For most teams, freshmen are relegated to mop-up duty, shoved to the rear of the depth chart to make way for seasoned veterans who have their starting positions on lockdown.
In Auburn’s case, freshmen are being entrusted with crucial responsibilities. A handful of these freshmen have grabbed ahold of prominent roles, with some even registering starts in the early parts of the 2015 season.
Tim Irvin, a freshman out of Miami, Florida, is one of the more notable first-year players to receive significant playing time. Irvin started at the nickel position in Auburn’s season opener against Louisville in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, where he recorded four tackles and a pass breakup in the Tigers’ 31-24 win.
“I had to really lock in, play my keys, and just play ball,” Irvin said.
Irvin, the nephew of NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, has become an integral part of Auburn’s young defense, and will likely be instrumental in its success for the foreseeable future.
Byron Cowart, the freshman who was a five-star defensive end out of Seffner, Florida, has the tools to become the next great Auburn defensive lineman. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 277 pounds, and possesses lightning quick speed with the strength of an Olympic powerlifter.
Cowart was the first-ranked recruit in the nation, and it’s easy to understand why.
Although he hasn’t logged a ton of stats so far, there’s plenty of reason to believe that will change sooner rather than later. He is a commanding presence on the defensive line, and his skillset, when paired with that of defensive end Carl Lawson on that other side, is one of the more formidable defensive lines in college football.
A pair of cornerbacks round out the impact freshmen on defense. Carlton Davis and Jeremiah Dinson have stepped into their roles admirably, as they serve as backups to seniors Jonathan Jones and Blake Countess.
Dinson has recorded eight tackles to date, while Davis has registered three. Both have the potential to grow as a tandem in the secondary for the next few years, and could be one of the better pairs of cornerbacks in the country by the time they step into starting roles
On offense, one freshman has stood out among the rest.
Kerryon Johnson, a four-star recruit out of Madison, has meshed well with Auburn’s running attack, and is now one of four featured running backs that see a regular rotation. He burst onto the scene against LSU, recording four carries for 14 yards and three catches for 17 yards.
"This is just what I've been working for," Johnson said. "I think I did some good things out there, but, obviously, I got some things to work on like anybody else. But I really appreciate him for giving me the opportunity. A lot of people don't get it, but I did, and I've just got to keep rolling with it.”
As the backs ahead of him—Peyton Barber, Roc Thomas, and Jovon Robinson—advance their careers, Johnson will be right behind them. By the time his career is over, he might be the latest in the line of running backs Auburn funnels to the NFL, earning the Tigers the distinction of being “Running Back U.”
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