Top pass rusher still to be determined

ANNISTON -- As Ellis Johnson puts the pieces of his defense together, he knows there is one void that stands out more than any other: pass rushing defense end

Dee Ford, Auburn's leader in sacks each of the past two seasons, is off to the NFL as a likely late first-round or early second-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Johnson could not identify who will be the heir apparent to Ford during spring practice, with his defensive line ravaged by injuries.

"We feel good about the guys we've got; we just didn't get the amount of work this spring that we wish we would've gotten," Johnson said during a speaking event at the Calhoun Cleburne County Auburn Club Friday night. "(We) did not get work into the real pass rush stuff to know who's going to replace Dee Ford."

Johnson was bothered by the bevy of nagging injuries the Tigers defense had to deal with in the spring, with 12 players out for at least some practice time, including six on the defensive line.

The candidates for top pass rusher in the fall presumably begin with Carl Lawson, who leads returning players with four sacks last season. Lawson missed last week's A-Day game due to precautionary issues.

"Dee was extremely good off the edge. Carl is a more complete player," Johnson said. "Good on first down, physical guy, still developing his pass-rush skills."

At least so far, Lawson has not been making any proclamations.

Asked if he could match Ford's production, the Milton, Ga., native said "I just want to be able to make plays for my team, pass or run."

Fellow sophomore-to-be Elijah Daniel, who will line up opposite Lawson, was hampered with a groin injury and missed a chance to significantly improve in the spring. Daniel, who like Lawson was an Under Armour All-American, had 21/2sacks last season and will be expected to pick up in production in the fall.

"Elijah's going to be a big, strong, physical end," Johnson said. "We really wanted him to get spring practice. He's one of those guys who could have benefited."

With some many guys out due to injury, including LaDarius Owens, Daniel, Lawson, JaBrian Niles, Tyler Nero and Keymiya Harrell, there was more talk of the "rhinos" —Gabe Wright and Montravius Adams, than about the pass rushing "rabbits."

The void in pass rush is more extreme than a year ago, when Ford was the only proven commodity returning.

Ford almost single-handedly made up the difference to account for the loss of Corey Lemonier and Auburn was able to increase its sack production from 22 to 32, in two more games, compared to 2012.

This year, it won't be so easy to replace Ford's 101/2sacks, which ranked 10th nationally at a rate of .88 per game.

"We know we got to replace Dee Ford's pass rush," Johnson said. "Other than that, the losses we sustained were not anything we can't replace."