Auburn depth chart analysis: Split end

AUBURN – The Auburn Tigers will have to find their next deep threat as they replace Sammie Coates this season.

Coates essentially had sole possession of Auburn's split end receiver role the last two years and while Ricardo Louis is likely to spend time at split end, he is also valuable in motion and will alternate with D'haquille Williams at flanker.

Williams was the better vertical threat last season, with nine 20-plus yard catches to Louis' two, but in Gus Malzahn's offense, they'll likely alternate a lot between split end and flanker, which Auburn likes to use in the slot, where Williams thrived last season.

"Duke will probably be moving around a lot," Wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig said. "He's a guy that on third down, got a lot of production out of him on third down as far as catching the routes from the slot, the routes outside. He's a guy that can be put in different spots so defenses can't key on him."

Craig feels Williams, who he moved back to the boundary spot in the spring, is the only "established guy," but is confident in Louis' abilities as well.

Tony Stevens spent last year as the backup to Coates at split end, and he will likely see most of his time on the outside as well.

A-Day Offensive MVP Myron Burton Jr. did very well at split end and could also join the mix.

Gus Malzahn's take

"(Williams is) a very talented receiver. There's no doubt about that. I think everyone knows that. We're very fortunate to have a lot of depth around him, and we've got a lot of guys I feel like are going to be very successful wide receivers."

The Two-Deep

D'haquille Williams (6-foot-2, 224 pounds, senior)
OR Ricardo Louis (6-foot-2, 215 pounds, senior)
Tony Stevens (6-foot-4, 205 pounds, junior)

Starter

Williams' physical abilities are seemingly limitless.

Though his recent Twitter rant was a short-term distraction, Williams is in position to etch his name in Auburn's record books as long as he's able to stay on the field this fall.

He had 45 receptions for 730 yards and five touchdowns despite missing two games due to injury and being suspended for the Outback Bowl.

With the offense expected to be far more passing oriented, it's not a reach to think Williams could approach the single-season program records for receptions (68), yards (1,068) or even touchdowns (12).

Williams is willing to take the hits over the middle that come with playing inside as the flanker and until someone else shows they can do that, his time at split end may be limited by comparison.

"Duke has a very great understanding of the game, he doesn't get credit for that," Craig said. "He's very competitive, he wants to win at everything he do. If he can get his teammates to play at that level and think like him, we can have a great season."

Louis is the fastest of Auburn's receivers, and that speed makes him a consistent vertical threat.

The Miami native was expected to make a big step in production after his Prayer at Jordan-Hare heroics but had just 21 receptions for 261 yards with three touchdowns.

Louis spent the spring working at split end and flanker focusing on "coming out of my breaks on certain routes (and) the deep ball," but can play any of Auburn's four receiver spots.

Backup

Stevens has yet to deliver on his potential, but with Coates gone, his playing time can only increase.

A leg fracture suffered late in the spring is expected to heal soon and Stevens, who had just one catch for 22 yards last season, will have a chance to compete for time in the fall.

"Tony needs to be more consistent," Craig said. "Tony's a kid that had the physical ability to be a great player, be an NFL player, just have to be consistent on every play. Tony can come out and look like a first-round pick on one snap, and the next, he looks like he's an undrafted free agent. I've never really coached a kid with that big of a dip."

Next Wave

Burton (6-foot-2, 201 pounds, redshirt freshman) surprised many with his A-Day performance (seven receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown).

After redshirting last season, he could challenge Stevens for reps this fall.

"He's been patient, and the moment wasn't too big for him (on A-Day), and that's what I was proud of," Craig said. "It was just a matter of him maturing, having a better understanding the offense, letting the game slow down a little bit more for him and I think he'll be a special player."

Summer Arrivals

Darius Slayton (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) is expected to be the next Coates with a combination of size and speed. With so many unproven players after Williams, it's not implausible to think Slayton could see the field this season.

Quotable

"We need guys to fill in and complement (Williams), take some pressure off him going into the season where people can't key on him. All those guys are great receivers. We have a quarterback now that's more of a passer than a runner and we're going to be able to stretch the field a little bit more." — Dameyune Craig