In 2014 Auburn’s receiving corps was largely set, with Sammie Coates, Duke Williams and Quan Bray holding down the top of the depth chart. Now, both Coates and Bray are gone: Bray is trying to latch on to an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent, while Coates was selected in the third round of the NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That leaves Williams as the unquestioned top option in Auburn’s passing attack, but it remains to be seen who will step up to fill the second, third and fourth spots.
Ricardo Louis and Melvin Ray, two seniors who decided to return to school, will slide up into primary roles, while junior Marcus Davis who saw extensive playing time as a true freshman, will see his role expand as well.
Louis, who was on the receiving end of the legendary ‘Prayer in Jordan-Hare,’ is ready to step into his role as a team leader.
“The whole approach has been different,” Louis said. “Everything about just stepping on that field is different, you know, there’s a little sense of urgency now. Especially going into my last year and trying to win a championship and going out with a bang, my approach has to be different.”
If the season opener against Louisville is any indication, Louis will grow into his new role with ease. He led the Tigers with three receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown, and he added another score on the ground.
Ray, on the other hand, has had a much quieter career. At 26 years old, Ray is the oldest member of the football team, which stems from Ray’s four years as a baseball player in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
In his three years with the Tigers, Ray’s notable plays can be counted on only a few fingers. His first came in the BCS National Championship Game, where he took a Nick Marshall pass 50 yards up the middle for a touchdown in the second quarter. The other was a 49-yard touchdown against Arkansas in 2014 that became more notable for the speed at which Auburn’s ballboy sprinted down the sidelines to keep up with Ray.
Davis’ career trajectory, on the other hand, has been a roller-coaster.
Davis was thrust into regular playing time as a freshman in 2013, and he was instrumental in Auburn’s comeback win against Mississippi State that year. In 2014, however, he fell to the wayside, catching only 13 passes on the year.
Despite the dip in production, which can largely be attributed to the arrival of Williams, coach Gus Malzahn believes Davis will be a big factor going forward.
“(Davis) just does a lot of things right,” Malzahn said. “He’s made some big plays for us, and I believe he’s ready to take the next step, just really as a very reliable player.”
With all of the talent trying to find its way into the lineup, Auburn could have a problem trying to get guys playing time—but that’s a good problem to have.
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