Tigers fill big needs on DL
AUBURN | Auburn’s defensive line will have to replace at least six players from last season including three that had significant roles.
It’s a rebuilding job from the top and bottom.
And that process took a huge stride forward Wednesday with the signing of three highly-ranked high school players and a Power 5 transfer.
"I think we're improving ourself there,” said AU coach Hugh Freeze. “We're still looking for a little more help there also.”
Perhaps the biggest addition came on Signing Day as Rivals100 defensive end Amaris Williams flipped his commitment from Florida to Auburn and signed with the Tigers.
“I think he's one heck of an athlete,” said Freeze. “Loved getting to know him, and my in-home visit with him and his mom was incredible. We were behind, obviously, but Coach (Jeremy) Garrett did a great job of staying in it, staying in it, staying in it. That's a difference-maker type of kid.”
Williams, 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, had 40 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss and 11 sacks as a senior at Clinton (N.C.) High School. He also rushed for 700 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“He is unbelievably athletic,” said Garrett, AU’s defensive line coach. “This kid runs like a 4.7. I mean, he’s a freakish talent. The fun thing about him is he’s a country boy just like me. He can be a big-time player for us.”
The Tigers also signed 4-star defensive end T.J. Lindsey, who is originally from Bryant, Ark., before transferring to Academy in Bradenton, Fla., as a senior, and 4-star defensive end Malik Blocton from Pike Road, Ala.
The 6-foot-5 and 270-pound Lindsey had 205 tackles and 25 sacks in his career at Bryant.
“T.J. was 290 pounds and running like a linebacker,” said Garrett of his junior film. “You can see the skillset there, you can see the speed, you can see the aggression. He’s a huge pickup for us. I think he’s an underrated kid. The kid can play.”
The 6-foot-4 and 280-pound Blocton had a very productive senior season with 118 tackles, 30 tackles-for-loss and 14 sacks. He is the younger brother of former AU defensive tackle Marcus Harris, who is entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
“He has some of the best hands I’ve seen from a high school football player. He plays the game like you should play it,” said Garrett. “He’s productive. In the all-star game, he led the whole defensive line. I think he had two sacks, eight tackles and three TFL’s. So the kid is productive, he works extremely hard and he loves Auburn.”
Auburn also announced the signing of former Kansas defensive lineman Gage Keys Wednesday. The 6-foot-5 and 290-pound Keys had 21 tackles and four quarterback hurries for the Jayhawks last season.
Keys originally signed with Minnesota in the 2020 class before transferring to Kansas last year.
“With the experience of playing Power 5, Gage understands how to strain,” said Garrett. “Your coming from high school, you don’t quite know what these older guys, these 20- and 21-year olds, are going to feel like when you’re going against them.
“But Gage has had some tough competition so you can look at the tape and see exactly what you’re going to get when he gets to us. What we’re going to do is take what he does well and magnify.”
The four signees will offer immediate help. Blocton has already joined the team for bowl practice and Williams, Lindsey and Keys will enroll in January and go through winter workouts and spring practice.
The Tigers are still pursuing several defensive tackles in the portal in opes of adding a potential starter for the 2024 season.