Auburn Football: Offense finally taking shape for 2017

Auburn football may have finally put the last piece of the puzzle by adding former Baylor quarterback Jarrett Stidham to the offense in 2017.

More: Where does Stidham rank among Heisman hopeful quarterbacks?

The Auburn Tigers officially named Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham as their starting quarterback today. According to CBS Sports, even though Stidham was the favorite to win the starting job during the offseason, head coach Gus Malzahn officially announced the move earlier today.

The other candidates that were in the running for starting quarterback were former starter Sean White and East Mississippi Community College transfer John Franklin III. Ultimately, Franklin III made the move to wide receiver earlier in the year because of the odds he was facing to become the starter. Moreover, White had an interesting Tweet today that shows he might have been expecting Stidham to win the quarterback battle the entire time.

The hype around Stidham and the Auburn offense has been growing since the end of the 2016 season. Stidham announced his transfer to Auburn before 2017 even started. Heisman odds mostly have Stidham as one of the top five favorites to bring home the award. He would be the first Auburn quarterback since Cam Newton to win the Heisman if he was to do so in 2017.

Aside from Stidham, there’s quite a bit of talent on this offense. The running back duo of Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson could give opposing defenses nightmares when preparing to face them.

Sophomore wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers is a name to watch among breakout players in the SEC. The starters at wide receiver are projected to be sophomore Kyle Davis, redshirt sophomore Darius Slayton, and junior Ryan Davis. If nothing else, the receiving corps will help to ease Stidham’s transition to Malzahn’s offensive scheme.

Next: 5 reasons why J.T. Barrett will win the Heisman in 2017

It’s official now, most of the Auburn depth chart, at least on offense, is all coming together. Fans can now look forward to Auburn’s first game of the season against Georgia Southern Eagles on September 2. The following week Auburn travels to South Carolina to face the Clemson Tigers, which could be one of the more exciting games of the year.