Auburn football: 3 players not getting enough hype going into 2020

For a team that lost two running backs this offseason — one of whom was the leading rusher for the past two seasons — Auburn sure is in a solid spot when it comes to the running back position.

Despite those losses, Auburn has an extremely deep and talented running back room and while it may be largely unproven, I’m certain that that talent will emerge.

Sophomore D.J. Williams is the team’s leading returning rusher and is probably the favorite to be the lead back while Tank Bigsby is a big-time recruit that is expected to contribute right away.

And you can’t forget about Shaun Shivers. The 5-foot-7, 179-pound back runs like he was shot out of a cannon and is the most experienced back on Auburn’s roster. Not to mention Harold Joiner who has a tantalizing mix of size and versatility.

However, the one back I think could be a dark-horse in 2020 is Mark Antony-Richards. It’s easy to forget about Richards since he spent last season redshirting while he recovered from various injuries.

Because of that, I don’t blame you if you forgot that Richards was one of Auburn’s top recruits in the 2019 class. A consensus four-star prospect, Richards was a top-100 recruit per 247Sports and the No. 4 athlete in the country.

At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds with excellent speed, hands and versatility, Richards has already gotten comparisons to former Auburn star Kerryon Johnson.

He may be the biggest wild card in the Tigers RB room but you don’t become a top-100 recruit without being extremely talented. With carries up for grabs, I expect Richards to make a bigger impact than most expect as a redshirt freshman.