Auburn roster updates

[tigershark635]

(Let's try this again...)

Scout(dot)com posted a depth chart for Auburn's upcoming season this afternoon. It's probably not 100% accurate, but it's believable. It's a good start for the proper roster for purposes of this game. (And if you want to make quicker changes, just use it instead of what I'm posting here, though beware that it lists very few of our most important freshmen and EA got that wrong in a lot of places...)

For ratings suggestions, I'm just using what I've seen over the past three years (if they're already here), plus what I've seen about these players on recruiting sites-mainly Rivals, Scout and ESPN/Auburn Undercover. They are subjective and often conflicting so you can disregard them or disagree as you like. I really just want some/most of these changes to be taken into account by people who are trying to do accurate rosters.

Anyway, the default roster for AU is kind of a mess. Here are my suggestions (apparently I have a lot so I'll just post offense first). Keep in mind a few important players aren't on the default roster, and thus you might want to move certain ones to put the missing guys in the game...

Wide Receiver: I'm going to start here because it's a huge mess.
-Worst mistake: Quindarius Carr (#9, 6-1, 190lbs, redshirt junior) is not there. He will definitely figure into the rotation...weird that he isn't here b/c last year's game had him rated pretty highly-81 overall, 95 speed. I would give him something similar for this year, maybe more like 82-84 ovr with similar/a little less speed, 80s acceleration. He's fast but not *that* fast...

-DeAngelo Benton (#3, 6-2, ~200, soph) is also not there. He shouldn't be that highly rated as he's never really achieved his potential (remember he was once a 5-star recruit for LSU, twice). Should probably be rated high 70s with average speed. Will figure into the back end of our WR rotation.

-Jeremy Richardson (listed as #87, freshman) did not qualify and is going JUCO. I would replace him with Antonio Goodwin (also freshman, 6-2, 180). Scout.com lists speed as a strength and route running as a weakness for him. He was a well regarded 4 star recruit, so mid-high 70s ovr should work for him

-Trovon Reed (on here as #1, fr) -have not seen him play, he's a recruit, but he should get playing time despite not being on the depth chart I posted. He was a 4/5 star recruit so his rating could be higher than 76 overall though

-Darvin Adams (89), Terrell Zachery (81), Emory Blake (80), Travante Stallworth (85) seem to be about right.
You could add Shaun Kitchens, (6-3, 210) as a freshman WR, but he was recruited as an athlete and I don't know where he's going. He could also be a linebacker. Runs a 4.5-4.7 40

Depth chart should go something like Adams/Zachery/Carr/Blake/Burns/Stallworth/any combination of said freshmen.
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Quarterback
Pretty much spot on. Starter Cameron Newton (#2, junior) could stand to be a tiny bit better/a bit more accurate as his ratings remind me too much of Kodi Burns (who as far as I know has never completed much more than 50% of his passes, and that's being nice), but it's about right.
-Barrett Trotter (#14, redshirt soph.) - I kinda doubt he'll ever see the field, and given how poorly he's rated here you could change that player into someone more important who is not on the roster. Up to you.
-Neil Caudle (#19/senior) and Clint Moseley (#15/fr.) look right. Depth chart goes Newton/Caudle/Burns or Moseley.
***Kodi Burns should also be a formation sub in the wildcat, if you care that much about it***
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Tight End/Fullback
Also about right. Phillip Lutzenkirchen (#43, sophomore) is accurate, as is Robert Cooper (#16, 6-4/210, fr.) Lutz should be on the depth chart as a TE with Eric Smith (on here as starting FB) in the #2 position here, with Cooper as 3rd. Cooper could also be listed as a backup FB.
-Brandon Moseley (#46, 6-6/290, jr) is probably moving to RT, should be a backup, rated about low-mid 70s there. His number should also be changed to 75.
The depth chart I posted combines these as H-back, which is about right for our system, hence why players here are mostly interchangeable.
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Offensive Line
Here it gets messy again.
-Left Tackle: Lee Ziemba (#91, sr) is the obvious starter here. His backup should be AJ Greene (no not that one, should be a junior, 6-5/280.) Don't use the existing #77, that's Shon Coleman, who has no number I know of yet...he's undergoing cancer treatment and isnt playing football now but I'd leave him on there as he could very well come back and have a great career, though he's not guaranteed to return. (Keep him in your prayers!)
Anyway...Left Guard: Byron Isom (#57), another obvious starter; behind him is #79 Jared Cooper (move him from LT; he's also a backup at center). #71 (John Sullen, soph) is another backup guard, you can leave him as is.
-Center: Ryan Pugh is the starter, and his backup here is #53 Bart Eddins.
-Right Guard: Mike Berry is the starter; I've also heard that if Pugh goes down Berry will take the center spot and someone like Eddins or Cooper will move into RG.
Recruits Ed Christian (6-5/280, fr) and Eric Mack (6-3/330, fr) are the two freshmen behind them. They're not that accurate: IRL both are black (one in the game is white)... Mack is a high 4 star recruit who's best at pass blocking (could be 76-79 overall?), while Christian is a 3-4 star (71-75 ovr?) who is more of a run blocker. Christian could also be moved to RT.
-Right Tackle: The aforementioned Shon Coleman (here as #77, fr) should probably be left alone; 79 overall is probably about right for him, he was a 5 star recruit. Like I said he will not play this year though, but he should be kept for dynasty purposes
-Starter is Roszell Gayden, #78/junior, he's about right. His backup should be Brandon Moseley, who should become #75.
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Running Back
Ahh, this is what Auburn football is all about.
-Most notable change is that Dontae Aycock (listed as #28, fr) is no longer on the team-dismissed, then transferred to USF where he's walking on. We don't have any other freshman RB's that need to be added so use that player to become someone who isn't there (Make him a defender...Jessel Curry, Jeff Whiatker, etc etc)
-Depth chart goes Mario Fannin (sr)/Onterio McCalebb (two b's, soph)/Michael Dyer (the other FR, listed as #5). All are fairly accurate, though McCalebb is known for speed (and being small and fragile) so low 80s speed might not suit him despite the acceleration.
-Possible sleeper is Ladarious Phillips, who's listed as that freshman backup FB (#37). Yes he is that heavy (6-1/275) and is a RB. Not highly thought of by recruiting services, so the low rating is probably justified, but if you want him trolling around in Dynasty you could make him mid-60s overall just for laughs.

I'll post the defensive changes later, there are a lot of them. Hope this helps/isn't a tl;dr thread

[tigershark635]

Defense...

Defensive Line
Defensive End: Starting LE is #45, Antoine Carter (sr). His backup at LE is #49 Michael Goggans, also a senior. Their ratings are about right but they should both be at left end.
Starting RE is #94 Nosa Eguae, RS fr. at 85 ovr he's highly rated for someone who hasn't played and was only a 3-4 star recruit, but he has impressed in practice/spring and the rating is probably right. His backup should be #95, Dee Ford (6-4/230, soph). Use RE#92 in the game for him. He's a pass rushing DE with good speed and quickness, but should be rated lower on power/finesse moves. 80-82 overall with around 80 speed/86 acc (as #92 in the game) is appropriate. His skin should also be changed from light to dark.
Recruits: RE#55 should be Corey Lemonier (6-5/225, fr). 5 star recruit, 4.8 40 but quick; should be pushing 80 ovr but will likely redshirt. Important for dynasty purposes.
The other "freshman" DE, #13, should be Joel Bonomolo (6-3/245, jr). JUCO transfer who just qualified, could get playing time. His ratings are about right as they are, but he should be high 70s ovr

Defensive Tackle: The ratings for Mike Blanc (93), Zach Clayton (98) and Nick Fairley (90) are accurate.
Recruits: #95 should be Jeffrey Whitaker (6-4/315, fr). High 4 star recruit, his rating could be higher, like 76-80 ovr. Run stopper, slow, good moves/block shedding
#70 should be Jamar Travis (6-1/286, soph.) Quick for a DT, balanced/maybe more of a pass rusher, should be 78-82 ovr
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Linebackers
Middle Linebacker: Starter is #17 Josh Bynes, whose 85 ovr is good but he's 1st team preseason All-SEC, meaning he could stand to be rated more highly.
Behind him are the freshmen: Harris Gaston (#58, RS fr, 6-3/235), who is in the game, and true freshmen Jessel Curry (#33, 6-1/220) and Jake Holland (6-1/230), who runs a 4.6 40 and whose stock rose quite a bit before he signed. If you have to pick which one to add (using the existing MLB#5), it should probably be Holland. The ratings are about right for him.

Outside LB: Craig Stevens (LOLB #46, sr) is 2nd team All SEC, so his 80 ovr should definitely be higher. 95 tackles last season as well.
On the other side Eltoro Freeman (#21, 5-11/220 jr) will be challenged by Daren Bates (#25, 5-11/200, soph) who moves over from safety where he performed very well as a true freshman. I would actually expect Bates to be named the starter here. He should be around 80 ovr
-Jonathan Evans (#35, soph) is next on the depth chart. Behind him are the freshmen...most important are LaDarius Owens (6-3/235), who seems to be there as ROLB#12. Could be a little higher overall though; and Craig Sanders (#13, 6-4/235) who could also be a DE. 4.6 40.
You could put Shaun Kitchens here as well. Frankly he'd probably be better off at linebacker but he is listed as a WR on one page.
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Corner
Starting corners are Neiko Thorpe (#15), whose ratings are accurate (also 2nd team All SEC) and Demond Washington (#14), who played very well last year in several positions. He should be rated in the mid 80s with versatility, and he ran a 40 under 4.3 seconds out of junior college last year so his 93 speed/86 acc should be higher.
-Nickel back is T'Sharvan Bell (#22, 6-1/180, RS soph). He's not in the game as far as I can see. 4.4 40, good man coverage skills, 78-80 overall.
After him is Drew Cole (#20, 5-11/193, jr), about right.
Recruits: Jonathan Mincy (5-10/165, fr) should be there; "CB#30" looks like him. I would also add Chris Davis or Ryan White (who have similar tendencies-4.4/4.5 40, both about 5-11/180), both were 3 stars and would probably be mid-low 70s ovr.
CB's #16 and #48 should probably be turned into other players elsewhere. One of those is probably D'Antoine Hood who just left the team.
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Safety
Zac Etheridge (#4, sr) should reclaim his starting job after being cleared to play today (!!). He should be rated in the mid-80s, could challenge for All-SEC honors if he stays healthy. The other safety spot will be contested by Mike McNeil (#26, jr), who's rated accurately, and Aairon Savage (#2, 6th year senior) who's coming back from a knee injury. He may be slightly overrated at 89 overall, but he could also play corner, leaving McNeil and Etheridge as the starting safeties.
-Backups here are Drew Cole (#20, listed as a CB) and Mike Slade (#11, jr, in the game). Aside from the third man out of Etheridge/Savage/McNeil, other players who could be backups here are T'Sharvan Bell and Daren Bates.
-FS#24 and SS#22 on the default roster are replaceable. One of them should become Demetruce McNeal (6-1/180, fr) who runs a 4.6 40 and was a three star recruit. Low 70s ovr. The other can fill in a blank elsewhere
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Kicker/Punter
-Starting kicker is Wes Byrum (#18), he's about right--had a great season last year after a crappy 2008. His kick power may be a little high at 93, he's more accurate than powerful. His backup is actually important, true freshman Cody Parkey who some had as the #1 kicker recruit in the country. He should be 76-80 overall
-Starting punter is #21 Ryan Shoemaker, a redshirt senior. Should be 80-84 overall, he lost his job to Clint Durst the past two years for a reason. His backup is another true freshman, Steven Clark, who was also highly regarded as a recruit. Clark should probably be mid 70s overall. Neither one of them will play this year probably but they're important for dynasty IMO

Other players I haven't mentioned but who could be added:
-Kenneth Carter (6-5/270, fr), 4 star DT recruit. 4.9 40. Should probably be in there
-Justin Delaine (6-5/230, fr), 2-3 star DE, supposed sleeper, 4.6 40.
There are a few other backup OL I didn't mention as well, but not sure if they're that important or if they would even fit. Josh Harris (jr), John Sullen (soph)...both would be high 60s/low 70s

[WDE66]

I've heard the 3rd receiver spot is between Benton, Burns, and Blake. And to be technical, Philip Pierre-Louis is missing. Brandon Mosley is probably gonna start at right tackle, or so the spring report says. Also, Dakota Mosley is missing at tight end. I like Reed on here but Goodwin is way too slow. And yeah, Richardson went to JUCO, I always turn him into Shaun Kitchens. And the end #92 is Bonomolo. #13 is Craig Sanders. Dee Ford is missing. I was flustered. And the secondary is all messed up. I wonder if every team is as screwed up as Auburn :P