• CB Walt McFadden, Sr., 6-0, 176
• CB Neiko Thorpe, So., 6-2, 182
• S Zac Etheridge, Jr., 6-0, 204
• S Mike McNeil, Jr., 6-2, 205
• CB Aairon Savage, Sr., 5-11, 173

• S Mike Slade, So., 6-3, 191
• S Drew Cole, So., 5-11, 192
• S Christian Thompson, So., 6-1, 200
• CB T'Sharvan Bell, rFr., 6-0, 177
• CB D'Antoine Hood, So., 5-10, 191
• DB Jeremy Flowers, So., 5-10, 205

• DB Landry Bodie, Sr., 5-9, 189
• DB Matthew Sample, Fr., 6-2, 190
• DB Deante Lewis, So., 6-1, 176
• DB Brandon Evans, rFr., 5-10, 190

Jerraud Powers' decision to enter the NFL Draft might not be the blow everybody thought it would be. The secondary is undoubtedly the deepest position Auburn has on the defense, with three starters returning from last year, another player who nearly started before injuring his knee in two-a-days (Savage) and a former nickelback who is coming into his own (Thorpe). Despite injuries that kept both Etheridge (shoulder) and McNeil (broken leg) out for part of spring drills, Auburn has plenty of bodies to take their place, with three sophomore safeties eager to get their shot. The Tigers had so much depth, in fact, that safety Marcus Jemison moved to linebacker and cornerback Harry Adams moved to wide receiver, which tells me the coaches are very comfortable with this group.

From all accounts, McFadden and Thorpe had a great spring. McFadden played second fiddle to Powers last season but emerged by the end of the year as a durable corner who you could rely on in one-on-one coverage. Thorpe (who fans of "The Wire" might notice looks exactly like Dukie from seasons 4 and 5) was so good this spring that he seemingly locked down the other starting corner spot, leaving Auburn with few questions about its cover corners. While injuries are never good, it did give the coaching staff a long, hard look at Slade, Cole and Thompson, who stepped in for McNeil and Etheridge. All got valuable experience this spring, which should come in handy when the bullets actually start flying in the fall. Also, Savage, although limited in the spring, is back on the field. Anytime you can add someone with that experience level to the mix, it's a positive.

The injuries are disconcerting. McNeil's broken leg isn't supposed to keep him out for more than two months, but you can never tell how somebody comes back from something like that. Etheridge and Savage were kept out of most contact drills this spring because of their injuries, so they didn't benefit from the drills as much as everyone else. But with their experience, that's not necessarily the worst thing in the world.

Auburn has four defensive backs joining the team this fall, provided Mississippi Gulf Coast CC transfer Demond Washington starts out on offense, as is expected. Reggie Taylor and Taikwon Paige are both four-star recruits, but they'll find a hard time breaking into the rotation just because the Tigers are deep at the position. Safeties Daren Bates and Izauea Lanier struck me as project players who have some work to do before they would get any time on the field. The good news is that Auburn has enough depth that nobody has to step in and compete immediately, one of the rare positions where that is the case.

Thorpe, to me, has all the makings of a future All-SEC cornerback. He's got a nice frame (6-2, 182), he's fast and, as evidenced by his ample playing time as a true freshman, doesn't appear to be overwhelmed by any situation. He had 29 tackles, two interceptions that he returned for 101 yards and four pass break-ups last year in sporadic playing time. And that was as a true freshman. Not too many players come in and do that right away.

With the starting spots pretty well locked down and Savage as the wild card who could steal some reps or be the fifth man in on the nickel, the real competition is in the reserves. Slade, Cole and Thompson all drew praise from safeties coach Tommy Thigpen this spring. Slade has had a year of learning the position after moving from corner. Cole, although slight in stature, will stick his head into any play. And Thompson, in addition to having a body that seems like it's best suited to play safety, is the best tackler of the three. At corner, Bell and Hood have both made progress. Bell, a converted quarterback, got a little more mention from cornerbacks coach Phillip Lolley, who is quick to compliment anybody in his stable of corners who is doing well.

"He always knew he was athletic. He’s always had tremendous confidence. Now, he’s feeling the next part of the game. He’s getting smart with the game. They tried him on what I call a hesitation-and-go, stutter-and-go, one time. Immediately his eyes (lit up) and he flipped his body, he turned and ran to a point on the field and cut the guy off. Like I tell him, there’s a reason for that. You know they’re going to come back short on you thinking now he’s scared to bite on anything. The very next play they threw one short in front of him and he causes a fumble. That’s the mark of a guy starting to mature a little bit."

— Lolley on Thorpe

3 — interceptions last year by linebacker Josh Bynes, most on the team. McFadden, Powers and Thorpe each had two.

Finally, a position Gene Chizik and Co. don't have to worry about getting the numbers up. The Tigers seem to have a solid starting lineup already in place, with Savage as an option to start or come in as a key reserve. Behind them, there's plenty to work with, so you won't see any iron man action out there this season. All in all, one of Auburn's most solid groups.