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It was an all-defense draft for the Tigers over the weekend, but Hugh Freeze hopes that will change after putting an improved product on the field next season. Auburn was one of six SEC programs this year to boast at least five NFL draft selections: cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett to the Seahawks in the fifth round; safety Jaylin Simpson to the Colts in the fifth round; cornerback D.J. James to the Seahawks in the sixth round; nose tackle Justin Rogers to the Cowboys in the seventh round; and defensive lineman Marcus Harris to the Texans in the seventh round. It was the first draft for Auburn since 2009 where multiple players were selected, but zero from the offensive side of the ball. With a revamped and retooled offense under Hugh Freeze yield more NFL talent in Year 2? Let's run down who Auburn's NFL-caliber players could be heading into the 2024 season and next year's draft, and assess their way-too-early draft stock.Who are the NFL prospects on Auburn's roster heading into the 2024 season?
TE RIVALDO FAIRWEATHER
2024 classification: Fifth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 2-4
The team's top returning pass-catcher from last season, Fairweather would have likely received some late-round looks had he departed for the draft this year. But the former FIU transfer opted to return to what is expected — or hoped to be — an improved Auburn passing game this coming season. Payton Thorne's rapport with Fairweather was already on full display in 2023, with 394 yards and six scores. Auburn will have better talent out wide around Fairweather, but even if he doesn't get as many targets, Fairweather's blend of size, athleticism and production from the tight end position could make him the top NFL prospect on this roster.
2024 classification: Sixth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 3-6
Arguably Auburn's breakout player of the year last season has gone from the scout team, buried on the depth chart after transferring from North Carolina, to the team's leading tackler. Like Fairweather, it's Asante could have been a late-round selection had he left school this year, but he now returns to the Tigers as a major puzzle piece in first-year coordinator D.J. Durkin's defense. One of the most productive returning linebackers in the SEC may be a bit undersized at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, but there was no denying his energy, impact and sideline-to-sideline speed from the middle of Auburn's defense. With a comparable season in 2024, Asante will be impossible to ignore on film.
2024 classification: Fifth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 3-6
Entering his third season at Auburn, Scott has already taken some steps this offseason to improve his NFL outlook, moving from nickel to outside cornerback, where he's expected to start in 2024. Scott was a rangy and productive starter at nickel for two seasons, but he believes a year of tape defending receivers on the outside will serve him better as an eventual NFL prospect. Scott — the Tigers' top tackler over the past two seasons — will finish his Auburn career with plenty of versatility on display. An All-SEC-caliber campaign in 2024 could solidify him as an NFL draft pick, potentially on Day 2.
2024 classification: Fifth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 4-6
Similar to Scott's move heading into 2024, Wade has kicked inside to left guard for Auburn after starting all of last season at left tackle. The former Tulsa transfer was a player eyed by NFL scouts at Auburn practices last preseason, then had a solid year, both in the passing and running games. Auburn's offensive line was one of the most improved groups on the team last season, and another year under position coach Jake Thornton — and in a reworked offense under Freeze — should pay dividends for Wade, who is looking to put together a strong 2024 campaign at a position he feels is better suited to his skill set at guard.
2024 classification: Fifth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 5-6
The App State transfer burst onto the scene for Auburn last season and became the team's top pass-rusher, with 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks — all while battling an ankle injury in the early stage of the year. If a healthy McLeod can improve upon those numbers in Durkin's defense, he should be able to work his way into a draft selection. The more responsibilities for McLeod at outside linebacker this season is probably the better for his draft stock, considering he's undersized — at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds — as a pure edge rusher.
2024 classification: Fourth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 5-7
Given that Hunter isn't a no-brainer athlete at running back, like Tank Bigsby was for Auburn a couple years ago, there could be a wide range for him in next year's NFL draft based on his final season with the Tigers. Finding a four-year contributor in an SEC backfield isn't common, and a career-best season for Hunter in 2024 would mean he'd finish his Auburn career with around 3,000 yards. A healthy Damari Alston and second-year Jeremiah Cobb could affect Hunter's volume of carries, though.
2024 classification: Fifth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 5-7
The newest member of Auburn's transfer class — and the biggest splash of the year for the Tigers in the portal — Lambert-Smith was Penn State's top receiver last season and was set to be the top returning pass-catcher by production in the Big Ten. Bringing more than 1,700 career receiving yards and 11 touchdowns to the Plains, Lambert-Smith figures to be a major piece of Auburn's passing-game improvements in 2024. And if he ends up as one of Thorne's top couple receivers, his speed and physical tools should put him in a spotlight for the Tigers as a potential draft pick.
2024 classification: Fifth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 6-7
An instant-impact transfer from Mississippi State, the 6-foot-7 Lewis immediately slotted in as Auburn's starting left tackle this spring. When Lewis — on-again, off-again starter with the Bulldogs last season — chose the Tigers, he said he wanted to make his last college season count and make a push for the NFL. He believes the combination of Thornton and Auburn strength coach Dominic Studzinski — who trained former Mississippi State offensive lineman and former top-10 pick Charles Cross — can progress his professional prospects and lead him to an NFL draft selection. Auburn's expected offensive improvements in 2024 could go a long way in helping Lewis achieve those goals.
2024 classification: Fifth-year senior
Way-too-early draft stock: Round 7-undrafted
One of the top punters in the SEC over the past few seasons, Chapman elected to return to Auburn for a fifth year with the program, positioning him as one of the top specialists in the conference. After arriving in the states from Australia ahead of the 2020 season, Chapman is entering his fifth season as the Tigers' starting punter, and has been one of the league's most efficient over the past couple years. There was only one punter selected in this year's draft — Iowa's Tory Taylor — so even another strong season for Chapman doesn't guarantee he'll be selected, but the majority of specialists make their way into the NFL as undrafted signees. Chapman — whose overall punting grade, per Pro Football Focus, ranked in the top 25 in the FBS last season — said in the spring that one of his main goals for 2024 is to add more NFL-style kicks to his game.
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