The ability to rush a quarterback, thereby throwing off his timing or creating concern, is a skill that Auburn has lacked lately.

Yet things are changing on the Plains. End Carl Lawson is back to full health, freshman Marlon Davidson was among the very best high-school rushers available in 2015 and now sophomore Jeff Holland is said to be emerging as another menace off the edge.

That could be a major development for the Tigers.

Holland, at his core, is an excellent athlete.

He served as a tailback and dedicated pass rusher at Trinity Christian in Jacksonville, Fla., simply overwhelming the Class 3A kids who tried to block him. His defensive role was quite simple -- line up along the edge and cause trouble. Pressure quarterbacks, stuff runs to your side, provide hulking pursuit to opposite-side runs. It was a see-ball, hit-ball existence. Holland did a whole lot of hitting.

The game is a bit different in college, though, and Auburn doesn't offer full-time work as a pass rusher. Players must be more dynamic than that. They must be trusted to diagnose in real time what the offense is doing and where the play is headed. That's where Holland struggled last season. And that's why he played so sparingly.

Holland spent spring ball as a "Buck," which is an end/linebacker hybrid. The good news for Holland is that the position requires a variety of skills and Holland, at least in theory, can offer something in almost every category. The downside? Lawson plays Buck, too, and Lawson recently was named to the Preseason All-SEC Team.

Playing time there could be sparse.

In reality, though, that's probably not a bad thing. Holland's ability to supplement run defense remains a work in progress. His open-field tackling is just so-so despite plenty of size and desire. He just needs more time to become a more aware player, which will determine if he'll grow into a full-time Buck, a full-time strong-side 'backer or simply a pass-rush specialist who plies his trade primarily on third down.

Considering Holland's youth and reports from teammates suggesting his approach toward preparation is more professional than ever, it's reasonable to expect a meaningful contribution this season. After all, speed never goes out of style.

ON THE UP SIDE: Quickness relative to size, creativity

ON THE DOWN SIDE: Positional questions, run-stop ability

VOTING RESULTS: Jeffrey Lee (11th), Bryan Matthews (16th), The Bunker (18th), Jay G. Tate (20th)

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: 2015 (NR)

POSTSCRIPT: Holland was a bit of a cut-up prior to his arrival at Auburn and some analysts privately wondered if he was capable of taking the game seriously. He'll always be an outspoken and expressive person, but that doesn't have to be a limiting factor. Guys like Jay Ratliff, Reggie Torbor, Ryan Pugh, Brandon Jacobs and Pat Sims arrived with similar attitudes and learned to re-direct their energy away from trouble and toward productivity. Holland can be another success story. He's often spotted around the complex with Lawson and Mon Adams, two guys who will be in the Role Model Hall of Fame.