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Over the past few years, Auburn has featured a steady ground attack that has consistently produced NFL offensive linemen and tailbacks. Last season, the Tigers had two quality tackles in Shon Coleman and Avery Young. In speaking with sources, they had Coleman graded as a mid-rounder and felt that Young was a quality talent to be a selection in the early rounds of Day 3 of the 2016 NFL Draft; however, Young went undrafted.
Sources said the reason that Young wasn't selected was because of his medical status. Some team doctors flunked Young medically, which negated the draftable grade that scouts had given him. Teams like his skill set, but apparently the medical evaluation was too risky for a team to select Young.
After going undrafted, Young signed with the New Orleans Saints, which was an excellent choice on his part. Under head coach Sean Payton, the Saints have had a ton of success with developing offensive linemen who weren't highly drafted. That was the case with guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks. Young (6-4, 328) has good size, but he has short arms (33.75 inches) for a tackle, which could have hurt him. Still, Young does have good size to play guard and the Saints are in need of some young answers at the position after moving on from Evans and Ben Grubbs over the past two offseasons. Tim Lelito, Cyril Lemon and Senio Kelemete are competing at guard, but none of them are of the caliber of Evans, Nicks or Grubbs. Thus, Young has a real opportunity with the Saints. It wouldn't be surprising if he made the roster as a backup and grew in his role from there.
I don't think we can rely on an UDFA who's never played in the NFL and has been injured. It would be nice if he turns into something. but he wasn't drafted for a reason. maybe he develops into a Lelito or a Kelemente. But the odds are against it. We have to address this area in the draft or free agency.
He wasn't drafted because he couldn't pass a physical. He was projected as a 5th rounder. We essentially got a fifth round pick as an UDFA because we were willing to wait on him to heal and recover from his undisclosed non-football injury before seeing him on the field.
We won't know anything until rookie camp starts. At least he was able to get back on the practice field this year, so the team has something of an idea as to where he is in the rehab process of getting back into football shape.
I don't think we can rely on an UDFA who's never played in the NFL and has been injured. It would be nice if he turns into something. but he wasn't drafted for a reason. maybe he develops into a Lelito or a Kelemente. But the odds are against it. We have to address this area in the draft or free agency.
i think the Peat to RT is dead topic, in the article Young said he has been at RT some (not sure when that was)
Would be great to have the future right side of our O-line already on the team, already being seasoned.
Between him and Landon Turner, it'll be interesting to see how this develops going forward. With luck, Armstead's injury woes are behind us. Landon Turner becomes our LG. Unger keeps being a rock at center. Young steps in at RG. And Peat finally figures out how to be a RT.
Otherwise we have a situation at LT. Peat and Armstead seem both quite capable at holding serve over there.