Depth chart analysis: Left tackle
This is the eighth of a 24-part series that will run up to SEC Media Days detailing Auburn's depth chart heading into the 2014 season. This comes well after the Tigers concluded their 15 spring practices and includes insight from nearly every position coach on the staff.
AUBURN -- The most heated position battle on offense remains at left tackle, where Shon Coleman and Patrick Miller are vying to replace Greg Robinson.
With four returning starters up front and two experienced options to fill the void on the blind side, the coaching staff feels as though they have "six starters" on the offensive line.
Coleman has less game experience but is 20 pounds heavier that Miller and has very long arms. Miller has 14 career starts on the right side, and could still move back there depending on what the coaches decide to do with Avery Young.
Robert Leff got praise from the coaches but is in a crowded and talented group.
The Two-Deep
Shon Coleman (6-foot-6, 310 pounds, sophomore)
OR Patrick Miller (6-foot-7, 289 pounds, junior)
Gus Malzahn's take
"We feel like they could start for a whole lot of teams and we look at them both as starter-type people."
POSITION ANALYSIS: QB | RB | HB | TE | SE | F | SLOT
Starter
Who replaces Robinson was not decided in the spring and the battle should go well into fall camp.
"That's a very difficult thing because obviously we have four returning starters with a guy like Pat Miller who started multiple games, I think he started (14) ball games at Auburn," offensive line coach J.B. Grimes said. "He has really good experience and is a quality player. Then you've got an exceptional athlete like Shon Coleman who I think has great potential. He hasn't done it yet, but he has great potential to be one of those guys."
Coleman got the nod on A-Day and if there's an edge at this point, it appears as though he's got it. What that means for Miller remains to be seen.
The Palm Beach, Florida native could move back to right tackle, where he started the first five games last season, or serve as the first tackle off the bench on either side.
The good news is the Tigers have two very good options, the bad news for the loser of the competition is the decreased reps.
Next Wave
Robert Leff (6-foot-6, 286 pounds, sophomore) has drawn praise from teammates and coaches as a younger guy that is a doing quite well.
"I think Robert Leff has a chance, with time, with a little bit more time, he's got two springs, a fall, under his belt," Grimes said. "He had a really good spring so we've got some guys there, some candidates that can be quality starters but you've also got to have adequate backups. There is such a thing as a less than adequate backup and you don't want to be in that camp. I think we have some guys that can be adequate backups."
If Miller is to move back to the right side, Leff would be the next in line on the left side.
Will Adams (6-foot-7, 296 pounds, sophomore) is expected to help on special teams.
Summer Arrivals
Braden Smith (6-foot-6, 285 pounds) certainly has the size of a tackle but is most likely going to be a guard.
Quotable
"Now it's about us finding a right mesh and how we want to manage that and honestly even on our end, that remains to be seen. ... I feel like Pat and Shon really competed well. I feel like that there's going to be a lot said about Greg leaving but we don't' think there's going to be a huge drop there." – Rhett Lashlee