Auburn’s secondary has a new variable just as Week 1 starts to loom: Shamar Arnoux is healthy, and that changes the picture for DJ Durkin.
The former Florida State corner transferred in this offseason with real college experience already on his résumé, and Auburn has spent camp figuring out how he fits into a crowded defensive back room. According to Pro Football Focus, Arnoux logged 345 snaps in the ACC as a freshman, including multiple late-season games with more than 50 snaps.
That kind of game time matters. So does the fact that he didn’t arrive on the Plains fully healthy.
Now, Arnoux says that part is behind him.
"I'm definitely feeling good," Arnoux said. "Like my body's in a great state right now."
That’s good news for a Tigers defense that has options at corner. Andre Jordan Jr., Gavin Jenkins and Rayshawn Pleasant are all in the mix, and Durkin and the secondary staff have kept moving pieces around while trying to settle the room. Arnoux gives them another capable body with experience, which is especially valuable when Auburn doesn’t have to rush him into a bigger role before he’s ready.
What makes Arnoux’s arrival even more interesting is the way he’s approached the competition. He pointed to Pleasant as one of the players helping him adjust since he got to Auburn.
"Definitely in the corner room, I say Ray Pleasant," Arnoux said. "That's somebody that it's kind of, you know, how you get under the wing of a vet."
That’s a tricky little dynamic on paper, since both are chasing playing time. Arnoux, though, sees it as part of the job.
"You work on your technique every day that betters you, and you trust that your brother is working on his technique," Arnoux said. "That's why we all come together as a whole."
The biggest adjustment has been the defense itself. Arnoux admitted there’s been a learning curve since leaving Florida State, and he’s had to catch himself slipping back into old habits at times.
"It's definitely been a challenge," Arnoux said.
Even so, Auburn has been giving him a steady diet of the kind of work that should help him prepare for what’s ahead in the SEC. He specifically mentioned Keshawn Singleton and Jeremiah Koger when talking about the bigger receivers he’s seen during camp.
Auburn knew Arnoux brought talent and experience when it added him from Florida State. The question was always whether his body would let him compete for a role. He may have missed too much time to be penciled in as a Week 1 starter, especially with the depth around him, but he still has the tools to strengthen the rotation.
That matters with Baylor waiting in Atlanta for Auburn’s opener. And it matters because the Tigers don’t need Arnoux to be their top corner right away. They just need him healthy, available and ready to push the room forward.
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