MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Auburn University football coach Hugh Freeze was forthright about his master plan.
Freeze wants the Tigers to build their team through traditional recruiting efforts, and the portal won't be ignored — Auburn has added 33 transfer players over the past two offseasons — but if all goes according to plan, portal usage should decrease the longer Freeze's tenure lasts.
The Tigers did a great job under Freeze in his first offseason, recruiting a freshman class that the 247Sports Composite ranked 10th in the country. That class featured 18 players, led by receiver Cam Coleman, who raised expectations after catching four passes for nearly 100 yards and a touchdown on A-Day on April 6.
Coleman will play in Year 1, Freese said.
While it may not be ideal given their lack of experience, the team needs other newcomers to step up. Here are some players who are likely to contribute as true freshmen:
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5. LB DeMarcus Riddick
There appears to be a clear pecking order at the top of Auburn's linebacker corps. Veterans Eugene Assante and Austin Keyes return, along with Duke transfer Dorian Mausi Jr., who should round out the top three at the position. With two linebackers on the field at the same time on nearly every play, the Tigers need a fourth guy to step up in the rotation, which could open up an opportunity for four-star recruit DeMarcus Riddick.
“DeMarcus Riddick can run,” Freeze said on April 2. “He can cover. He's really talented.”
4. WR Perry Thompson
Coleman has been getting a lot of attention for his performance on A-Day, but fellow freshman receiver Perry Thompson can't be ignored. Thompson didn't end the recruiting cycle as strong as Coleman, being the 44th pick in the 2024 class while Coleman was third. But his size is good for getting on the field. According to 247Sports, Thompson is 6'3″ and 205 pounds, which would be good for the SEC. He may struggle early on because he didn't participate in spring practice like Coleman, but keep an eye on Thompson as he joins the receiver rotation by the end of the season.
3. Backstop Ja'Monta Waller
Ja'Monta Waller's chances of getting playing time early took a hit when the Tigers acquired pass rusher Ki'Ron Crawford from Arkansas State, but there's still some opportunity. Crawford and Jalen McLeod are the front-runners to get after the quarterback, but the spots are open after that.
“Jamontah's a top-tier pass rusher,” position coach Josh Aldridge said March 13. “From a pass-rushing standpoint, he's probably the most prepared of our young guys. Not necessarily the run, strength-wise and all that. But if he has the ability to line up and rush, he can do it.”
2. Backstop Amaris Williams
Waller and fellow pass rusher Amaris Williams have both been through spring practice and are primed to play in Year 1. Auburn didn't make any notable moves during the early signing period in December, but acquiring Williams from Florida was a big move that rocketed the Tigers up the recruiting rankings.
“I just think it's so easy for them, especially Amaris,” fellow freshman Joe Phillips said of Waller and Williams on March 28. “I don't know what school he's from, but I can tell you he knows football.”
1. WR Cam Coleman
For Auburn's offense to succeed in 2024, Coleman will need to live up to the expectations. It's a tall order, given the expectations placed on him. In Freeze's 11 seasons as a Division I coach at Arkansas State, Ole Miss, Liberty and Auburn, only two true freshman wide receivers have recorded 400-plus receiving yards: Laquon Treadwell in 2013 (608) and A.J. Brown in 2016 (412). If Coleman can do it, he'll be in an elite group.
“Very few guys are ready to play in this league, and I want our young guys to understand that,” Freeze said on April 2. “That doesn't mean they're not really good, but then again, Cam's in a class of his own. He has to play, but he's proven that if he knows what to do, he can play.”
Richard Silva is an Auburn University sports reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached by email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter X (formerly Twitter) @rich_silva18.
