Five Auburn Tigers make Preseason All-SEC teams

No Tiger was higher than third-team All-SEC.

Author:
Lance Dawe
Publish date:
Jul 21, 2023 7:27 PM EDT

In this story:

Five Auburn Tigers landed on Preseason All-SEC teams. The media voted on the All-SEC teams at SEC Media Days in Nashville, Tennessee this week.

No Tiger was higher than third-team All-SEC.

Jarquez Hunter (Third-team)

22 – 10/15/22; Oxford, MS, USA; Jarquez Hunter (27) carries ball Auburn vs Ole Miss — Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

Hunter took a dip in YPC as his freshman season progressed, but he broke out this past season with three hundred-yard performances over the final three games of the year - including two huge games against Texas A&M and Alabama.

His blend of power and explosiveness has provided Auburn with a fun compliment to star tailback Tank Bigsby - but now that Bigsby is gone, is Hunter ready to carry the load in the backfield?

READ: Hugh Freeze says Jarquez Hunter is 'the best running back I've ever coached'

All signs point towards yes, and there's reason to believe that OC Philip Montgomery and HC Hugh Freeze will be excited about using him. Hunter has also proven to be the best pass-catcher out of the backfield over the past couple of seasons.

Although, there may be someone on the depth chart that could potentially take those passing snaps away from Hunter.

Fans should be excited about Hunter's return and should expect him to continue to improve upon the standard that he has set as an explosive, shifty back that's hard to bring down.

DJ James (Third-team)

James, a transfer corner from Oregon, was lockdown for the Tigers last season, and his Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade proves that statement.

James has the third-best returning PFF grade in the SEC with an 82.3.

He's one of the best cornerbacks in the league and should be higher on this list.

Nehemiah Pritchett (Third-team)

Nehemiah Pritchett makes a tackle vs Texas A&M. — Eric Starling/Auburn Daily

Pritchett will complete James as the opposite corner in Ron Roberts' 4-2-5 defense. He has 93 tackles and two interceptions in his four seasons as an Auburn Tiger.

The secondary should be elite in 2023, with Pritchett and DJ James forming one of the best one-two punches in the country.

Oscar Chapman (Third-team)

Oscar Chapman (91) punts the ball during the football game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn, AL on Saturday, Nov 12, 2022. Todd Van Emst/Auburn Tigers — Todd Van Emst/Auburn Tigers

Chapman was fifth in the SEC in punting average last season and enters this year as one of the conference's best. He's already eighth in total punting yards in Auburn football history. He's sixth all-time in average.

Alex McPherson (Third-team)

McPherson logged stats in three games as a true freshman, putting up six field goals out of seven attempts, earning him an 85.71 FG percentage, hurling a 51-yard field goal as his longest for the 2022 season. This young man looks to be off to an already impressive start as a freshman and looks to have a promising career as an Auburn Tiger. It is for these reasons that I would place my wagers on Alex McPherson being a break out freshman special teams performer for Auburn football during the upcoming 2023 season.