Bad news for Auburn Tigers fans on the eve of their Citrus Bowl showdown with the Northwestern Wildcats. According to Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Auburn’s prominent cornerback Roger McCreary will not be available to play tomorrow.
A junior, McCreary totaled 45 tackles, seven tackles for defeat, six pass separations and three interceptions in 10 games this season. He was a former three-star recruit for 247Sports in Mobile, Alabama.
In early December, Auburn Undercover talked to Dane Brugler, an NFL Draft analyst for The Athletic. Brugler thinks McCreary could make the leap to the NFL after this season, if he so wishes.
“I can see him doing that (jumping to the NFL now),” said Brugler. “He is the most intriguing of that group (Auburn), in my opinion.”
At 1.8 meters and under 190 pounds, McCreary lacks an elite frame for defensive defense. But what it lacks in size it covers – literally – with its speed and technique.
“He’s a good muscle contraction athlete,” said Brugler. “I love how disciplined he is in his posture. He relies on his speed, so he will press and load the receivers vertically; sometimes it will be performing the routes better than the receiver. So from what I’ve seen of McCreary so far, I’m really intrigued as to what he can be at the next level. “
McCreary almost secured a draft selection on the second or third day with his strong showing in 2020, and as Brugler said, an early departure from Auburn to enjoy his performances would not be a shock. The junior can still improve in some areas, although he has most boxes checked for a future NFL cornerback.
“I think he needs to get a little better with his field trigger as a race defender,” said Brugler, “being a little bit more consistent in that area with reading your keys and classifying what’s ahead of you in the game. running .
“But his ability to be an athlete and have some natural covering skills for him, that’s what is great for me.”