Which of Auburn football’s new players could have early impacts?

It’s getting simpler to predict what Auburn’s team might look like in 2024 now that the early signing period is over and the transfer portal’s initial frenzy is subsiding.

 

Although the transfer portal and signing day in February are still available, Hugh Freeze and Auburn’s coaching staff have put in the most work as the Tigers formally welcomed 27 new players to the program earlier this week.

With so many fresh faces on Auburn’s roster, it begs the question, which newcomers have the potential to make an immediate impact?

 

These are a few names you should be aware of.

5-star wide receivers Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson

This is the 2-for-1 deal that people have been discussing for several months.

 

It’s no secret that Freeze gave bolstering Auburn’s pass-catching corps top priority during the 2024 recruiting cycle, with assistance from wide receivers coach Marcus Davis. And boy, did they, adding two five-star wide receivers in Cam Coleman of Central-Phenix City and Perry Thompson of Foley.

 

Auburn’s wide receiver room will undoubtedly undergo a near-complete makeover given that the Tigers will be coming off an offseason in which they lost seven wide receivers in total—four to the transfer portal and three because they ran out of eligibility.

 

Does it imply that Thompson and Coleman could make their debuts as true freshmen?

It needs to be ascertained. Still, one might undoubtedly argue in favor of such.

 

Coleman wasn’t accidentally ranked as the top talent in Alabama; on December

1, he switched his commitment from Texas A&M to Auburn. Coleman

recorded 1,372 receiving yards on 61 receptions during his final season with

the Central-Phenix City Red Devils, 18 of which were for touchdowns.

Coleman, who stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds, is one of Auburn’s larger receivers and may see early playing time out wide.

 

As for Thompson, the fourth-best recruit in the state of Alabama, he had reversed his commitment from Alabama back in late July. Thompson caught 53 passes for 718 yards and seven scores in his final year at Foley. In 2023, he gained a further 102 running yards and one touchdown.

Thompson is one of the bigger receivers on Auburn’s current roster at 6-foot-3, similar to Coleman. Nonetheless, Thompson’s 20-pound weight advantage over Coleman indicates his strength as a receiver.

 

Coleman’s situation is the same as Thompson’s. With Thompson’s skill and

the Tigers’ deficiency in returning productivity at the receiver position,

there is no doubt that 2024 will be a busy year for the Foley product.

 

Notably, Coleman and Thompson will both enroll early, which will further

strengthen their case as they mature into receivers who are prepared for the SEC.

JUCO safety Laquan Robinson

Laquan Robinson, the top safety selected from junior college, may be one of the Tigers’ most underappreciated additions, especially since Auburn’s secondary will lose four experienced defensive backs to the NFL Draft.

 

Since Jaylin Simpson, Nehemiah Pritchett, DJ James, and Zion Puckett are

all focusing on the major leagues, Auburn’s defensive backfield is another

position that is expected to be highly unpredictable in 2024.

 

Auburn is fortunate to have a wealth of young, skilled defensive backs.

Although Robinson played a somewhat different style and speed of football with Holmes Community College than he will at Auburn and in the SEC, he is a little more seasoned than those younger DBs when he comes to The Plains.

Robinson is set to hit the ground running come spring practices and will likely be vying for one of Auburn’s pair of vacant starting safety spots.

JUCO offensive lineman Seth Wilfred

With Gunner Britton, Avery Jones and Kam Stutts all out of eligibility, Auburn will be challenged with the tall task of replacing three offensive linemen for the 2024 season. And while the Tigers return some talented guys along the offensive front, it was still a position of need, so Freeze and Auburn’s coaching staff were quick to target transfer offensive linemen.

And on Dec. 11, thanks to the commitment of Seth Wilfred out of Snow

College, the Tigers finally landed an offensive lineman — and the fourth-best

tackle out of the junior college ranks, at that.

Measuring 6-foot-6 and 295 pounds, Wilfred is expected to come to Auburn and immediately compete for a starting

tackle spot as it’s likely that Dillon Wade makes the shift from tackle to guard.

Meanwhile, Izavion ‘Too Tall’ Miller, who came to Auburn out of the JUCO ranks

last season, will likely line up at the other tackle spot.

It’s important to note that Freeze implied that the Tigers and he might still use the

transfer portal to acquire a player to Auburn’s offensive line.