I agree with the first 4 and prolly the 5th. Must admit though, even though I'm a walking Auburn football encyclopedia, this Turner kid slipped my steel trap mind. I don't remember him signing. I think maybe he was a late add. I shall provide a link for the gays that are concerned with such. Signed, W.T.
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2014/04/5_incoming_auburn_players_with.html5 incoming Auburn players with best shot to make an immediate impac
Joel A. Erickson | jerickson@al.com By Joel A. Erickson | jerickson@al.com
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on April 25, 2014 at 12:21 PM
AUBURN, Alabama -- The squad that went through spring practice played well enough to please Auburn's coaching staff.
The reality is that the team that will become the 2014 edition of Auburn won't be complete until the remaining 19 signees arrive this summer and begin competing for early playing time.
In his first season on campus, Gus Malzahn proved he's willing to play newcomers in key roles, with Nick Marshall, Carl Lawson, Elijah Daniel, Montravius Adams, Marcus Davis and others emerging as key contributors.
And Auburn could do the same again.
"We've got some signees that are very talented that could be in the mix," Malzahn said after the Tigers' A-Day performance. "They will hit the ground running."
With that in mind, here's five signees who have a chance to contribute right away.
1. Racean Thomas, running back -- A five-star product and the centerpiece of Auburn's 2014 offensive class, Thomas has been widely predicted as the potential heir to Tre Mason's throne in the backfield. Cameron Artis-Payne, Corey Grant and Peyton Barber have all impressed the coaches this offseason, but Malzahn is famous for waiting to identify his lead back until the live bullets are flying in the regular season. Thomas, at 5-foot-11, 202 pounds, will get his chances to prove he deserves the role, and Malzahn hasn't been shy about starting a freshman running back in the past; Mike Dyer famously earned a role as Cam Newton's running mate right away.
2. Tre' Williams, linebacker -- The starters at linebacker are set with Cassanova McKinzy and Kris Frost returning, but behind those two, the picture is murky at a position that rotated plenty last season. Cameron Toney, Kenny Flowers and Khari Harding all got time during the spring, and JaViere Mitchell will be back, but Anthony Swain may not return after dealing with off-the-field issues in the spring. All of that spells opportunity at linebacker, and Williams arrives on campus with an outsized reputation as a playmaking force at linebacker, meaning he could fight his way up the depth chart early. Williams likely needs to put on a little weight -- he was listed at 217 on Signing Day -- but if he can do that, his skills are not in question.
3. Andrew Williams, defensive end -- No position faced more depth issues in the spring than defensive end, where LaDarius Owens, Elijah Daniel and Carl Lawson all missed time at one point or the other. All three are expected back in the fall, but the Tigers like to rotate as many as five players at the position, leaving some room open for a player like Williams to carve out a role. Williams somewhat fits the profile of Lawson, who emerged in the fifth game last season; both players had big, college-ready bodies, and at 250 pounds, Williams has to put on less weight than fellow signee Justin Thornton. A good pass rusher off the edge, Williams has the length and physicality to help.
4. DaVonte Lambert, defensive lineman -- Basically, the same principle applies here as the one already examined with Williams. Lambert can play either end or tackle, but with Auburn loaded with experience at tackle, his quickest route to playing time is on the edge. On the flip side, Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson sometimes likes to use smaller, faster guys on the interior in obvious passing situations, the way he did with Elijah Daniel, and he moved Nosa Eguae inside entirely to add quickness. With Eguae gone, Lambert might be a candidate to fill that role if it's needed again.
5. Joseph Turner, cornerback -- This Auburn coaching staff has said it over and over again; junior college players are brought in to play right away. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Turner's bigger than any corner the Tigers have, and his junior college coaches said he has the athleticism and ball skills to make plays in the air. Maybe more importantly, Turner's at his best in press coverage, which makes him a good fit for an Auburn scheme that played a lot of man-to-man last season.
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