Next man up: Dylan Brooks relied on as much as the starters at EDGE
Today we continue on in the “Next man up” series with the EDGE position. This will be a prediction for who I believe is the next guy to take over or emerge as a key player at every position for Auburn in 2022. This is somewhat of a bold take, but it is based off of the buzz and depth outlook of the team. In other words, this is an educated guess.
This one is a no-brainer mainly because he is the only guy who can step up. Auburn was not able to add more depth to the EDGE position from the portal, but they have what they believe to be three strong options there. The two leaders, Eku Leota and Derick Hall, are two of the top EDGE’s in the SEC.
Then there’s Dylan Brooks. Whether or not he’s ready for the action, he’s about to be thrown into the fire.
Brooks is a former top-100 recruit
Brooks is one of the most exciting prospects to choose Auburn in recent history. He was a consensus 4-star prospect. He was the No. 78 overall player in the On3 consensus rankings. At one time, Brooks was seen as being on the verge of a 5-star recruit due to his impressive game tape and excellent frame.
Brooks first committed to Tennessee before changing course and signing with Auburn. His first season at Auburn turned into a redshirt season.
Why Brooks will breakout in 2022
It’s a fair argument to say that Brooks is the choice for next man up because he has no choice. I’m agreeing, but taking it a step further and saying he will be a difference maker.
When it comes to learning assignments, EDGE isn’t the hardest position to learn. It is, however, one of the hardest to perfect. It takes a unique combination of skills and size to be able to hold strong against run blocking, while also being able to speed rush on an athletic offensive tackle. Not to mention, they have to be able to play in space as well.
Brooks has the proper athleticism to take care of business, but he wasn’t ready last season to consistently handle each of those jobs.
In 2022, he should be able to handle things consistently while playing a lot of snaps in each game. Learning to use his excellent length is the game changer. If he is able to figure that out and play more of the passing down EDGE, he could have a multi-sack season.
