TOP 20: Jeremiah Dinson
Jeremiah Dinson is an instinctive defensive back with remarkable physical gifts and plenty of tenacity.
One thing he lacked, at least until last season, was vocal assertiveness. That wasn't a major issue during his days at cornerback and, most recently, nickel, but his role will change this fall. And so will his responsibilities.
Dinson moved to safety during the winter due to the departures of Stephen Roberts and Tray Matthews — two long-term, senior standouts whose savvy and aggression during the past three seasons helped turn the Tigers' secondary into a team strength. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele knew he needed someone with upgraded awareness and leadership ability to make real-time calls on the back end.
That's why Dinson is now at safety. Isn't that something? The quiet kid from Miami is now the rah-rah guy upon whom all defensive backs can rely.
His newest role hit a snag during the A-Day game, however, when Dinson suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. The junior was held out of workouts into May, but gained non-contact clearances last month. He is expected to gain full medical clearance ahead of fall camp, though Steele may hold Dinson out of some drills throughout August to give the shoulder extra time to heal. Considering the number of snaps Dinson already has logged during his Auburn career, he's certainly a proven commodity.
Life at safety will be different, but his overall transition from cornerback to safety was eased after spending last season as Auburn's top choice at nickel. There, he had man coverage responsibilities yet was required to think about the team's overall coverage strategy as well. Safety requires that same attention to overall coverage strategy and rewards players who avoid being duped by awkward shifts, formations, routes.
Dinson's best asset is his awareness. It's evident on the field, of course, where he finished with 47 tackles and four pass break-ups last season. Yet Dinson's intellect also shines off the field, where his encyclopedic knowledge of every play and every coverage and every individual matchup makes him a must-see interviewee. No Auburn player notices more during the course of a single snap than Dinson, which will come in handy when he's administrating the defense this fall.
Is Dinson perfect? Not yet. He's never been a lock-down type of defender and is more effective in zone. While he's become a reliable tackler, Dinson lacks the raw physicality seen from Roberts, Matthews, Carlton Davis and Javaris Davis. He's more of a clean-up guy than a brute, though the Tigers certainly won't be lacking for brutes this fall.
And, really, Dinson's path to NFL riches doesn't require a bunch of jaw-breaking licks. Technical excellence is his game — and that's exactly what Steele needs from him this fall.
ON THE UP SIDE: Experience, agility, next-level strategic awareness, grace under pressure
ON THE DOWN SIDE: Lingering questions about his best position, ball skills
VOTING RESULTS: No. 10 (Jay G. Tate), No. 11 (Bryan Matthews and Jeffrey Lee), No. 17 (The Bunker)
PREVIOUS RANKINGS: This is Dinson's first year in the AuburnSports.com Top 20.
THE AUBURNSPORTS.COM TOP 20 FOR 2018:
12. Jeremiah Dinson