AUBURN – Packing up physically hasn’t been a problem for Auburn football cornerback J.C. Hart.
The redshirt freshman arrived on the Plains with the length (he’s 6-foot-2) and strength (he weighs about 200 pounds) to one day be a contributor for the Tigers. He was rated by the 247Sports Composite as a three-star recruit and the No. 701 overall prospect in the 2023 class, but his speed and build intrigued coach Hugh Freeze, who wasn’t sure if Hart would be a defensive back or receiver. at university level.
Hart has established himself as a cornerback and it appears his opportunity to play came sooner rather than later. With DJ James and Nehemiah Pritchett heading to the NFL, the Tigers need to replace their two starting CBs from last season. Keionte Scott and Kayin Lee will get the first crack, but won’t be able to play every snap.
Auburn lost some CB depth this offseason when redshirt freshman Colton Hood transferred to Colorado and redshirt freshman Tyler Scott suffered a season-ending ACL injury during summer workouts. That leaves Hart competing with Alabama transfer Antonio Kite and true freshman Jay Crawford to be the first CB off the bench.
It’s still a close race that will continue into pre-season training, but Hart has done what he can to put himself in the best position possible.
NEWCOMER: Texas experience serving transfer Jerrin Thompson well in first year with Auburn football
‘I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER’: The pieces finally coming together for Auburn football OL Jeremiah Wright
“He’s been working every day,” Lee said of Hart. “You can tell he’s in the film room and on the field. He’s working.”
Lee and Champ Anthony, the expected starter at nickel, were asked Monday which of their teammates had improved the most since the spring. Each of them had the same answer.
“JC Hart,” Anthony said. “Really long guy. He’s really understanding his body and how to move now. It’s kind of crazy to see his transformation and see him putting his hands on receivers, taking them to the water fountains. JC, he’s actually the fastest guy of the team A lot of people don’t really know, but clearly, clearly, he’s actually the fastest guy on the team, and now he’s putting it all together. He’s going to have an incredible season.
Griffin Speaks, a former safety who recently received a scholarship, expressed similar thoughts about Hart’s speed: “He’s extremely talented and has everything up there, which is usually a rare combination. J.C. has it all. Goes to come together. He is, without a doubt, the fastest on the team. I love that boy to death.”
Speaks and Hart are both local products, with the former attending Auburn High School and the latter coming out of Loachapoka High School.
Hart had a particularly impressive reputation in the portion of practice open to reporters on Wednesday. It happened when he faced freshman receiver Perry Thompson, who is listed at 6-3, near the goal line. Thompson threw a fade and backup quarterback Hank Brown threw a pass to him, which Thompson caught with both hands. Hart stayed with Thompson and punched the receiver in the arms as soon as the ball arrived.
The pass was incomplete and Hart celebrated by imitating the act of putting on his seat belt.
“A little looser,” Scott said of the difference he sees in Hart from Year 1 to Year 2. “JC is a guy that, you know, he’s just coming in quiet. So he’s more relaxed, he’s talking more. He is also understanding more. I feel like you can see him developing, and it’s adding to his skills and the intelligence that he has; he is a very intelligent guy.
“He’s adding it all together, putting it together and translating it on the field.”
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached by email at rsilva@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.
This article originally appeared in the Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football: Things are starting to click for J.C. Hart at cornerback
