Auburn WR DeShawn Spencer Is Already 'Playing Like a Vet' in Fall Camp

Fall camp is only a couple of practices old for the Auburn Tigers, but one of the youngest players on the roster is already receiving plenty of attention.

Freshman wide receiver DeShawn Spencer continues to be one of the most talked-about players inside Auburn's offense.

It started during the spring when Spencer took advantage of additional opportunities inside the wide receiver room and shined during A-Day. Now that fall camp is underway, the praise hasn't slowed down. More importantly, it isn't coming from just one person.

Head coach Alex Golesh had plenty to say about the young receiver following Auburn's second practice.

"He's mature beyond his years in the sense of football intelligence," Golesh said. "He's got stuff you can't really coach."

While the freshman is still developing physically, the head coach believes his understanding of the position has allowed him to compete much earlier than expected.

Spencer is already rotating with Auburn's first two groups, and Golesh said the freshman doesn't just fit in with the older receivers, but "stands out at times."

Although it's early in the process, he seems to be running with the ones more often than his counterpart in Jeremiah Koger, the wideout that was expected to hold that position heading into Week 1. 

The praise hasn't stopped with the coaching staff.

Starting quarterback Byrum Brown said Spencer "practiced like a real deal vet," pointing toward how he comes to work every day and continues looking for ways to improve.

Keshaun Singleton, one of the top receivers and leaders on the roster, offered nearly identical praise.

"He plays like a vet already," Singleton said. "If you watch practice, you wouldn't even expect him to be a freshman."

That's three different people delivering the same message about one of Auburn's youngest players if he is able to break out and have some big-time success; that could mean a ton for the future of the program under Alex Golesh. 

Spencer is also getting some additional help away from the practice field, and it shouldn't go unmentioned. With the focus on adding a new identity and standard to the program, things like this what could set Auburn apart from the rest of the pack. 

During Auburn's 13-day stay at the Marriott Resort at Grand National in Opelika, Spencer is rooming with veteran receiver Chas Nimrod. The former South Florida receiver said part of his responsibility is showing Spencer "the ropes" and helping him understand how to approach everything that comes with playing college football.

That's exactly what Golesh envisioned when Auburn moved the entire roster away from campus.

There is still a long way to go before Auburn determines exactly what its wide receiver rotation will look like against Baylor. While Nimrod and Singleton will get the majority of target shares and provide plenty of experience, several other receivers will continue battling for opportunities throughout fall camp.

But Spencer is quickly making it difficult for Auburn to keep him off the field.

For a true freshman who only recently turned 18 years old, that's about as strong of a start to fall camp as Auburn could have hoped for.