Auburn Freshman Making Most of Opportunity on Offensive Line

In the absense of a key center, the Auburn Tigers have seen a freshman step up to aid the team in the trenches

The Auburn Tigers have gotten the most out of Kail Ellis so far | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

In his first collegiate start for the Auburn Tigers, true freshman center Kail Ellis exceeded expectations and earned a measure of respect. Replacing standout pivot Connor Lew isn't a regular occurrence. Yet, facing a massive Arkansas defensive interior, Ellis performed like a seasoned veteran, not a 17-year-old freshman. 

Replacing stalwart Connor Lew, lost to a season-ending injury, is no small task. Ellis helped Auburn to a 33-24 win over Arkansas. With Kentucky on the horizon, you can see the budding potential of a player who truly contributed to an offensive effort that started rough, improved, and managed to put the home team away. 

“It’s huge having that trust from the coaches to go in and compete. It’s very valuable. For the long run, it’s going to help me tremendously. That’s going to be huge for my future to keep pressing on with my teammates.”

Ellis said that after spring practice, you can never overrate the contribution of a center to stepping in, making line calls, and shifts. 

Monumental Task

Ian Geffrard, the Arkansas nose tackle at six-foot-five and 390 pounds, occupies the middle of the line. His lone goal is to stand there and clog up rush lanes with his mass and power. Yet, Ellis, occasionally with help, but also alone, helped move the defender, clearing spots and space for the run game.

While most nose tackles weigh less, their jobs will be the same. A center must be made up of equal parts: brain and brawn. Lew wins with angles and knowing where their hands should be. With a 400-pound bench press, Ellis can use that power against anyone.

Kail Ellis stepped in for an All American center yesterday against Arkansas, and shined.

Kid is gonna be an absolute star pic.twitter.com/SPdkuyIY5y

— Tyler Winfrey 🦅 (@Tylerwinfrey25) October 26, 2025

Next Up

Despite their 2-5 record, Kentucky boasts the 50th-best run defense. That number may not look impressive, but it puts them in the middle of the SEC (131.8 yards per game). Still, as a true freshman, Ellis is not at the point where he can differentiate opponents based on record. On Saturday, he lines up across from nose tackle David Gusta. 

Gusta is a far superior pass rusher than Geffrard, probably because he weighs 72 pounds less and doesn't leave the field on passing downs. As a result, Ellis' anchor will be far different. He will need to sit down (drop his hips) far less to turn quicker if the Wildcats decide to send a blitzer behind Gusta. 

Overview

While fortunate timing on injuries does not exist, Ellis steps in at a perfect time. With Arkansas and Kentucky lacking quality defenses against the run and pass, the freshman can use these snaps to prepare for the difficulty ahead in Vanderbilt, finishing up with Alabama. Can Ellis continue his upward trend?