As the summer continues, more and more publications are beginning to reveal their preseason rankings. Pro Football Focus is the latest to do so ($), using its unique formulas to compile rankings.
Pro Football Focus uses a metric called “ELO”, which meshes grades for each team’s offensive, defensive, and special teams output. Auburn’s grades place them at No. 40 to begin the season.
To prove just how deep and talented the SEC is, Auburn has 12 teams within the conference ahead of them despite their No. 40 ranking. Auburn only ranks ahead of Vanderbilt in the ELO rankings, who comes in at No. 84.
The Tigers have a lot of questions to answer ahead of the 2023 season, as most units on both sides of the football enter the program as transfers. Looking at Auburn’s top returning players, seven of the top ten highest-graded offensive players are transfers while four of the top ten highest-graded defensive players are transfers.
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When it comes to top units that will feature the most “homegrown” players this season for Auburn, look at running back and defensive back. Running backs [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] and [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] return to the gridiron this season, while the defensive backfield welcomes back [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag], and [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag].
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