Three Players to watch at Auburn's A-Day game

There are several names worth paying attention to at Auburn's A-Day game.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne (1) during practice at Woltosz Football Performance Center / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Auburn fans will get to see the latest version of the 2024 Auburn football team this Saturday at Jordan Hare Stadium.

With festivities happening on campus for most of the day, Auburn's public practice and scrimmage will start at 1pm CT inside the stadium. There will be several storylines to track and players to watch but here are three that I will be spending extra time focusing on.

Sylvester Smith

Auburn fans will see a brand new defensive back room after DJ James, Jaylin Simpson, and Nehemiah Pritchett all are aiming to be playing on Sundays this upcoming season. At the safety position, there seems to be a battle happening between Smith and Texas transfer Jerrin Thompson.

I've heard great reviews all camp about Smith. He's rangy and can cover ground well. I've also been told that he is able to play the ball while it's in the air. The red shirt freshman has made a case to see the field early in his Auburn career.

Jalen McLeod

I think you could make the case that McLeod is the most important player on Auburn's roster this year. Pass rush is going to be a question asked about this defense until they prove it on the field in 2024. McLeod however, is expected to be a problem for opposing offenses. Reports coming out of camp have described McLeod as "elite" or "unblockable" at times this spring.

Looking forward to see his game on Saturday.

Payton Thorne

Hugh Freeze said that Thorne is expected to be Auburn's quarterback going into fall camp. He appears to be the best passer by a decent amount when the media has been able to watch practice. A solid A-Day performance by Throne could go a long way with the fanbase this Saturday.

Obviously, Auburn fans are excited to see some of these new wide receivers like Cam Coleman, Bryce Cain, and Robert Lewis. If Throne can get them the ball and let these new potential playmakers do some electric things in space, it could fire up the fanbase heading into the summer.