SPORTS

Auburn depth chart analysis: Right guard

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn right guard Braden Smith has declined to speak about whether he'll return for the 2017 season.

AUBURN – After getting his feet wet as a true freshman last season Braden Smith will look to take over the right guard job in the fall.

Smith appeared in 12 games last season, mostly as a blocking tight end on the left side to help Shon Coleman but he got to start the Outback Bowl at right tackle, though it proved to be more of a cameo.

Auburn moved Smith inside to guard this spring, move that took some time for him to adjust to.

"Probably the first week and a half was a little rocky, but boy, he's got the ability," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. "He just felt more and more comfortable the last week-and-a-half or so of spring ball."

The Two-Deep

Braden Smith (6-foot-6, 286 pounds, sophomore)
Devonte Danzey (6-foot-4, 305 pounds, senior)
OR Jordan Diamond (6-foot-6, 304 pounds, junior)

Gus Malzahn's take

"(Smith)'s playing a new position. He wants to be good. He practices extremely hard."

Starter

Smith is the future of the position, with physical capabilities possessed by few others.

"That guy is a special guy," offensive line coach J.B. Grimes said. "There aren't a whole lot of guys like that out there. ... The mental part of it, we'll get that taken care of. The physical part of it, that's what excites me. He's got great physical ability."

An SEC All-Freshman honoree, Smith was challenged with the position change initially, struggling with being in a more confined space.

"Early on his feet weren't going where his mind was telling his feet to go," Grimes said. "As the spring wore on I counted a whole lot more pluses than I did minuses than we did when that first scrimmage happened."

Grimes said Smith, who shed a few pounds (down to 286 from 299) as well as his nicknames this spring, took 127 snaps during the three spring scrimmages and "graded well."

Backup

Devonte Danzey is still technically in contention for the starting left guard spot but he is viewed as the top backup guard.

Grimes was very pleased with what he saw from Danzey in his seven starts and Is comfortable starting him against anyone.

"He is a quality guy that I would rate as a starter," Grimes said.

Auburn offensive lineman Jordan Diamond (76) runs out onto the field during the Auburn A-Day spring game on Saturday, April 18, 2015, at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala.

Jordan Diamond was limited in spring as he recovers from back surgery. If he comes back healthy in the fall Diamond would likely be the backup at RG on paper, though Danzey would likely get the first crack at either guard spot.

Next Wave

Avery Young (6-foot-6, 305 pounds, junior) will start at right tackle, but he's capable of playing guard and Robert Leff could take over at tackle if a situation arose where multiple O-linemen went down.

Deon Mix (6-foot-4, 301 pounds, sophomore) is the third center but got the start at right guard with the second-team on A-Day and could play the role of need be.

Tyler Carr (6-foot-5, 313 pounds, freshmen) is likely going to redshirt, along with the other freshmen O-linemen, but is a guard of the future.

Summer Arrivals

Marquel Harrell (6-foot-3, 295 pounds) is a highly touted guard out of Georgia.

Quotable

"Braden is a freak athlete, so we got to get him where he's playing at full speed and getting everything down, but he makes some wild plays." - Alex Kozan