AUBURN | With nearly 50 percent of Auburn’s roster turned over for the 2023 season, there will be plenty of new faces in the lineup.
In today’s series previewing Hugh Freeze’s first season on the Plains, we take a look at the wide receivers.
It’s probably Auburn’s most competitive position going into fall drills with 11 scholarship players and only one, senior Ja’Varrius Johnson, as a proven returning starter.
The Tigers brought in four transfers including three after spring practice to bolster the ranks. All three — Shane Hooks, Jyaire Shorter and Caleb Burton — will be in the mix for starting positions.
There are also three sophomore wideouts — Camden Brown, Jay Fair and Omari Kelly — looking to take a big step up in year two along with two juniors — former LSU transfer Koy Moore and Malcolm Johnson, who is returning from an injury.
Below is a potential depth chart going into fall drills…
WR1
1. Shane Hooks, Sr. (6-4, 191)
2. Camden Brown, So. (6-3, 203)
3. Nick Mardner, Sr. (6-6, 206)
WR2
1. Ja’Varrius Johnson, Sr. (5-10, 167)
2. Caleb Burton, RFr. (5-11, 171)
3. Jay Fair, So. (5-10, 186)
4. J.C. Hart, TFr. (6-2, 195).,
WR3
1. Jyaire Shorter, Sr. (6-2, 209)
2. Koy Moore, Jr. (6-1, 198)
3. Malcolm Johnson, Jr. (6-1, 193) -OR-
3. Omari Kelly, So. (6-0, 178)
Quick hitters…
** Ja’Varrius was Auburn’s top receiver in 2022 with 26 catches for 493 yards and three touchdowns. It wouldn’t be surprising if AU’s top receiver in ’23 at least doubled that production assuming a clear top target emerges.
** Hooks, with 66 catches for 775 yards and 10 touchdowns at Jackson State, and Shorter, with 23 catches for 628 yards and 11 touchdowns at North Texas, put up big numbers last fall. Doing it in the SEC is another matter, however, and working against AU’s talented defensive backs this summer and fall will be huge for both transfers.
** Burton was a 4-star and the nation’s No. 36 receiver coming out of Austin, Texas in the class of 2022. He didn’t play at Ohio State last fall but was very productive in high school totaling 131 catches for 2,360 yards and 33 touchdowns despite missing his junior season with a knee injury.
** Malcolm Johnson was limited by an injury in spring but is expected to be full speed for fall drills. He’s probably the biggest wildcard of the group. He skipped his senior season to enroll at AU early, redshirted in 2020 and totaled eight receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown over the last two seasons. But he remains one of AU’s most athletic players on either side of the ball.
** Brown is another wildcard after catching nine passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman last year.
** Signee Daquayvious Sorey is still working to qualify and report to Auburn this fall.
