Oct 19, 2013; College Station, TX, USA; Auburn Tigers taped football shoes on the field before the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Dontavius Russell
With a severe lack of depth among interior defensive linemen heading into the 2015 off-season, expect redshirt freshman Dontavius Russell to be one of the first players to get a crack at the nose tackle spot this spring.
He had the talent to contribute at defensive tackle last season, but the Tigers weren’t desperate for his services and decided to save a year of eligibility instead.
“We have to decide what we’re going to do with the high school kids,” defensive line coach Rodney Garner said during fall camp in August. “That’s the struggle I’m having right now. To be honest, the most impressive kid out there is really Russell. He’s real good. He can be real good this year, but you don’t really need that position. You need the outside position. I’m still struggling, because he’s so good.”
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, Russell has good size for the position, but he should also have added much needed strength during his redshirt year on campus. Also, one knock on Russell coming out of high school was his hand usage, which also should be improved with a year’s worth of practices under his belt.
A native of Carrollton, Georgia, Russell was committed to the home state Bulldogs but flipped to Auburn after he attended the 2013 Iron Bowl. A four-star prospect, Russell was ranked as the nation’s 12th best defensive tackle in last year’s class by 247Sports.
Expect Russell to play early and often in 2015, especially if Adams plays defensive tackle instead of the nose. In that case, Russell would be in the mix for a starting spot.
Next: Jauntavius Johnson