Jalen McLeod talks staying healthy, potential of Keyron Crawford, freshmen showing promise and more

AUBURN — Jalen McLeod was hampered much of fall camp last year with an ankle injury. Because of that, Auburn’s best pass rusher missed the first game against UMass and looked a bit rusty as the season started.

He played less than 25 players per game in the first three games, never topping three tackles in a game in the first four games. But by the Georgia game, he started to round into shape with four tackles, a fumble recovery and pass deflection. And by LSU, the potential of McLeod started to show.

He had four tackles and a tackle for loss that game, and over the next four games, McLeod tallied 20 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks. Then against, Alabama, he had seven tackles and one tackle for loss.

This fall camp, McLeod appears healthy and eager to make it through the month of August in good shape so this time around, he can hit the ground running when the season begins on August 31 against Alabama A&M.

“It’s huge because last year I got hurt. I’m on the right path weight wise, everything. It would give me a huge advantage to maintain my weight and keep going,” McLeod said on Friday.

He finished last season with 48 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. While individual goals this season are important, McLeod hopes to create opportunities for others with his play.

“The play will come to me. I want to make sure my main focus is that I’m in the right gap, technique is sound, staying strong at the point of attack,” he said. “I want to make sure I’m almost perfect every snap. I’m not always going to make the play, but I want to set it up so they can make the play.”

McLeod will start at the Buck for the Tigers, with transfer Keyron Crawford backing him up, and true freshmen Joseph Phillips and Jaomnta Waller providing depth.

If you missed our practice observations focused solely on Crawford, check that out. Everything we talked about inside was echoed by McLeod. McLeod is certainly excited about having another fast-twitch edge rusher to the mix.

“(Keyron) is good. He’s big, strong, fast. He’s that big and moving, shifty like me,” McLeod said. “They are going to have to chip both of us. They are going to have to block both of us. He’s a better pass rusher than me, in my opinion. He has a bag that’s different. He has a good get-off. He’s the prototype. His size shows on the field, too. We’re going to have a much better pass rush.”

McLeod added about Phillips and Waller, “Joe is in his playbook. He’s not messing up like he did in the spring. He came to camp with a different mindset. I talked to him, told him he can’t keep messing up. He’s a freshman, but he’s going to play this season. Jamonta was already on it when he came in. He slows the game down a lot. He plays fast, just needs to keep playing that way.”

Another element to Auburn’s pass rush will be at times, moving defensive end Keldric Faulk inside. That will allow McLeod and Crawford to man the edges on specific pass-rush situations. McLeod loves the potential of that set.

“It helps me and Keyron. We have that guy on the interior, then Keyron draws attention. He’s a little raw, but he’s getting better every day. We’re going to be dominant,” McLeod said.

Faulk is earning preseason all-conference mentions after playing the 9th-most snaps on defense last season as a true freshman, tallying 35 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. Behind Faulk is another true freshman that McLeod is ready to stake his reputation on, and that’s Amaris Williams.

“He’s that guy. I’m going to say it right now. We said that about Keldric, y’all seen what he’s doing. Amaris is that guy, he just has to mature. He’s that guy, that’s all I’m going to say. (Amaris) is big, physical, he’s a meatball of power. He’s different,” McLeod said.

“I think they are two different players, but they can grow into stars. Amaris just has to take that step like Keldric did and be in the film. Once he learns to do that, he’s going to take off. Y’all are going to see it. I promise you are going to see it.”

There are certainly more options on defense, especially when it comes to rushing the passer. Whether it’s talent or team chemistry, McLeod loves where things stand right now.

“It’s much better. You have to realize you have to learn how to communicate, and we had to change our approach,” McLeod said of bringing the team together. “During the summer, we had to take them out, every position group. That’s how we’ve grown together. The young guys look up to us, they tell us every day. They are learning how to grow as young men. That’s our focus to grow up off the field so on the field, everything is easy.”