Quarterback Nick Marshall and center Reese Dismukes were among the players Auburn cannot live without on offense, but what about the defense?
Who are the five most indispensable players on Auburn’s defense this coming season?
DE Carl Lawson: If Lawson were to go down at any point, Auburn would be in good hands with veteran LaDarius Owens on the other side and sophomore Elijah Daniel behind him, but neither has the same talent or freakish ability. Lawson is a man-child. As a freshman, he was second on the team with four sacks, and with Dee Ford gone, it’s now up to Lawson to pick up the slack and get to the quarterback. The defensive line was the strength of the defense a year ago, and it will remain that way this season as long as Lawson stays healthy.
LB Cassanova McKinzy: As a sophomore, McKinzy played in all 14 games and led the team with 75 tackles. He was the model of consistency for a linebacking corps that received its fair share of criticism throughout the season. Now he’s moving to middle linebacker, where he will likely make more of the calls and become more of a leader for this unit. Injuries slowed him down this spring and opened the door for the likes of Kenny Flowers and Cameron Toney, but McKinzy is still Auburn’s best linebacker.
CB Jonathon Mincy: It’s hard to imagine that a cornerback with one interception over the last three years would be considered indispensable, but Mincy is now the veteran at a position where Auburn remains thin. Reinforcements from the 2014 class are expected to arrive at the end of the month, and former wide receiver Trovon Reed looked solid in the spring game, but you can’t teach experience. He’s not going to be Carlos Rogers or Jerraud Powers, but without Mincy, the cornerback position becomes a real question mark for the Tigers.
S Jermaine Whitehead: “The guy that has played day in and day out, play in and play out, and been the rock, the consistent guy, has been Whitehead,” defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said late last season. And looking back, Whitehead didn’t get enough credit for his play. He quietly finished fourth on the team in tackles (65), third in interceptions (2) and third in pass breakups (6), but more importantly, he held together a secondary that saw multiple starters go down. He’ll likely be that rock again this season.
DT Gabe Wright: In April, Wright told ESPN.com that this Auburn defensive line could go down as one of the best, if not the best, in the SEC and the nation. That’s bold considering Ford, the team’s sack leader, has moved on to the NFL. But if there’s any chance of Wright’s prediction coming true, it starts with him. The senior, who was once a coveted recruit, has the talent and athleticism to be special. After a disappointing sophomore season, he showed flashes last year with 8.5 tackles for loss, but he’s yet to put it all together. Will this be the year?