Auburn Tigers New Weapon on Defense - Amaris Williams

How fast can 5-star freshman Amaris Williams make an impact for the Auburn Tigers?

Auburn Tigers edge coach Josh Aldridge is looking forward to a new weapon in Amaris Williams / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Former 5-star defensive end Amaris Williams enters his freshman year at Auburn with a golden opportunity to earn extensive playing time. When he selected the Auburn Tigers, Williams surprised experts who believed that he would end up somewhere else. He was previously committed to the Florida Gators, and Auburn was in a battle with Ohio State among others for his signature.

However, the blue-chip prospect envisions the Tigers as a launching pad for future success. At the same, the massive amount of work and practice needed before that looms large for the highly-touted freshman. Now, Auburn provides him a chance to thrive within a system that actually favors his style of play. 

Traits

At six-foot-two and 257 pounds, Williams passes the eye test. By the same token, he plays like a classic edge rusher. With a smooth first step. More importantly, the long arms open the door for various moves. 

For example, the swim and long arms immediately jumps to mind. By using reach to keep himself unblocked and clean, Williams gets the corner, forcing the blocker backward and on skates. The long arms, in concert with speed, converts speed to power with authority. 

Williams placed second in the state shot put competition. That signifies much-needed lower body explosion, with the ability to use an effective bull rush. Blessed with elite physical traits, now, he needs to fully develop his rush repertoire.

Competition

Jalen McLeod currently occupies the BUCK edge rusher starting spot. Unlike Williams, McLeod stands roughly six-feet-tall and weighs 225 pounds. He uses burst to overwhelm much slower tackles. Instead of always attempting to stay free of hands, McLeod prefers to initiate contact.

Furthermore, his motor allows for block shedding and lateral/forward pursuit. If the quarterback climbs the pocket, McLeod will make up the distance from behind, trying to dislodge the ball. McLeod will finish his final year at Auburn after transferring from Appalachian State.

The aggression could make Williams's attempts at vulturing snaps difficult. Arkansas State transfer Keyron Crawford looms as another roadblock. Crawford doesn't possess the same explosion as Williams or McLeod. Either way, no one player will command the lion's share of the snaps as a heavy rotation is always expected on the defensive line.

Opportunity

Massive offensive linemen could inhibit McLeod's season. Plus, opponents know and understand that without blitzing linebackers, McLeod serves as Auburn's primary pass rusher. So, he will not see single blocking.

In fact, look for teams to help tackles with tight end/back chips to slow his progress. Auburn's new-look schedule may give young defenders time to mature. They only face five teams who had top-50 offenses last season, but two of those, Oklahoma and Georgia were comfortably in the top 10.

Oklahoma and Georgia roughly 500 yards per game. Granted, Oklahoma lost Dillon Gabriel to Oregon. However, wide receiver Nic Anderson still calls Norman home. If McLeod falters, watch for the coaching staff to give him the quick hook to see if Williams can affect the game. The sky is the limit for Williams athletically. Can he build a go-to skillset that complements his game, in order to see the field?

Auburn’s 2024 Football Schedule 

Sat. Aug. 31 Alabama A&M 6:30 p.m. CT 
Sat. Sept. 7 California 2:30 p.m. CT 
Sat. Sept. 14 New Mexico (HC) 6:30 p.m. CT 
Sat. Sept. 21 Arkansas 
Sat. Sept. 28 Oklahoma 
Sat. Oct. 5at Georgia 
Sat. Oct. 19 at Missouri 
Sat. Oct. 26 at Kentucky 
Sat. Nov. 2 Vanderbilt 
Sat. Nov. 16 Louisiana Monroe 
Sat. Nov. 23 Texas A&M 
Sat. Nov. 30 at Alabama