Plenty of freshmen arrive on campus with tons of hype, believing they have accomplished something just getting to the Southeastern Conference. That’s not the way Marlon Davidson approached the start of his collegiate career and that attitude helped him develop into one of the league’s best defenders.

Now he’s seeming similar things in one of Auburn’s recent offseason signees.

Following the first few practices of training camp on The Plains, one freshman continues to catch the eye of Auburn’s senior lineman.

“The young guys, they showed us a lot today, especially Jaren Handy. He stepped up big time, I appreciate the fight he did out there today,” Davidson said on Monday.

Handy arrived with some high expectations considering he was ranked as a top 100 overall prospect in the nation and the No. 7 strongside defensive end in the country. Now it appears Auburn not only managed to win a contested recruiting battle over LSU, Ole Miss and Mississippi State for the Magnolia State native but the Tigers got a player that has the drive to be one day be great.

“He’s showing me he’s just like me, he reminds me so much of me coming in — the fight, the want to be better, the want to be great. You don’t have certain kids like that but that kid reminds me so much of myself,” Davidson added when asked to explain why he’s so high on the freshman. “Every day, he just keeps doing it, keeps doing it. Every day, he’s getting better. I see a bright future for him.”

Considering Auburn enters the season with a loaded defensive line, Handy may not get many reps early in the season but the ones he does get, expect him to make the most out of those opportunities based on what Davidson has seen early on during training camp.