Ranking AU by position: No. 3
AUBURN | The eighth in our series of ranking Auburn football by position continues today with the safeties at No. 3. We’re counting down from 10 to 1 this summer.
WHY NO. 3: Auburn returns both of last year’s starters, who are both seniors along with two talented second-year backups and another veteran who is the team’s best special teams player. It’s one of the deepest and most experienced positions on the 2019 team.
OVERVIEW: Seniors Daniel Thomas and Jeremiah Dinson return as the starters. The pair have combined for 39 starts in 74 career games played. Thomas is regarded as a playmaker by his coaches and that’s showed during his career. Last season, he finished tied for second on the team with 74 tackles, tied for first with two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, tied for first with two forced fumbles and recovered a fumble he returned 40 yards. Dinson is a former cornerback that converted to safety following a couple of serious injuries in 2015. He’s an extension of the coaching staff, responsible for getting the rest of his defensive teammates lined up and should take on an important leadership role for the 2019 team on and off the field.
Their backups are sophomores Smoke Monday and Jamien Sherwood. Monday missed spring with a shoulder injury but is expected back 100 percent for the start of preseason drills. He made some big plays last year with an interception and two sacks. Sherwood is also a playmaker, rated by PFF last December as the nation’s top freshman safety. Both should be even more dynamic in 2019 with a year of experience under their belt.
More depth comes from junior Jordyn Peters, a special teams ace, who is versatile enough to play just about any position in the secondary, and third-year sophomore Malcolm Askew. Most of Auburn’s incoming defensive backs will get a first look at cornerback or nickel, but could convert to safety in the future if needed.
FINAL NOTE: The most intriguing storyline from this group is if Monday or Sherwood can give one of the seniors a push for their starting position. That seems unlikely, but they’re two of the most talented underclassmen on the team and AU’s defensive coaches would be well served to find ways to get them in the game and get them as much experience as possible.
MORE RANKINGS
9. Quarterbacks
8. Linebackers