AUBURN | It just hasn’t quite clicked for T.D. Moultry in his first three seasons at Auburn.

There was going to be an adjustment period when he moved from linebacker to Buck as a freshman, but he comes into his senior year with 2.5 career sacks in 25 games.

But Moultry has stuck it out, continued to grind and could be poised for a breakout season.

“I feel like he’s definitely coming a long way,” said senior defensive tackle Tyrone Truesdell. “The way he’s coming with it and how focused he is, how hard he works, I highly doubt that I’ll see anybody work that hard. He really lays it all out there. Like if you’re going 100, he’s going to go 110. That’s just the type of guy he is.”

Moultry is battling with sophomore Derick Hall and a couple of other players for the starting Buck position during preseason camp. In 10 games including three starts as a true freshman, Hall totaled 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss, two quarterback hurries, but no sacks.

“Yeah, it's good competition. Obviously competition brings out the best in everybody,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “I think T.D. is off to a good start. It seems to me like each practice, he's improving. He's one of those guys that does have experience.

“He's been challenged to take that next step, so hopefully he'll keep progressing.”

It’s not just his performance on the practice field that has Malzahn and Truesdell feeling more confident about Moultry’s production this season. It’s the way he’s carrying himself on and off the field, and leading by example in the weight room and during conditioning.

“It’s almost like you just mature more as time goes on, and I feel as though he’s just mature,” Truesdell explained. “There comes a time where you just grow into the man, that Auburn man. That’s just how I feel like he’s growing into himself.”

No. 11 Auburn opens the season Sept. 26 against Kentucky. Kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network.