The Auburn Tigers will return to Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday, April 6, in front of the Auburn faithful. The last time they saw their beloved Tigers was when they disappointed against Maryland in the Music City Bowl. This time it will be in the annual Spring game better known as A-Day. Over the last several weeks we have previewed different positions. Next is an Auburn Spring preview for the receivers. That is a position of great interest with the new additions made in the off-season by head coach Hugh Freeze and the coaching staff.
Newcomers
During the early signing period, the Tigers made headlines by signing one of the best wide receiver classes in the nation. Two of those signees are early enrollees and have participated in Spring practice. The one with all the buzz and expectation is Cam Coleman. The former Central Phenix City Red Devil had a tremendous senior season catching 61 passes for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was originally committed to the Texas A&M Aggies, but when Jimbo Fisher was fired he reopened his recruitment. Freeze has stated in interviews that Coleman makes the Tigers look different. Bryce Cain is another freshman to pay attention to on Saturday. Cain had a solid senior season as a four-star recruit for Baker out of Mobile, Alabama. He caught 43 passes for 948 yards and 16 touchdowns. Perry Thompson and Malcolm Simmons will not join the Tigers until the Summer.
A few additions from the transfer portal could have vital roles in the offense. The Tigers landed Robert Lewis from Georgia State, and he is the type of player who could make an instant impact in the Fall. In 2023, Lewis caught 70 passes for 877 yards and seven touchdowns for the Panthers. He ranked in the top ten in all three categories in the Sun Belt. Sam Jackson V comes in from Cal where he played quarterback. He is a very gifted athlete that the Tigers got to see in person last season when Auburn headed west for a matchup with the Golden Bears. As a former quarterback, he brings a different element to the wide receiver room.
Returning Receivers
The Tigers lost some contributors at receiver, but the team does return some players with experience. Koy Moore, Camden Brown, Jay Fair, and Caleb Burton return. They all combined for 60 catches and 679 yards but just two touchdowns. Both of those scores came from Moore. Burton is the most talented player in the group and brought a lot of excitement after transferring from Ohio State last off-season. Brown is another player with potential but has not been able to translate that to the field. When speaking to the media on Tuesday, Freeze talked about how the returning receivers have been dealing with some injuries and may not play in the A-Day Game on Saturday.
Tight Ends
The Auburn Spring preview for receivers is not complete without mentioning the tight ends. Rivaldo Fairweather returns to the team after leading everyone on the roster with 38 receptions in 2023. He is a prime example of the modern tight end. He will lineup in the more traditional spots, but Fairweather will also be seen in the slot more like a wide receiver. Quarterback Payton Thorne had confidence in Fairweather last season, and would look for him late in games when needing a big play. He will need to work on being more consistent having some issues with drops last season.
Along with Fairweather, the Tigers have seniors Luke Deal and Brandon Frazier returning. While Fairweather is the more pass-catching tight end, Deal and Frazier are more traditional in the position. Both have ability in the passing game, but they add a lot in the run game as blockers. Frazier caught just seven passes in 2023, but two of those were for touchdowns. He can be a key player when the Tigers reach close to the endzone off of play-action.
More Auburn Spring Previews:
Quarterback – Running Back – Defense
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