Auburn football: 10 players most important to accelerating offense in 2018
By Rob Maxwell
6. RT Calvin Ashley
A season ago, the 5-star offensive lineman impressed Auburn coaches in practice and there has been talk of where he’s a better fit — right or left tackle.
For now, it’s right tackle. And there’s no guarantee that he’ll be the starter when the Tigers line up against Washington in the season opener in Atlanta.
That’s not to say Ashley hasn’t performed well. He impressed coaches last season as a redshirt but the competition is heating up on the right side with the arrival of graduate transfer Jack Driscoll (UMass).
Auburn will put the best player on the field, whether it’s Ashley, Driscoll, Austin Troxell or if offensive line coach J.B. Grimes comes up with some other combination of players across the front.
Fans are eager to see Ashley live up to his billing. He’s Auburn’s first 5-star offensive lineman since Christian Westerman in 2011 — and that one did not turn out well. To be clear: There’s no indication that Ashley won’t be a star, but it would be nice to see Ashley buckle up and win this spot during fall practice and be a dominating force on the front line for three or four seasons.