Auburn football defensive back Shamar Arnoux is finally healthy after transferring from Florida State. The former Seminoles corner now joins a deep Tigers secondary as DJ Durkin determines where Arnoux fits entering Week 1 against Baylor.
The Auburn Tigers are getting to full strength at the right time.
Defensive back Shamar Arnoux is finally healthy. And now Auburn gets to find out exactly where he fits in what has become a pretty deep secondary.
Arnoux transferred to Auburn from Florida State this offseason after playing significant snaps as a freshman for the Seminoles, giving the Tigers another young defensive back with actual college football experience. In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, Arnoux played in 345 snaps during his time in the ACC, including multiple games at the end of the year with over 50 snaps per game.
But unfortunately, he didn't arrive completely healthy.
That's made his first offseason on the Plains a little different, but now? Arnoux says that's no longer an issue.
"I'm definitely feeling good," Arnoux said. "Like my body's in a great state right now."
That's significant considering the competition around him.
Auburn has several options at corner, including Andre Jordan Jr., Gavin Jenkins and Rayshawn Pleasant, while DJ Durkin and his secondary coaches have continued moving pieces around throughout the secondary.
It's a loaded room, and having a healthy Arnoux to join in the depth early on in games without the need to throw him into the fire is huge.
He mentioned in a recent interview that he's been learning from one of the players he's competing against.
Arnoux specifically mentioned Pleasant as someone he's leaned on since arriving at Auburn.
"Definitely in the corner room, I say Ray Pleasant," Arnoux said. "That's somebody that it's kind of, you know, how you get under the wing of a vet."
That's an interesting dynamic.
Pleasant is helping Arnoux while both are trying to earn playing time.
But Arnoux doesn't really see it that way.
"You work on your technique every day that betters you, and you trust that your brother is working on his technique," Arnoux said. "That's why we all come together as a whole."
Arnoux is still learning Durkin's defense.
He admitted there has been a learning curve after transferring from Florida State and that he's occasionally caught himself reverting to what he previously learned.
"It's definitely been a challenge," Arnoux said. But he's getting there.
And Auburn's offense has given him plenty of opportunities to prepare for the physicality he's expecting in the SEC.
Arnoux specifically pointed toward Keshawn Singleton and Jeremiah Koger when discussing the bigger receivers he has faced throughout camp.
Auburn already knew Arnoux had talent and experience when it brought him in from Florida State.
The question was when his body would allow him to actually compete for a role. He might have missed too much time to be seen as a week 1 starter, especially with the talent around him. However, he has the skill set to make the rest of the room better as he competes for snaps in the upcoming games, including Week 1 in Atlanta when Auburn takes on Baylor.
That appears to be happening now.
Auburn doesn't necessarily need Arnoux to immediately become its best corner.
But if he's healthy, comfortable in Durkin's defense, and ready to contribute, Auburn suddenly has another legitimate option in a secondary that continues to get deeper.
Now Durkin has to figure out where he fits. But depth heading into the season is never a bad thing, and it looks like there is a ton of options for the Tigers in this versatile secondary.
