War Eagle Daily

The Southeastern Conference has officially announced its plans to switch to conference only football. Only ten games will be played which means this football season will be shorter than usual. Games will start September 26th.

It’s likely that when these games are played, face shields will be added to football helmets. That could look really cool too.

The SEC is now working on developing the modified schedules and will have a few new match ups in store.

Teams like Georgia, Kentucky, and South Carolina will not be able to play their rival games this season as they’re all out of conference.

What will this new schedule look like? Well, this is an Auburn site, so let’s look at a potential 10 game Auburn schedule with all SEC teams.

• @ OleMiss
• Kentucky
• @ Missouri
• @ Georigia
• Texas A&M
• South Carolina
• @ Mississippi State
• Arkansas
• LSU
• @ Alabama

This is of course just a rough potential outcome. But we’ll know the real schedules soon enough. War Eagle!

Auburn will receive some help in the linebacker spot this season as former Hoover standout Nick Curtis has transferred to Auburn from Kent State. Curtis only played in one game for Kent State and didn’t record a stat so it’s likely he’ll just be a reserve linebacker.

But none the less, it’s a good pickup for the Tigers. It only helps Auburn’s stacked linebacker core. War Eagle!

Will Hastings is a person that likely experienced a lot of emotions in the last 48 hours. Hastings was released by the New England Patriots just a few hours after he left for training camp.

Hastings signed with the Patriots in April as an undrafted free agent. In his Auburn career, he caught 56 passes for 845 yards and 6 touchdowns.

As it seemed Hastings would be flying right back home, a few New England Patriots players opted out of the NFL season due to coronavirus. This opened roster spots for a few more players, so Hastings was re-signed by the Patriots.

Hastings will be a good athlete in the long run as when Jarrett Stidham takes over when Cam Newton is done, he’ll have his favorite target to throw to. Hastings and Stidham were one of the best passing, receiving duos in school history before Hastings suffered an acl tear in spring of 2018.

Hastings’ style of receiver is a growing theme among smaller, quicker receivers. He compares to Hunter Renfrow, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, Adam Humphries, and David Sills, who are all silent, but deadly receivers.

Will Hastings has been through a lot in the past two days. Thankfully, he will still get his shot. And for the Patriots, this is a decision that I’m sure will pay off. War Eagle!

Auburn’s highest target in its class of 2021 has a top five as of Sunday. Ga’Quincy McKinstry, a fantastic two sport athlete from Pinson Valley in Alabama, is going to commit to one of three schools. Auburn, Alabama, or LSU.

While LSU is still in the mix, this will likely dwindle down to Auburn and Alabama. A rival recruiting battle for a football and basketball star that is bound to make a splash in his college career. McKinstry is a receiver and defensive back on the football field, but will play defensive back in college. On the hoops side of things, McKinstry is a guard.

It’s uncertain whether McKinstry would play basketball in college, but the chances aren’t bad. Overall, he’s a must have for the last schools standing. War Eagle!

Wide receivers. We love them. Their incredible explosiveness and size makes us awestruck. Enjoy.

1. Ja’Marr Chase / Junior / LSU

No surprise here. Ja’Marr Chase lit up the SEC in 2019 and claimed his share of national attention. Chase was one of the top receivers in the country as a sophomore. This year he’ll be the best.

2. DeVonta Smith / Senior / Alabama

Surprisingly, DeVonta Smith returned for his senior season. And that’s going to pay off big time. The speedster hopes to make a splash at Bama one last time.

3. Seth Williams / Junior / Auburn

Seth Williams has always impressed. The 50/50 ball receiver can only improve under Chad Morris who is known for developing receiver talent.

4. George Pickens / Sophomore / Georgia

George Pickens is as athletic as they come. I expect him to dominate as a sophomore in Athens as he’ll make amazing catches.

5. Jaylen Waddle / Junior / Alabama

Jaylen Waddle impressed in the Iron Bowl with four touchdowns. I expect him to have an electric year at Alabama in 2020.

6. Jhamon Ausbon / Senior / Texas A&M

Jhamon Ausbon is one of the most athletic receivers in the SEC. The quick slot receiver can errupt for amazing runs after the catch.

7. Terrance Marshall Jr / Senior / LSU

After a solid junior year, Terrance Marshall is looking to boost his Tigers to another potential championship season.

8. Kadarius Toney / Junior / Florida

Kadarius Toney is a human joystick. The speedy juke master is slick and shifty. I can’t wait to see him in 2020.

9. Elijah Moore / Junior / Ole Miss

Elijah Moore has a bad reputation. Why? Because he made a costly istake by celebrating in the Egg Bowl. But he’s a great receiver.

10. Anthony Schwartz / Junior / Auburn

Anthony Schwartz is the fastest receiver on this list. The speedster will look to break the 40 yard dash record in the draft combine.

Go check out 2021 NFL Mock Draft picks 1-16.

17. Cleveland Browns / Xavier Thomas / Defensive End / Clemson. The Browns could make a great defense buffing the defensive line.
18. Tennessee Titans / Sage Surratt / Wide Receiver / Wake Forrest. With another big time receiver, the Titans will thrive.
19. Green Bay Packers / Rashod Bateman / Wide Receiver / Minnesota. Like, the Titans, the Packers need more weapons for their future.
20. Philadelphia Eagles / Israel Mukuamu / Cornerback / South Carolina. Israel Mukuamu is a fantastic defensive back. He’ll really help Philly.
21. Indianapolis Colts / Carlos Basham Jr / Defensive End / Wake Forrest. In need of more D-Line talent, Basham is the pick for Indy at No. 21.
22. New England Patriots / Alex Leatherwood / Offensive Tackle / Alabama. To protect Tom Brady’s successor, the Pats need a great O-Line.
23. Pittsburgh Steelers / Tutu Atwell / Wide Receiver / Louisville. With speed and versatility, Tutu Atwell is a great piece to Pittsburgh.
24. Minnesota Vikings / Paulson Adebo / Cornerback / Stanford. The last piece to a near perfect Vikings D is a great cornerback. They get that piece here.
25. Buffalo Bills / Tyler Shelvin / Defensive Tackle / LSU. Interior linemen are what the Bills need to jump start their defense.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers / Najee Harris / Running Back / Alabama. The Derrick Henry clone, Najee Harris would fit well in Tampa.
27. Seattle Seahawks / Travis Etienne / Running Back / Clemson. In need of a superstar running back, the Seahawks grab Travis Etienne.
28. Dallas Cowboys / Pat Freiermuth / Tight End / Penn State. Dallas needs a new tight end. They’ll take their new one at pick 28.
29. San Francisco 49ers / Seth Williams / Wide Receiver / Auburn. A bigger receiver would tremendously help San Francisco.
30. Baltimore Ravens / Jevon Holland / Safety / Oregon. A dynamic Earl Thomas and Jevon Holland duo would do wonders for Baltimore.
31. New Orleans Saints / Kyle Pitts / Tight End / Florida. The Saints need a big play maker at tight end. Pitts gives them that and more.
32. Kansas City Chiefs / Chuba Hubbard / Running Back / Oklahoma State. All the super bowl champs need on offense is a star running back.

Recruiting is a big deal. These high school athletes become stars in college. If there were five players that Auburn realistically has a shot at that I wanted Auburn to land in the 2021 recruiting class, this would be them.

1. Ga’Quincy McKinstry / Five Star / Cornerback / Pinson, AL. Auburn and Alabama are neck and neck for the star cornerback Kool aid McKinstry. The 5-star superstar would be huge for Auburn. He’s who I’d want to get the most.
2. Smael Mondon / Five Star / Linebacker / Dallas, GA. The Dawgs lead the crystal ball, but Auburn is quietly sneaking up on Mondon. Auburn could break th crystal ball and pull off the recruiting upset.
3. Jeremiah Williams / 4-star / Defensive End / Birmingham, AL. Auburn leads for Williams, but if an Alabama offer comes, Auburn may be in danger. Hopefully, the Tigers can reel in this in state stud.
4. Nyland Green / 4-star / Cornerback / Covington, GA. Nyland Green is a toss up between Clemson, Auburn, LSU, and Georgia. There’s a 75% chance he becomes a Tiger, but which Tiger? Hopefully an Auburn Tiger.
5. Xavian Sorey / 4-star / Linebacker / Graceville, FL. Alabama and Auburn are the two to watch for Sorey. The superstar linebacker has a nose for the football and would really fit in along side Owen Pappoe at Auburn.

So there we have it. The top 5 players that Auburn has real shot at that I’d want to see in an Auburn uniform. War Eagle!

On Monday, 247 Sports confirmed that Auburn has offered in state Vols commit Roc Taylor of Oxford, AL. The Tennessee commit really likes Auburn, but is pretty solid on his pledge to the Vols.

Right before the bulky wide receiver committed, rumors were that if Auburn offered him, things could get interesting. A few days after his commitment, Taylor tweeted that his recruitment was still open, before that post was deleted soon after.

Gus Malzahn’s 2021 recruiting class has been off to an iffy start. Taylor would be a big pick up. But it could also cause a potential domino effect if he were to flip to the Tigers. Dylan Brooks, a very high ranked 4-star defensive end from Roanoke, AL, is being somewhat eyed by Auburn. If Taylor were to commit, Brooks could potentially reopen his recruitment as well.

Hopefully, Malzahn has this situation in a good spot. War Eagle!

Fifth year senior runner Malik Miller won’t ever see the field again in his football career. Miller decided to leave the team after graduating back in 2019. Probably seeing that his NFL hopes were slim to none, he wanted to move on.

This is the second running back the Tigers have lost this off season with Miller joining JaTarvious Whitlow. Miller’s departure may hurt the depth a little as there is little experience at running back. The players that will carry the ball the most this year are Tank Bigsby, Shaun Shivers, Mark Antony Richards, and DJ Williams.

Best of luck to Malik Miller in his life after football. War Eagle!

The order of this mock draft is based on Bleacher Report’s most recent mock draft. Enjoy.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars / Trevor Lawrence / Quarterback / Clemson. Elite accuracy and solid legs and footwork make Trevor Lawrence the first pick.
2. Washington (undecided) / Penei Sewell / Offensive Tackle / Oregon. Quick jabs and pushes off the snap will get Penei Sewell drafted highly.
3. Cincinnati Bengals / Ja’Marr Chase / Wide Receiver / LSU. A Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase duo would be great for the Bengals.
4. Carolina Panthers / Justin Fields / Quarterback / Ohio State. The Cam Newton comparisons would be a fit in Matt Rhule’s new system.
5. New York Giants / Marvin Wilson / Defensive Tackle / Florida State. In need of a great pass rusher, Marvin Wilson provides strength and finesse.
6. Miami Dolphins / Gregory Rousseau / Defensive End / Miami. A hometown prospect, Rousseau would fit a much needed position.
7. Detroit Lions / Micah Parsons / Linebacker / Penn State. The steady pass rusher and run stopper fits great for the Lions.
8. New York Jets / Jaylen Waddle / Wide Receiver / Alabama. Big time explosiveness and leaps are what make Jaylen Waddle so good.
9. Las Vegas Raiders / Trey Lance / Quarterback / North Dakota State. The emerging star, Trey Lance has a lot to prove.
10. Miami Dolphins (via HOU) / Rondale Moore / Wide Receiver / Purdue. Rondale Moore is an incredible slot receiver. He’ll do well with Tua Tagovailoa.
11. Atlanta Falcons / Shaun Wade / Cornerback / Ohio State. Young talent in the secondary is what Atlanta needs. Wade will help tremendously.
12. Arizona Cardinals / Samuel Cosmi / Offensive Tackle / Texas. The Cardinals passed up a lineman last year. So Samuel Cosmi can fill that need.
13. Denver Broncos / Dylan Moses / Middle Linebacker / Alabama. The six year Crimson Tide player is a great athlete. The Broncos could use him very much.
14. Chicago Bears / Patrick Surtain II / Cornerback / Alabama. The Bears defense would be unstoppable with the addition of Surtain.
15. Los Angeles Chargers / Walker Little / Offensive Tackle / Clemson. The pieces of the puzzle are there if the Chargers can buff their O-Line.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR) / Chris Olave / Wide Receiver / Ohio State. An underrated receiver in Olave will help the passing game in Jacksonville.