Auburn football has been a good defensive team that has buoyed its underwhelming offense for the past three seasons. It's no wonder that AL.com's Peter Rauterkus sees a defensive room as possibly the "deepest and most talented" on the roster.
Rauterkus deemed that about the CB position, with the addition of Raion Strader putting the room over the top.
"While Auburn needed the most help up front, it made arguably its biggest defensive move when it signed former Miami (OH) corner Raion Strader, who comes to the plains after earning First Team All-MAC honors in 2024," Rauterkus wrote.
"The Tigers already return their two starting corners from last season, but Strader adds another capable piece to a room that might be the deepest and most talented on the roster."
The CB position will see Jay Crawford and ex-transfer Nickel Champ Anthony return for their second seasons on the Plains, while Kayin Lee will be entering year three in 2025. Strader represents high-end depth at worst, but has the chance to continue racking up rewards if he translates well to the SEC from the MAC.
While Charles Kelly's departure hurts, Hugh Freeze and defensive coordinator DJ Durkin are still getting the job done on the recruiting trail. Freeze brought in elite talent before Kelly got to Auburn and will be able to after, too.
It's on Durkin to get this group together and make plays. AU ranked near the bottom in turnover margin in 2024. That needs to change quickly for the Tigers to make any headway in the SEC next season.