Zac Etheridge says safety Jaylin Simpson 'can be a Sunday player'
AUBURN — Entering his fifth season of college football, Jaylin Simpson seems to have settled into a position that could lead to playing on Sundays in the NFL. At least that’s what safeties coach Zac Etheridge believes one day into the first spring camp of the Hugh Freeze era.
“I think ‘Simp’ has found himself a home. He’s an elite player. If he handles everything that goes on with football, he can be a Sunday player,” Etheridge said. “Seeing his range, athleticism, ability to play man in the slot, the things he can do, he can tackle well. His upside at that position is through the roof.”
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Simpson has tallied 80 tackles and three interceptions during his Auburn career playing both corner and safety. He projected as a safety coming out of Frederica Academy in Saint Simons Island, Ga., but was quickly moved to corner in 2019 and 2020. The move back to safety seemingly ignited something in Simpson.
Etheridge certainly sees it.
“The biggest thing is buy in. He bought into what the team needed in that position. As the season went on, he got better and better,” Etheridge said. “Now, he’s found himself at home. He can control the defense. He was a quarterback in high school and now he’s coming into a position where he can make the checks on the backend. It made him more comfortable taking control of the defense.”
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It doesn’t get talked about enough, really, and that’s the fact that Simpson is a phenomenal athlete. He played quarterback in addition to defensive back in high school, leading his team to a state championship. He was a state high jump champion, and starred on the basketball court and on the baseball field. And for just fun last season, he led a group of football players to a couple of wins on the basketball court against Auburn’s walk-ons. Observers would tell you Simpson was the best athlete on the floor and it wasn’t particularly close.
Switching positions the last few seasons created anxiety with Jaylin Simpson, but now seemingly settled into his role in Ron Roberts’ new defense, it’s all upside.
“If he studies it and embraces it, he can be a Sunday pick.”
Auburn will return to the practice fields on Wednesday.
The Tigers will practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the most part leading into the April 8 spring game inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. Here’s the schedule of practices: February 27, March 1, 3, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, April 3, 5, 7 and 8. Auburn will take the week of March 5-11 off for spring break.
