The Tigers landed the No. 6 class in the country in ’14, leveraging an SEC championship the season before for an excellent recruiting cycle.

But how much did that class contribute to the 2014 team that won eight games and again finished the season ranked in the Top 25?

Player Position Starts Games Played
Roc Thomas RB 2 12
Tre’ Williams LB 1 13
Braden Smith G 1 12
D’haquille Williams* WR 7 10
Nick Ruffin CB 0 12
Stephen Roberts CB 0 12
Sean White QB 0 1
DaVonte Lambert* DE 9 11
Derrick Moncrief* S 1 13
Stanton Truitt WR 0 3
Kamryn Pettway RB 0 1
Jakell Mitchell TE 0 13
Devaroe Lawrence* DT 0 4
Raashed Kennion DE 0 4
Xavier Dampeer* OL 0 5

*Junior college transfer

Overall, 15 of the 24 enrollees played at least one game. Those 15 players participated in a combined 126 games, starting 21.

Two junior college transfers, DE DaVonte Lambert and WR D’haquille Williams, started most of the season for the Tigers.

Lambert made seven tackles for loss before suffering a knee injury against Samford that will prevent him from practicing this spring, but along with Carl Lawson and Byron Cowart, gives the team a solid option at the position. Williams, a surprise returnee, could be the top receiver selected in the 2016 NFL draft. He led Auburn with 45 catches last season.

A third junior college player, Derrick Moncrief, saw action in all 13 games and moved to linebacker this spring under new coordinator Will Muschamp. Also at linebacker, rising sophomore Tre’ Williams is competing for the third starting spot alongside a pair of returning seniors and should play a major role in the defense going forward.

Other players from the class competing for starting jobs or major playing time in 2015 include G Braden Smith and RB Roc Thomas.

TE Jakell Mitchell died in a tragic shooting in December, while four-star CB Kalvaraz Bessent decided to transfer from the school.

Overall, the Tigers are getting great contributions from junior college transfers on an annual basis. If some of the freshmen from the ’14 class mature into standouts, or at least serviceable starters, this group won’t rot on the vine once players like Williams and Lambert move on after this season.