The Auburn Tigers are returning a solid amount of production in 2024.
Every offseason, Bill Connelly of ESPN releases college football returning production rankings, ranking every single FBS team by total returning production. Connelly also provides numbers for both offense and defense, showing what the individually bring back to make up a program’s total return.
Auburn has usually ranked somewhere around the national average, never losing too much to the NFL Draft and transfer portal, but never bringing back so much that they’re regarded as one of the most experienced teams heading into the season.
This year the Tigers are above the average, sitting at No. 50 in the returning production rankings – clearing that average by 17 spots, now that there are 134 teams in college football with the addition of Kennesaw State.
No. 50 nationally is also good for No. 6 in the SEC. Here’s how the entire conference shakes out heading into spring practice:
No. 18 Texas A&M Aggies – 72% overall, 77% offense (No. 22), 67% defense (No. 35)
No. 25 Texas Longhorns – 70% overall, 74% offense (No. 30), 66% defense (No. 38)
No. 31 Missouri Tigers – 68% overall, 79% offense (No. 16), 58% defense (No. 68)
No. 32 Florida Gators – 68% overall, 70% offense (No. 39), 66% defense (No. 41)
No. 47 Georgia Bulldogs – 65% overall, 76% offense (No. 25), 55% defense (No. 80)
No. 50 Auburn Tigers – 65% overall, 68% offense (No. 46), 55% defense (No. 78)
No. 59 South Carolina Gamecocks – 63% overall, 52% offense (No. 94), 74% defense (No. 18)
No. 60 LSU Tigers – 63% overall, 55% offense (No. 84), 71% defense (No. 26)
No. 67 Oklahoma Sooners – 62% overall, 44% offense (No. 111), 79% defense (No. 8)
No. 68 Ole Miss Rebels – 61% overall, 71% offense (No. 35), 52% defense (No. 94)
No. 76 Vanderbilt Commodores – 60% overall, 54% offense (No. 87), 65% defense (No. 46)
No. 94 Tennessee Volunteers – 52% overall, 46% offense (No. 107), 58% defense (No. 66)
No. 102 Kentucky Wildcats – 49% overall, 45% offense (No. 110), 52% defense (No. 89)
No. 109 Arkansas Razorbacks – 46% overall, 50% offense (No. 99), 41% defense (No. 115)
No. 115 Alabama Crimson Tide – 44% overall, 56% offense (No. 83), 33% defense (No. 126)
No. 122 Mississippi State Bulldogs – 41% overall, 54% offense (No. 89), 27% defense (No. 132)
Auburn football is bringing in a number of high profile recruits that will make an impact this season, especially on offense. Whether or not they – or other programs in the SEC – need a significant amount of their returning production – is debatable.
Sometimes experienced players can be valuable, but if they aren’t productive, they can be replaced.
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