.
