Hugh Freeze impressed with skillsets in wide receiver room: ‘I think you got some really good options there’

For the first time in recent memory, Auburn is returning key production to its wide receiver room. The Tigers return 97 catches for 1,322 yards, and 12 touchdowns in the passing game from the 2024 season. Adding to that from the transfer portal, Auburn will bring in 95 catches for 1,217 yards, and 8 touchdowns. There is plenty of proven production in the room–which is bound to be a trend with Hugh Freeze-coached Auburn teams.

Tigers’ head coach Hugh Freeze thinks that the addition of Eric Singleton from Georgia Tech makes his offense much more versatile this season. He is highly impressed with the speed that Singleton brings to the fold.

“Yeah, I think you look at Singleton’s track record at this level, the things that you can do with him, I think make us very versatile,” Freeze said during Senior Bowl practices. “When you combine him with Jackson (Arnold), I think you got some really good options there. And, boy, he can run.”

Interestingly, Freeze did not mention production when talking about his other returning receivers and newcomer Horatio Fields. Freeze made more of an emphasis of the skillsets that each guy brings in making a big statement about the speed of Singleton and Malcolm Simmons.

“I think you’ve got two of the faster guys I’ve ever coached, truthfully,” Freeze said. “He and Malcolm (Simmons). Eric’s really smooth and he loves to work. And Horatio (Fields) has great ball skills. I don’t know yet about his top end speed, but watching him work out with the team with Coach Dom, we love his length, love his physicality. And I think we think we’ve added two really good guys to a very talented room already. Perry (Thompson) looks good also coming back. I think he’s got a new renewed hunger.”

Freeze believes he has the right pieces at quarterback, starting with Jackson Arnold. He can see that the receivers are already feeling good about the situation, too.

“I believe in (Arnold). I believe in our system and think he’s a really good fit for it, that we can restore whatever confidence he may have lost, for whatever reason,” Freeze said. “It’s not for me to say, but I know that our receivers are like, ‘this is different. This ball’s a little, it’s spinning the right way.’”

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