Position-by-Position Preview of Auburn's 2016 Roster

AUBURN, Ala. — It's approaching full-blown preview time in the college football offseason calendar. The traditional print preview magazines are starting to hit the newsstands, and more online outlets are pushing out 2016 predictions as the long summer months continue.

Now that spring practices are in the rearview mirror and summer enrollees are starting to arrive on campus, Auburn nearly has its roster for a crucial 2016 season finalized.

The Tigers are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 7-6 campaign in a big way with a good mix of returning starters and exciting new talent. Another quarterback race is heating up the Plains, and with the amount of playmakers back for 2016, Auburn's defense could be one of the best since the days of head coach Tommy Tuberville's stifling units.

The regular-season schedule will be brutal and bookended by games against the two teams that played for last season's national championship—Clemson and Alabama, respectively. But the Tigers have shown themselves to be capable of quite a few surprises under head coach Gus Malzahn, and his new-look staff will be looking to turn around the momentum in Jordan-Hare Stadium after falling short of high expectations. 

Let's take a position-by-position look at this Tigers roster, focusing on the starters, the key reserves and the next generation of talent Auburn fans everywhere will be talking about this fall. 

For the third time in four years as Auburn's head coach, Gus Malzahn has a quarterback battle on his hands. But, unlike the one that crowned Jeremy Johnson as the starting signal-caller in 2015, this one will extend into fall camp—similar to the 2013 battle won by Nick Marshall.

The favorite in the three-way battle is still JUCO transfer John Franklin III, a smaller run-first quarterback who has drawn a lot of comparisons to Marshall. While there are some question marks about his arm, the 6'1", 186-pound Franklin has tremendous speed—the QB noted he ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash, per AL.com's Wesley Sinor—and an ability to command a zone-read offense. That's something the Tigers lacked in 2015 after two seasons of Marshall's heroics.

Both of Auburn's starting quarterbacks from 2015 are still on campus and have a shot at taking the No. 1 job again. After an abysmal start to the 2016 campaign that featured six interceptions in his first three games, Johnson cut down on his mistakes through the air late in the year and led Auburn to a road win over Texas A&M. The senior is the more athletic of the two former starters, and he could reclaim some of his form without the pressure of being a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate on his shoulders.

Sean White looked like the steadiest arm of them all during Auburn's A-Day Game in April—outside of a costly fumble—but mobility is a concern with him. If Malzahn turns back the clock with his play-calling to more of a 2013 and 2014 look, White is the least likely to win the job.

Franklin will continue to learn Malzahn's offensive system and establish chemistry with his new teammates throughout the summer months and into fall camp. Johnson and White will continue to push him and try to show they've improved after their rough 2015 campaigns.

Auburn's running back room will have a different look when the Tigers start fall camp, as junior Roc Thomas decided to transfer to Jacksonville State. However, Auburn is prepared to handle the loss of the talented yet inconsistent Thomas with a mix of returning names and new faces.

Senior Jovon Robinson will be locked in as Auburn's primary running back when the season kicks off with Clemson on September 3. Robinson overcame an early-season ankle sprain in 2015 to take over in the second half of the season, rushing for more than 90 yards in five of the Tigers' final six contests. He led all rushers at A-Day and should be in line for a huge season in 2016.

Kerryon Johnson and some sort of combination of H-backs Kamryn Pettway and Chandler Cox will likely hold the reserve roles behind Robinson. Johnson missed the spring following shoulder surgery, but he showed great burst out of the backfield in his 52 carries and 14 receptions last season. He plays a lot like Thomas and can impact a game in a number of ways.

Pettway and Cox cross-trained at running back this spring to build extra depth, and the Tigers will need it. Pettway played running back in high school and should be able to move the chains in short-yardage situations with his powerful 6'0", 240-pound frame. Cox, a traditional fullback, impressed with a 71-yard run at A-Day and will play some sort of role in the rushing department this fall.

True freshman Malik Miller, who played high school ball with Johnson at Madison (Alabama) Academy, could see also some early playing time on the Plains. He was a do-it-all player in high school and has good hands for a back, adding another exciting young weapon for Malzahn to work with in 2016.

Wide receiver is the biggest question mark on the Auburn roster for 2016 outside of the quarterback battle. Ricardo Louis and Melvin Ray, the top two receivers in terms of yardage last season for the Tigers, are gone. Auburn's returning wide receivers combined for only 58 of the team's 179 receptions in 2015.

Thirty of those receptions were recorded by Marcus Davis, the senior who has developed a reputation for being a sure-handed target on quick passes. He's never averaged more than 10 yards per reception in a single season with the Tigers, but his impact on the game is valuable. According to Malzahn, Davis "does a lot of dirty work that helps the team be successful."

After Davis, the mystery begins. Senior Tony Stevens has the physical tools at 6'4" to be a top-notch vertical threat, but he's only had 20 receptions in three seasons. Fellow senior Jason Smith should settle in at the slot if he can get over some consistency issues that plagued his first year with the Tigers. The speedy Stanton Truitt (4.32 40-yard dash, per Hudl.com) showed great promise last preseason but only recorded one catch prior to a season-ending injury.

Auburn's crop of exciting young talents will most likely be filling the blank spots at receiver. True freshman Kyle Davis looked like a seasoned veteran at spring practices despite his non-contact status. Senior receiver Marcus Davis signaled out sophomore Ryan Davis and redshirt freshman Darius Slayton as the ones to watch this fall. Nate Craig-Myers and Eli Stove will arrive on campus this summer with plenty of fanfare as highly ranked 4-stars (No. 6 and No. 20 at the position, respectively).

"With us being as young as we are and as inexperienced at receiver, I think developing these guys—the mentality—I think it's really good that they're young because I get to mold them the way I want to," new Auburn receivers coach Kodi Burns said in March. "They don't know any better. They're a blank canvas that I can kind of build up."  

Auburn will be looking for more than just lead blocking out of its H-backs in 2016. In addition to using Kamryn Pettway and Chandler Cox as rushers, there seems to be more of an emphasis on getting the H-backs involved in the passing game.

Cox, who started all but three games at H-back in 2015, should take more of the snaps at the position again this year.

"We've got both our H-backs back. ... They're veteran guys," Malzahn said this spring. "Our two tight ends, we're just doing a lot of tight end work, working with the tackles and working with the different things with our hands down. We think we have two young guys who have a chance to be really good."

The Tigers' traditional tight ends are sophomore Jalen Harris and true freshman Landon Rice. Like the H-backs, the tight ends had a bigger focus on them in the spring, as Auburn looks to take advantage of some of the returning experience at the position.

Harris is expected to start, but Rice has all the tools to be successful early at Auburn with his sure hands.

Auburn's offensive line should be a strength again in 2016 after returning three starters. That trio won't be locked into the same positions, however, as new offensive line coach Herb Hand found a different combination while mixing and matching in spring practices.

Austin Golson replaced four-year starter Reese Dismukes at center last season, but he finished spring camp at the all-important left tackle position formerly held by the departed Shon Coleman. Golson worked at tackle at Ole Miss before transferring to Auburn, and he didn't miss a beat moving there this spring. Texas transfer Darius James is projected to push Golson on the blind side after starting the spring on the right side.

The guard spots will stay the same for the Tigers, as senior Alex Kozan made a strong return in 2015 after missing all of 2014 with a back injury and surgery. When he's on his game, Kozan is one of the best interior linemen in the SEC. On the right side, the physically dominant Braden Smith returns as a starter. Marquel Harrell and Mike Horton, two players who received rave reviews in practices, will be the top backup guards.

Senior Xavier Dampeer, who backed up Golson at the position in 2015, appears to have locked down center. Dampeer has looked strong since returning from a season-ending jaw injury caused by a punch from former wide receiver D'haquille Williams, and he has plenty of experience in Malzahn's system. Redshirt freshman Kaleb Kim already has the look of Auburn's center of the future.

Right tackle hasn't been determined just yet, but Robert Leff is the leader there after switching sides when Golson moved to left tackle. James still has a shot there, along with second-stringer Tyler Carr, who got key backup reps in spring practices. 

Auburn should have the deepest and most talented defense in the Malzahn era, and it all starts up front with a stacked defensive line. Tigers defensive line coach Rodney Garner will have a lot of former blue-chip weapons at his disposal, allowing him to employ a lot of the rotation he enjoys.

The line talent is led by Buck defensive end Carl Lawson. Auburn's defense played much better as a whole when Lawson was healthy last season, with more penetration leading to bigger plays against both the run and the pass. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller lists Lawson as his No. 5 overall prospect in the 2017 NFL draft class, and Lawson will be itching to play his first complete season as an Auburn starter. 

While Jeff Holland and Raashed Kennion back up Lawson at the pass-rushing Buck position, a true freshman is projected to take over the starting job on the opposite side of the line. Marlon Davidson enrolled early at Auburn and immediately surged ahead on the depth chart with his speed, his power and his consistency.

Byron Cowart, who had a disappointing freshman campaign, could emerge as a sophomore star after a full offseason of preparation. JUCO transfer Paul James III and the raw Prince Tega Wanogho will provide depth.

On the interior, Montravius Adams will return to lock down the nose tackle position for another season. Adams has the versatility to stuff the run and attack opposing quarterbacks, and he could be in for a huge 2016 season for his NFL draft stock after deciding to stay in school with Lawson. Dontavius Russell returns as the starter at the other tackle spot following a strong redshirt freshman campaign in which he led all linemen with tackles for loss.

The Tigers added to their impressive interior line depth this offseason with 5-star signee Derrick Brown set to join promising upperclassmen Maurice Swain and Devaroe Lawrence. The former top 10 recruit has the talent to play early and often at Auburn, and 4-star Antwuan Jackson will also fight for playing time as a true freshman after enrolling in January.

Much like the wide receivers, Auburn's linebackers enter 2016 needing to replace the production of two veteran players and answer several key questions. Kris Frost and Cassanova McKinzy—plus veteran reserve Justin Garrett—are gone, leaving junior Tre' Williams as the new leader at the position.

Williams' spot in 2016 in the starting lineup is secure, but it's unclear if he'll be on the inside or the outside. He was the starting middle linebacker in new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele's 4-3 system in the spring. However, the arrival of Illinois transfer T.J. Neal could cause a fall move. Neal was a two-year starter at middle linebacker for the Illini and had the fifth-most tackles in the Big Ten last season.

"We're very limited in our bodies at that position, and T.J. has been a starter in the Power Five," Steele told James Crepea of AL.com. "He's a very smart guy and has the skill set that we think can help us. ... We're always excited as coaches to have players. He is a bright young man, really will be a good teammate, and we're looking forward to coaching him."

If Neal takes over the middle linebacker spot with his experience, look for Williams to bounce to the strong side and claim the No. 2 linebacker spot whenever the Tigers line up in a 4-2-5 look. That would most likely leave the final starting job at weak-side linebacker to sophomores Deshaun Davis and Darrell Williams, who were commendable for their ranginess and improvement this spring.

Behind this quartet of projected impact players, Auburn has redshirt freshman Richard McBryde, junior Cameron Toney and true freshman Tre' Threat. McBryde is the top name to watch there, as he was a consistent second-teamer during spring practices.

The Tigers have talented experience to build on in the secondary this season after what was by far their best campaign in defending the pass since Malzahn returned to the Plains. After years of thin numbers in the back, Auburn can also rely on some newfound depth as it transitions to life under new position coach Wesley McGriff.

The star of the unit is cornerback Carlton Davis, who broke out in a huge way last season as a freshman starter. Davis led the team with three interceptions and has all the tools to become an All-SEC-type shutdown cornerback for the Tigers. Behind him, keep an eye on true freshman John Broussard Jr., who should be a top-notch player down the road once he builds up his weight and his strength (6'0", 170 lbs).

On the opposite side, Auburn will look to replace Jonathan Jones with redshirt freshman Jamel Dean, who transferred to the Plains from Ohio State last year after a controversy regarding the health of his knee. The 6'2" Dean is perfect to match up against the bigger breed of wide receivers who thrive in the SEC, and he wasted no time in taking over a first-team spot in practices. Miami (Ohio) transfer Marshall Taylor will provide experienced depth on the edges and play an important role in 2016.

Rudy Ford, the versatile defensive back who started his collegiate career as a running back, will man the nickel position. With a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, per 247Sports, Ford has plenty of speed to burn and a sure tackling ability, making him a valuable weapon as the fifth defensive back on the field. Ford will also contribute at safety, which returns starter Tray Matthews at the strong spot.

The free safety job is led by Stephen Roberts, who had a breakout sophomore season as a reserve in 2015. Josh Holsey will be a valuable veteran once he returns from injury, and Nick Ruffin should back up Matthews this fall. Other role players to keep an eye on include Markell Boston and Montavious Atkinson.

The specialist positions will be straightforward for Auburn this fall. Kicker Daniel Carlson is one of the nation's best, and his powerful and consistent leg will be valuable for the Tigers. After finishing as a finalist for the Groza Award last season, Carlson will have a great chance to grab it in 2016.

At punter, Kevin Phillips returns as a starter. Auburn is hoping for a better season out of him after he averaged just under 41 yards per punt in 2015, which was below the standard set by Steven Clark in 2013 and Carlson in 2014.

Ian Shannon, a redshirt freshman, can play both kicker and punter, and he will be the next in line if anything happens to the two starters.

At kick returner, Rudy Ford and Kerryon Johnson are back to reclaim their starting spots from a season ago, with Kyle Davis and Stanton Truitt getting most of the reps behind them in practices. Marcus Davis got almost all of the work at punt returner in the spring after recording all 15 of the Tigers' returns last fall.

Special teams have been a real weapon on Auburn's more successful teams of the last several seasons, and the Tigers have the experience to make that a strength again in 2016.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings. All stats are courtesy of CFBStats.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.