By Collin Mickle

Quarterbacks
Auburn’s hopes for the 2007 season rest on the left shoulder of senior Brandon Cox. Cox, who struggled with injuries last season, is an all-conference-quality quarterback when healthy. Auburn has to protect Cox to live up to expectations.
Junior Blake Field won the four-way competition to be Cox’s backup. Field has been the No. 2 quarterback each of the last three seasons, but coaches say they’re more confident than ever in his decision-making.
True freshman Kodi Burns is the No. 3 quarterback, for now. Burns is a gifted scrambler with a strong arm, but still needs to work on his decisions and accuracy. He’ll practice all season with the varsity, but it’s looking unlikely that he’ll play.
Redshirt freshmen Neil Caudle and Steven Ensminger appear set to be the scout-team quarterbacks. Caudle suffered a shoulder injury in the preseason that knocked him out of the backup race, and Ensminger also dealt with shoulder soreness in
August.

Running backs
Junior Brad Lester enters the season as the starter, but his suspiciously light workload in the preseason suggests he might not stay there. Sophomore Ben Tate and redshirt freshman Mario Fannin were impressive in August; either one could take over if Lester struggles.
Junior Tristan Davis, one of the team’s fastest players, suffered a broken toe early in two-a-days. Davis, also AU’s top kickoff returner, will miss at least three games.
At fullback, senior Carl Stewart missed almost the entire preseason but should be ready to start the season. Tate and Fannin could also see time at the “F-back” position.
Senior walk-on Danny Perry will provide depth at fullback. True freshman John Douglas will redshirt after suffering a high-ankle sprain.

Wide receivers
Junior Rod Smith emerged as a potential star last season, when he led the team with four touchdown catches. This should be the year Smith lives up to his potential.
Auburn doesn’t have proven playmakers behind Smith, the starting “X” receiver. Senior Prechae Rodriguez will begin the season as the starting “Z” receiver, but will face a challenge from sophomore Montez Billings and true freshman Chris Slaughter.
Billings is overcoming a hamstring injury and Slaughter is still learning the offense, but both are playmakers. Slaughter is a future star.
Junior Robert Dunn returns as the starting slot receiver. Dunn had just five catches last year but should increase that total in ’07.
Junior James Swinton, the team’s fastest player, will back up Smith at the “X” spot. Redshirt freshmen Tim Hawthorne and Terrell Zachery will push for playing time behind Dunn. True freshman Quindarius Carr will redshirt.

Tight end
Tight end is the deepest position on this season’s team. Senior Cole Bennett, the starter, is a run-blocking specialist who has shown good pass-catching skills.
AU will likely play plenty of two-tight end sets in order to get Bennett and sophomores Tommy Trott and Gabe McKenzie on the field together. Trott is a top-notch receiver who struggles as a blocker, while McKenzie is a physical blocker and an improving pass-catcher. Barring injuries, true freshman Bailey Woods will redshirt.

Offensive line
Senior left tackle King Dunlap is the line’s only returning starter. Dunlap has great size (6-foot-8, 312 pounds) but hasn’t always played with consistency.
Junior Tyronne Green must replace Ben Grubbs at left guard. Green, a former defensive lineman, has good technique but struggles with his concentration.
Junior Jason Bosley, who started four games at center last year, is the full-time starter this year. Redshirt freshman Mike Berry beat out senior Leon Hart for the top spot at right guard in the preseason. Hart, who injured his ankle, will push Berry when he recovers.
At right tackle, AU will rely on true freshman Lee Ziemba. The 6-foot-8, 297-pounder isn’t an ordinary freshman; he held off several veterans to win the starting spot and won teammates’ trust with his play in the preseason.
Sophomore Andrew McCain will back up Dunlap at left tackle, while junior Antwoin Daniels works behind Ziemba on the right side. Daniels has also seen practice time at left tackle and right guard.
True freshman Ryan Pugh is Bosley’s top backup at center, while redshirt freshman Byron Isom is the top reserve at left guard.
True freshmen Chaz Ramsey and Jarrod Cooper will redshirt. Barring injuries, Pugh will also redshirt, though he’s likely to spend most of the season practicing with the varsity.

Defensive line
This year’s Auburn defense is loaded with talent, and it starts up front.
Senior defensive end Quentin Groves is the unit’s star. A preseason all-conference pick, Groves needs just three sacks to tie AU’s career record. Groves is an outstanding pass-rusher who has to show improvement as an all-around player.
Sophomore Sen’Derrick Marks is settling in at the other end spot after starting 13 games at defensive tackle last season. Marks is a physical run-stopper and an improving pass-rusher.
Junior Pat Sims replaces Marks at defensive tackle. Sims played extensively last season and was all but unblockable during the preseason.
Senior Josh Thompson returns as the starting noseguard. Thompson isn’t much of a pass-rusher, but clogs holes and makes plays in the run game.
There’s plenty of depth up front, too. Sophomore Jake Ricks and redshirt freshman Mike Blanc will back up Thompson and Sims inside, with former Opelika star Zach Clayton providing depth. Redshirt freshman Bryant Miller, a former defensive end, is also in the mix at tackle.
At end, sophomore Antonio Coleman is the only experienced player. Coleman is the top reserve behind Groves at left end. Redshirt freshmen Michael Goggans and Darrell Roseman are Marks’ backups at right end.
True freshman Antoine Carter could push for playing time. Carter is a gifted pass-rusher who impressed coaches in August. True freshman A.G. Greene will redshirt.

Linebackers
There’s plenty to like in first-team linebacking unit, but depth is a serious issue.
The starters — junior Merrill Johnson, sophomore Tray Blackmon and redshirt freshman Craig Stevens — are impressive. Johnson is an experienced veteran who has locked down the weakside linebacker position. Stevens, a physical player who excels against the run, took over on the strong side after sophomore Patrick Trahan was declared academically ineligible.
Blackmon, of course, is one of AU’s most talented defenders — as long as he can stay out of trouble. Coaches and teammates say the sophomore is out of the doghouse to stay; if that’s true, he gives Auburn’s defense a playmaking capability at middle linebacker no other player can provide.
Behind the starting trio, questions loom.
Junior Courtney Harden is Johnson’s backup on the weak side. Harden hasn’t played much in his three seasons, but teammates say he knows the defense better than anyone.
Junior Chris Evans, the top reserve in the middle, also knows the playbook. Evans was extremely productive in spring practice.
Freshmen Bo Harris and Brent Slusher are the only backups at strongside linebacker. Both are likely to play, according to linebackers coach James Willis. Both missed practice time in the preseason with injuries.
True freshmen Josh Bynes and Adam Herring will redshirt.

Defensive backs
Heading into 2007, the defensive backfield looked like a question mark. The Tigers lost senior star David Irons, and fellow starting cornerback Jonathan Wilhite didn’t play in the Cotton Bowl.
But the entire unit stepped up in the spring and preseason.
Wilhite, a senior, is living up to his potential as a cover man. Sophomore Jerraud Powers, the other starting corner, made plays in almost every preseason practice. They provide a solid 1-2 starting combination.
And the depth at corner is impressive. Seniors Pat Lee and Zach Gilbert play in nickel and dime situations; Lee is one of the team’s fastest players. Sophomore Walter McFadden, another speedster, backs up Wilhite.
True freshman corners Mike Slade and Ryan Williams will redshirt.
At safety, sophomore Aairon Savage and redshirt freshman Zac Etheridge have taken over the starting jobs. Savage is a big hitter who has improved in pass coverage. Etheridge is smooth enough in coverage that he spent time at cornerback last season.
Senior Eric Brock and true freshman Mike McNeil are the backup safeties; all four will play extensively. Brock is a sure tackler; the speedy McNeil is quickly learning the defense.
Junior Lorenzo Ferguson will also play.

Special teams
Auburn’s special teams haven’t been so inexperienced since 2003. The Tigers must replace place-kicker John Vaughn, punter Kody Bliss, kickoff specialist Matt Clark and deep-snapper Pete Compton, all seniors last season.
Their replacements could hardly be greener: Place-kicker and kickoff man Wes Byrum is a true freshman, while punter Ryan Shoemaker is a redshirt freshman. Deep-snapper Robert Shiver is a junior.
Byrum won the job over Graham Sutter, Zach Kutch and Ross Gornall; Sutter will get the first chance to take over if Byrum struggles. True freshman walk-on Morgan Hull could take over as the kickoff specialist.
Walk-on Patrick Tatum will push Shoemaker for the punting spot.
Holder Matthew Motley is the lone senior specialist. Motley, entering his third season as AU’s holder, is the special teams’ leader and captain.
Brad Lester and Mario Fannin appear set as the kickoff returners, at least until Davis returns to full speed. Robert Dunn will begin the season as the punt returner. If Dunn struggles, Fannin and Chris Slaughter will be considered for punt-return duties.

— Collin Mickle