The Auburn football fanbase is fired up about the 2024 Auburn freshmen receivers. After today’s scrimmage, each Tigers fan has reason to be!
After today’s scrimmage, there’s little doubt that any one of Bryce Cain , Perry Thompson , Malcolm Simmons , and Cam Coleman could make an impact this season. In fact, each one of them will likely play a key role at multiple points during Auburn’s 2024 football schedule .
Seeing these young men compete during Auburn’s fall camp and especially during today’s open practice, here are a few points about what each receiver does well and how they fit into the offense.
Bryce Cain : The slot receiver looks as comfortable as many of the upperclassmen; no fear. Once he catches the football, Cain is cat-quick and just as elusive now as he was in high school for Mobile (Ala.) Baker.
Projection : Cain will be a fixture in Auburn’s rotation for at least part of this season. Yes, Auburn has Robert Lewis and Sam Jackson as key players there, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith is coming in from Penn State who could also play some in the slot. One way or another, Cain will still find his way to the field. Look for Cain to have a few highlight plays and earn significant playing time.
Perry Thompson : If there’s ever a young man that catches one’s eye with the natural size and physical presence of a dominant receiver, Thompson would likely come to mind. Showing his quickness and lateral ability today, he’s also a difficult receiver to slow down before and after the catch.
Projection : He could play flanker and the boundary position so it will be interesting to see where and how often Hugh Freeze decides to place Thompson in the lineup. He’s a summer enrollee so he’s not quite as caught up with the offense as Coleman and Cain. Auburn fans should still expect to see this graceful athlete making an impact this fall. He might even be one of the better red zone targets for Payton Thorne before 2024 concludes.
Malcolm Simmons : Talk about a tremendous day of practice! He has the wow moment with a ricochet touchdown catch and a seam pass touchdown reception that went 71 yards. Two things about Simmons today that also embody what’s included in his high school film. They are speed and competitiveness. Simmons has both in bunches.
Projection : He’s further along than many people likely knew. Today opens some eyes and the earlier practices also give credence to that notion. Like with Thompson, Simmons could play multiple positions to find ways into the lineup. He’s too good to sit on the bench.
Cam Coleman : One of the nation’s top overall recruits, Coleman’s first full spring practice showcases his talent. He makes one-handed grabs look easy and runs by defenders two and three years older than him. Fall camp is more of the same. Coleman’s size, arm length, leaping ability, speed, and hand-eye coordination are going to be a problem for college defenses. He should be a starter as a true freshman.
Projection : Coleman will contend for the team lead in receptions. It might sound outlandish for an 18-year-old young man to do that with an SEC team, but Coleman is as humble as he is talented. He works at his craft and wants to become a true impact player this season. In fact, he’s a top candidate to earn SEC Freshman Of The Year.
This is a talented and hungry group of Auburn freshmen receivers. Look for them to have plenty of big plays for the Tigers in 2024.
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