AUBURN | There’s no telling when or if Auburn will hold any practices before August, but I’m determined to finish what I started so here’s an in-depth look at the cornerback and nickel positions.
WHO’S GONE: Auburn lost both its starting cornerbacks as Noah Igbinoghene declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season and Javaris Davis used up his eligibility.
WHO’S BACK: Starting nickel Christian Tutt and top backup cornerback Roger McCreary both return for their junior seasons. Seniors Jordyn Peters, Devan Barrett and Traivon Leonard are also back along with sophomore Nehemiah Pritchett.
WHO’S NEW: Redshirt freshmen Jaylin Simpson and Jashawn Sheffield both redshirted last fall after playing in four games, Sheffield as a wide receiver. Ladarius Tennison signed with Auburn in the 2020 class and enrolled in January.
WHO’S NEXT: Auburn signed two other cornerbacks in the 2020 class in Marco Domio from junior college and Eric Reed Jr.
OUTLOOK: Auburn’s departing defensive backs are convinced McCreary can step up and be the next standout cornerback at Auburn. He led the team with 11 pass breakups and had one interception despite starting just one game last season against LSU.
The battle to fill the cornerback position opposite McCreary is wide open with Pritchett probably getting the first look after playing in seven games as a true freshman last fall. Sheffield is one to watch early assuming he makes the move from wideout as expected. He showed some good speed and quickness in limited opportunities on offense last season.
Barrett and Leonard should get an opportunity to work into the rotation at cornerback and nickel while Peters and Simpson are likely nickels or safeties. Barrett is a bit of a wildcard after moving from running back a couple of years ago. He didn't record a tackle in eight games in very limited playing time last year. Leonard has played in two games the last two seasons.
Peters made a lot of big plays on special teams in 2018. An injury slowed his progress last fall, but he could certainly become an integral part of AU’s secondary this fall. Simpson has a ton of potential with a long frame. It’s just a matter of finding his best position and settling in.
I wouldn’t rule out Tennison giving Tutt a push at nickel. He’s one of AU’s most talented 2020 signees and packs a lot of punch in his 5-foot-9 frame. He had 94 tackles and 24.0 tackles-for-loss as a senior at Rockledge (Fla.) High School. Tutt was good overall in his 12 starts but did struggle at times defending elite slot receivers in 1-on-1 situations.
If Domio can qualify, he certainly has the ability to push for a starting cornerback position right away. At 6-foot-1, he can match up against the bigger receivers in this conference. Reed, a former Ole Miss commit, was a nice Early Signing Day pickup, choosing the Tigers over Georgia. He’ll get a first look at corner in the fall, but has the potential to play anywhere in the secondary.
Auburn will not hold its A-Day game after the SEC announced all competitions are canceled for the remainder of the 2019-20 athletic year.
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