Despite what last week’s Auburn Football graphics say, the path to the draft does not currently begin on the Plains. At least not yet.
Last week, only one Auburn player heard his name called in the 2022 NFL Draft, as the Tennessee Titans picked Roger McCreary 35th overall. Like Zakoby McClain and Smoke Monday, others waited for all 262 picks without a phone call from a team telling them that they had been drafted.
It was somewhat of a shock for Auburn fans, but in reality, it probably should not have been. There are many reasons why the draft played out the way it did.
First, a few of Auburn’s players in this draft did not have the desired “measurables” that NFL teams seek. Tackle machine Zakoby McClain was likely held back by his size at 5’11” 228 lbs. Edge rusher TD Moultry lacks ideal arm length to fight off NFL-level tackles with 32.4-inch arms. Even Roger McCreary had to overcome his lack of arm length as well, measuring in the 0th percentile with 29.4-inch arms.
Secondly, Auburn did have several draft-eligible players return to the team for another season. Outside linebacker/edge rusher Derick Hall opted to return to school for another year rather than enter the 2022 NFL Draft. Defensive lineman Colby Wooden returns for another year this fall and will get to overlap his time at Auburn with his brother for a final season. Edge Rusher Eku Leota is also bringing his nonstop motor back to the Plains for another season.
Tight End John Samuel Shenker elected to come back, along with wide receiver Shedrick Jackson. Offensive guard Brandon Council spearheaded the effort to return the majority of the draft-eligible offensive linemen. Counting himself, four offensive linemen return for the 2022 squad that could have pursued opportunities in the NFL.
Having only one player drafted is an indictment on the previous coaching staff. If anything, the Malzahn-era recruiting has been exposed as somewhat of a paper tiger along the offensive line. There have been just three Malzahn-era recruits that have been drafted along the offensive line, and only one of those has been an actual high school offensive line recruit, Braden Smith.
The other two were high school defensive end turned offensive tackle Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. and Mass transfer Jack Driscoll. That is simply not enough for a top-15 program like Auburn.
In the same span from the 2018 NFL Draft (the year that Braden Smith was drafted) to now, in-state rival Alabama has produced eight NFL Draft picks along the offensive line. Auburn’s other rival Georgia has produced 9 NFL draft picks on the offensive line in the same period.
Auburn fell short on the offensive line in a conference where the trenches win games, and the effects reverberated around the offense, especially at quarterback. Under Malzahn, Auburn signed 11 quarterbacks, six of which were “blue chippers” (4- or 5-stars). Just one of these quarterbacks would get drafted in the NFL Draft, which was Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham.
There is a cause for some hope, however. Players like Tank Bigsby, Derick Hall, Colby Wooden, Owen Pappoe and several others will likely enter the draft next year and be selected. Auburn has a chance to bounce back significantly with 5+ selections next year.
And, boy, does Auburn need to bounce back. The Tigers’ two biggest rivals just set the single-season record for draft picks (Georgia – 15) and the record for most picks on any college roster (2017 Alabama – 39 draft picks). Auburn must climb back into the discussion through recruiting, development and draft picks.
It is undoubtedly a concern that Auburn only produced a single draft pick. However, it is not the end of the world as some have portrayed. Although, it should echo around the Auburn facility as a warning because the two biggest rivals of this Auburn program are elevating to incredible new heights of producing NFL talent. The time is now. Auburn has to pick itself off the mat and claw back into the picture with some of its SEC foes.