Auburn’s Jay Crawford making the most of the starting role

The Auburn Tigers 2024 season has been full of unexpected twists and turns and things seem to change more and more each week.

One aspect of Auburn’s season that has been unexpected is the number of freshmen either in starting roles or playing a significant number of snaps, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

One of those freshman standouts is Jay Crawford, a 5-foot-11 cornerback who has transitioned into a starter.

“It’s almost like a dream come true,” Crawford said. “As a kid you always want to play in the SEC, and I did. It’s just a surreal feeling to be honest.”

Crawford has played in every game for the Tigers this season and has recorded 10 tackles and four pass breakups.

The native of Lilburn, Ga. has been one of the biggest surprises of Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class. Crawford, a four-star prospect, was the No. 242 player nationally, the No. 24 cornerback and the No. 14 player in Auburn’s 2024 class, according to 247Sports.

“I feel like I’ve always had the skills to do it,” Crawford said. “I always had to take the next step. The next step was getting in the film room, being with the coach, just knowing the little things.”

Fighting back against adversity has been a common theme for Auburn this season and Crawford has done that with the rest of the team. The young corner has maintained his focus on playing his best despite the team’s disappointing record.

“Keep your head down, fight through adversity,” Crawford said. “Something that every team will go through. Now we’ve run into adversity and we just have to fight.”

Crawford has leaned on Jerrin Thompson, a veteran safety who joined the Tigers via the transfer window this offseason, and cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff as he adjusts to his prominent role in the defense Auburn.

“Jerrin (Thompson), I sit next to him in all our meetings,” Crawford said. “I just ask him what can I improve and how can I improve. Playing Crime (McGriff) is amazing. Him and (Charles) Kelly (defensive coordinator and safeties coach), you can’t get any better than that, to be honest.

Crawford is expected to be an important piece of Auburn’s defense for several years. It seems to be on the right track.