Position pecking order No. 8: Defensive tackles
This week at AuburnSports.com, we're kicking off another rankings series, this time with the goal of determining the pecking order of 11 Auburn position groups.
We know who Auburn's most talented and most valuable players for this coming season are. But just how much a difference do they make when it comes to their position room as a whole? Are they one of a number of standout performers at their position, or are they the outlier?
Likewise, Tiger fans are well aware of what the most inexperienced or unproven spots on the field are.
Our staff ranked the 11 position groups on the roster based on a number of criteria. The staffer who voted a particular position the highest will have to defend his reasoning.
NO. 8 (out of 11): DEFENSIVE TACKLES
VOTES: Jay G. (8), BMatt (5), J-Lee (6), Nate (8)
Derrick Brown will go down as one of the top defensive players in Auburn history. He's arguably the best ever to wear the orange and blue at his position, and possibly the best player of Gus Malzahn's head-coaching tenure.
Auburn doesn't have to completely replace the production of the 2019 SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Rodney Garner won't ask the likes of Tyrone Truesdell, Daquan Newkirk or Coynis Miller to be all-time great DTs. But the Tigers will be in trouble if they experience a massive drop off at Brown's vacated spot.
Truesdell, a returning starter and one of the most experienced players on the defense, was an underrated piece because of Brown's dominance. If the senior can take a step forward, while either Miller or Newkirk — or a combination of the two with lots of depth from newcomers, which may be more likely — have a season like Truesdell did last year (five tackles for loss, three sacks and consistent, above-average grades in run defense), the position group should be in good shape.
WHY NO. 5? (BMatt): There are several reasons I put defensive tackle No. 5 on my list but it starts with Rodney Garner, who ticks all the right coaching boxes: evaluate, recruit and develop. Garner annually produces good to great defensive lines and I don't expect this year to be any different.
As far as players go, Tyrone Truesdell, DaQuan Newkirk and Coyniss Miller all have the potential to take their games up to another level and I expect at least two of them will, perhaps all three. Plus, I really, really like what Garner did in recruiting signing a couple plug-and-play JUCO's in Dre Butler and Marquis Burks, and a standout freshman in Jay Hardy, who should also see the field early.
Garner has experience, he's got talent and he's got depth, which means Auburn is going to have plenty of quality production out of the defensive tackle position.
No. 10: Tight ends and H-backs
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