5 Auburn Tigers to Watch Against Arkansas

#1 D’haquille Williams, 6-foot-2, 216 pounds, Junior, Wide Receiver

If there has been a junior college transfer coming to Auburn with higher expectations, I don’t remember it. Oh right, I guess that Cam Newton guy was pretty good.

Anyway, Duke Williams does have very high expectations entering the 2014 season, and we will finally get to see what he can do against SEC competition. Williams was considered a likely week one starter from the moment he signed with the Tigers and it became official today when Auburn released the depth chart for the season opener against Arkansas.

Apr 19, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers receiver D’haquille Williams. Mandatory Credit: John Reed USA TODAY

Fans have only gotten a hint of Williams’ abilities when he made an astonishing catch early in fall practice and posted the video to his Instagram account. The video was available for literally only a few minutes, but it was captured in that time for the world to see.

Williams played two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where he accumulated 118 receptions for 2,028 yards and 26 touchdowns. He is a major reason the Tigers are expected to throw more in 2014 than they did last season.

“He’s a guy who needs the ball and plays well with the ball, but the thing I have been most impressed about with Duke is we really ask a lot of our receivers outside of catching footballs,” Lashlee told reporters earlier in fall camp. “We really pride ourselves in blocking well for other receivers and for backs and Nick. We ask them to do a lot of things without the ball and he’s been exceptional like the other guys in that area.”

Williams will also help to take pressure off of 2013’s top Auburn receiver, Sammie Coates. The two should be one of the best pass-catching duos in the SEC in 2014.