Auburn Season Preview

Photo: @ahsmassmedia on Twitter

Josh White June 27, 2022 @ 11:00 AM

The Auburn Tigers finished their 2021 campaign with a 10-3 record and a Sate Semi Finals appearance. Here are some key returning players looking to make another playoff push. [player_tooltip player_id="127683" first="Clyde" last="Pittman"] 6’2 192 QB Pittman is a quarterback that thrives as an improviser and playmaker. He’s fully capable of beating defense with elite touch and ball placement in the intermediate levels of the field. Pittman also shows extreme poise under pressure and can deliver accurate passes under duress. In addition to his pocket presence, he’s adept at escaping collapsed pockets and buying time to get his throws off and is highly accurate outside of the pocket and off-platform throws. Lastly, Pittman is liable threat to gain yards with his legs. He shows excellent burst and good long speed whenever he breaks to the second level of the defense. With Pittman leading the way, the Tigers have a shot at making it far in the postseason. https://twitter.com/_c1yd3_/status/1505262013387264003?s=20&t=R6eZdBWc8Dux_ZUDcG_Blg [player_tooltip player_id="128283" first="Avery" last="Ferris"] 6’3 280 OL Ferris is a mauler who can be an offensive line’s driving force. With size, strength, and swiftness, he can be a protector in the passing game and a dominant force in Auburn’s ground attack. For a man of his stature, Ferris can move. He shows impressive athleticism when getting out on the perimeter as a puller/ lead blocker and leading the way for his running back. As a pass protector, he shows solid footwork in his slide/kick step and enough strength to outpower bull rushes and long arms. Look for the ball to be run on Ferris’ side frequently during the season. https://twitter.com/AveryFerris/status/1537175944779251714?s=20&t=XZjvXW4yt_XTX905APtAug Ean Nation 5’9 155 WR/KR/PR Nation will be an immediate impact player as an elite transfer within the state. His burst and route running, along with the pairing with Pitman are going to play a major factor in the 7A region. Nation is a dynamic slot receiver who creates separation at a high level. He can get out his break smoothly and shows an ability to beat man coverage or find the soft spot in zone coverages. In addition to his route running, Nation is a natural pass catcher. He shows excellent balance and coordination when making sideline catches and adjusts to throws well. Look for Nation to make splash plays throughout the season and be a solid option on the outside. https://twitter.com/ean_nation/status/1535361722415988736?s=20&t=i69gYRCmuw1Ml5dfuNy-wg Klark Cleveland 5’10 180 MLB Cleveland is an instinctual linebacker that flies to the ball. As a new school linebacker, he compensates for his lack of traditional size with exceptional speed and range. This elite speed for his position enables him to flow sideline to sideline, get downhill to defend the run, and be an asset in zone coverage. He also shows great bursts in small distance situations when closing in on ball carriers. Though Cleveland has significant speed that must be accounted for, he still maintains physicality at the point of attack. He does an excellent job of driving through ball carriers when tackling and using his leverage to win matchups. With Cleveland at the heart of the defense, the Tigers can depend on his production, leadership, and experience to lift them to a formidable defense. https://twitter.com/klark_cleveland/status/1466140205417705487?s=20&t=i69gYRCmuw1Ml5dfuNy-wg