That's something the Tigers lacked in 2015 after two seasons of Marshall's heroics. It wasn't anything major, and he's been getting high praise from coaches. If Neal takes over the middle linebacker spot with his experience, look for Williams to bounce to the strong side and claim the No. The Tigers are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 7-6 campaign in a big way with a good mix of returning starters and exciting new talent. Elijah Holyfield, son of boxing legend Evander Holyfield, is Auburn's top running back target in the 2016 class. JUCO transfer Paul James III and the raw Prince Tega Wanogho will provide depth. But the Tigers have shown themselves to be capable of quite a few surprises under head coach Gus Malzahn, and his new-look staff will be looking to turn around the momentum in Jordan-Hare Stadium after falling short of high expectations. AUBURN, Ala. — It's approaching full-blown preview time in the college football offseason calendar. He's never averaged more than 10 yards per reception in a single season with the Tigers, but his impact on the game is valuable. At punter, Kevin Phillips returns as a starter. The traditional print preview magazines are starting to hit the newsstands, and more online outlets are pushing out 2016 predictions as the long summer months continue. 2 linebacker spot whenever the Tigers line up in a 4-2-5 look. Let's take a position-by-position look at this Tigers roster, focusing on the starters, the key reserves and the next generation of talent Auburn fans everywhere will be talking about this fall. For the third time in four years as Auburn's head coach, Gus Malzahn has a quarterback battle on his hands. Senior Tony Stevens has the physical tools at 6'4" to be a top-notch vertical threat, but he's only had 20 receptions in three seasons. Austin Golson replaced four-year starter Reese Dismukes at center last season, but he finished spring camp at the all-important left tackle position formerly held by the departed Shon Coleman. Ian Shannon, a redshirt freshman, can play both kicker and punter, and he will be the next in line if anything happens to the two starters. Auburn's Tim Horton has been recruiting him harder than any coach, but Alabama is also in pursuit. Ricardo Louis and Melvin Ray, the top two receivers in terms of yardage last season for the Tigers, are gone. Even with so much production from last season gone, I'm not overly concerned. McBryde is the top name to watch there, as he was a consistent second-teamer during spring practices. As proof, I present to you this wheel route against Arkansas and this run during A-Day. Senior receiver Marcus Davis signaled out sophomore Ryan Davis and redshirt freshman Darius Slayton as the ones to watch this fall. James still has a shot there, along with second-stringer Tyler Carr, who got key backup reps in spring practices. When he's on his game, Kozan is one of the best interior linemen in the SEC. GAME PREVIEW AND OPEN THREAD: #8 Auburn vs #23 Kentucky, 2016 Position Previews: Tight End/H-Backs. At kick returner, Rudy Ford and Kerryon Johnson are back to reclaim their starting spots from a season ago, with Kyle Davis and Stanton Truitt getting most of the reps behind them in practices. Kamryn Pettway is big, strong, and he runs angry. With a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, per 247Sports, Ford has plenty of speed to burn and a sure tackling ability, making him a valuable weapon as the fifth defensive back on the field. Buie is ranked as a three-star prospect and the nation's No. Elijah Holyfield (5-foot-11, 200 pounds | Atlanta, Ga.), The son of boxing legend Evander Holyfield is becoming a hot commodity in the 2016 cycle, and Auburn is right in the thick of things. According to Malzahn, Davis "does a lot of dirty work that helps the team be successful.". But, unlike the one that crowned Jeremy Johnson as the starting signal-caller in 2015, this one will extend into fall camp—similar to the 2013 battle won by Nick Marshall. With the first Game Week approaching, we're finally digging into the position groups to preview the 2016 Auburn Tigers. Williams' spot in 2016 in the starting lineup is secure, but it's unclear if he'll be on the inside or the outside.