Auburn football players with the most to gain in Hugh Freeze's first spring practice

AUBURN — Coach Hugh Freeze was adamant after Auburn football's first spring practice: There is no depth chart.

The Tigers got the spring period started Monday with many of this offseason's additions getting their first taste of what practice will be like at Auburn. Freeze explained afterward that every player throughout the spring will receive an equal number of reps, regardless of where they may or may not stand.

But that doesn't mean the staff can't learn some things about the team. Offensive line coach Jake Thornton conceded that much Tuesday afternoon: "As far as a depth chart, there won't be one, but we will have an idea of who those guys are and what they can do and what our strengths and what our weaknesses are heading into the summer."

Whenever the time comes to officially create the depth chart, Freeze and his assistants can use what they see in spring practice as guidance. Here are a handful of players who have much to gain over the next few weeks leading up to A-Day on April 8.

SPRING PRACTICE:Offensive line groupings and other observations from Auburn football's first spring practice

HUGH FREEZE:What Hugh Freeze said about Auburn football's first spring practice

RECRUITING:Zac Etheridge explains the role Auburn football's Hugh Freeze plays in recruiting

Keldric Faulk

A four-star recruit out of Highland Home, early enrollee Keldric Faulk, who was the top-rated prospect in Auburn's 2023 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite, could carve out a nice spot for himself as a pass-rush presence.

Faulk is one of five players on the roster listed as a "jack," a position in defensive coordinator Ron Roberts' defense that lines up on the edge and gets after the quarterback but also drops back into coverage. He's joined by Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister, senior Hayden Brice, sophomore Dylan Brooks and freshman Brenton Williams.

McAllister and Brooks are likely primed to be the top two players at the jack, but if Faulk impresses, there's opportunity to make an early impact for the 6-foot-6, 275-pound freshman.

Tate Johnson

Tate Johnson won the starting center job last offseason but suffered an elbow injury against Missouri that required surgery. A few months later, Johnson is in spring practice with the new staff; he played both left and right guard on Monday, according to Thornton.

"He’s got to know how to play all three of those middle spots," Thornton said of Johnson on Tuesday. "... He’s a technician. He knows how to use his body. He’s not the biggest guy, but he uses his strengths and he capitalizes on what he’s good at. That’s something that’s fun to watch and he certainly adds a huge element to us right there in the middle of our o-line. Excited about his progression over the next 14 days and going into the season."

Johnson was in what appeared to be the first-team unit in a 20-minute period of Monday's practice The Montgomery Advertiser watched. From left to right, that group was Dillon Wade, Johnson, Avery Jones, Kameron Stutts and Gunner Britton. Britton, Jones and Wade are transfers. Johnson will be competing with Stutts and returning starter Jeremiah Wright for the starting guard spots.

Camden Brown

Aside from hammering home the point that a depth chart is nonexistent, Freeze was also definitive in his desire to have tall, lengthy receivers with large catch radiuses:  "You're not going to create tremendous separation in this league when they're in man-to-man situations all the time. ... So, I think at the tight end position and at the wide receiver position, particularly the outside guys, to have some length is very beneficial."

Brown, who caught touchdowns versus LSU and Arkansas as a freshman last season, at 6-3 is the third-tallest receiver listed on Auburn's roster, behind only the 6-6 Nick Mardner and Landen King, who is 6-5.

Kayin Lee

Auburn has four main outside cornerbacks on campus for the spring: D.J. James, Nehemiah Pritchett, J.D. Rhym and Kayin Lee. A few more freshmen will arrive in the fall, but for now, Lee, who is the only freshman among the group, should get plenty of reps and ample time to demonstrate he's a capable of playing in year one.

“(Enrolling early) is really good for him because now we know we can count on him," secondary coach Zac Etheridge said of Lee on Tuesday. "For him to come in and learn the program, learn the playbook a semester early before a lot of guys, kind of get him a step ahead, to get him a chance to get on the field. For him, it is a fast-paced practice. He has learned on the fly."

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football players to watch in first Hugh Freeze spring practice