Projecting Auburn football's 2023 starters ahead of Hugh Freeze's first spring practice
AUBURN — With spring practice set to begin Feb. 27, Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze will finally get the opportunity to see his team on the field all at once.
Freeze, who was announced as Auburn's coach in November, has added 33 new players since his arrival to the Plains. That new crop of talent includes 19 high-school recruits, 12 transfers and two players from the junior-college level. Not every new freshman is on campus, but a considerable chunk will be at spring practice.
In a recent media availability, the defensive staff broke down Auburn's base defense: Three down defensive linemen, a "jack" linebacker lined up on the edge, two off-ball linebackers in the middle of the field and five defensive backs.
With that established, here's a projection of what Auburn's starters could look like heading into spring practice. The offense is projected in "11" personnel (one running back, one tight end).
Quarterback: Robby Ashford
Robby Ashford started the final nine games of the 2022 season after he lost the initial position battle to T.J. Finley. Ashford demonstrated his abilities as a scrambler and flashed some arm talent, but his 49.2% completion percentage left much to be desired.
Running back: Jarquez Hunter
Serving as Tank Bigsby's sidekick last season, Jarquez Hunter averaged 6.42 yards per carry, which was the third-best mark in the SEC. He should receive more attempts as he assumes the lead-back role with Bigsby off to the NFL.
Wide receivers: Ja'Varrius Johnson, Nick Mardner and Koy Moore
Ja'Varrius Johnson had a team-high 493 yards a season ago in an offense that wasn't exactly prolific in the passing game. Koy Moore, who also returns from 2022, maintains his role in the slot and Nick Mardner, a transfer from Cincinnati, carves out a starting gig due to his familiarity with receivers coach Marcus Davis from their time at Hawaii in 2021.
Tight end: Rivaldo Fairweather
Potentially one of the most exciting additions from the portal, Rivaldo Fairweather steps into the starting role in his first season on the Plains after leaving FIU. Freeze coached a couple of notable tight ends during his time at Ole Miss, including Evan Engram and Dawson Knox. Position coach Ben Aigamaua said earlier this month that Fairweather and Knox have some similarities.
DEFENSE:What's a jack linebacker and why does Auburn football's defense under Ron Roberts have one?
POTENTIAL PLAYMAKERS:Auburn football eager to find if its next NFL tight end is on the 2023 roster
Offensive line: LT Gunner Britton, LG Jeremiah Wright, C Avery Jones, RG Kameron Stutts, RT Dillon Wade
The offensive line gets a massive reboot that features incoming transfers at left tackle, right tackle and center. Jeremiah Wright and Kameron Stutts retain their jobs from last season.
Defensive line: NT Jayson Jones, DT Marcus Harris, DE Mosiah Nasili-Kite
Jayson Jones and Marcus Harris step up into bigger roles with guys like Derick Hall, Eku Leota, Colby Wooden and Marquis Burks off to the 2023 NFL Draft. Mosiah Nasili-Kite gets the starting nod, but expect there to be plenty of rotation with players like Justin Rogers, Jeffrey M'ba and Zykeivous Walker.
Jack: Elijah McAllister
As new linebackers coach Josh Aldridge explained, a jack linebacker lines up on the edge and can be used as a stand-up pass rusher or drop into coverage. Elijah McAllister, a veteran, is poised to take over those responsibilities.
Off-ball linebackers: Austin Keys, Cam Riley
Transfer Austin Keys from Ole Miss comes in and gets the instant start next to Cam Riley, who played alongside Owen Pappoe last season. Aldridge described how he wants to have a handful of guys that can play, so expect others, like LSU transfer DeMario Tolan, to get on the field.
Cornerbacks: D.J. James, Nehemiah Pritchett
D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett are both returning to the Plains. That continuity in the back end will allow for some growth to occur up front. Expect J.D. Rhym, or even freshman Kayin Lee, to see snaps as well.
Nickel: Keionte Scott
A player who saw his playing time increase throughout the season, Keionte Scott starts at nickel again to make plays against both the run and the pass.
Safeties: Jaylin Simpson, Zion Puckett
Because the secondary is so deep, there are plenty of options Freeze can roll out to be his starting safeties. Jaylin Simpson and Zion Puckett are the "starters," but Donovan Kaufman also sees significant time on the field.
Kicker/Punter: Alex McPherson, Oscar Chapman
With the Anders Carlson kicking dynasty over, the Tigers look to sophomore Alex McPherson, who was the No. 1 kicker in the Class of 2022. McPherson got on the field last season when Carlson suffered an injury; he made six of his seven field-goal attempts.
Oscar Chapman returns for another year of being Auburn's punter. He averaged 43.75 yards per punt in 2022.
CREATING THE OFFENSE:How Auburn football's Hugh Freeze, Philip Montgomery are trying to 'marry' offensive systems
ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT:Auburn athletics operated at a record $22.9 million profit in 2022: A look at the numbers
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: Projecting 2023 starters before spring practice
