Auburn hasn’t even named a starting quarterback yet, and already SEC Network analyst Marcus Spears thinks one Tigers signal caller will be the nation’s breakout player.

While on ESPN’s morning show “Get Up,” Spears, alongside well-known SEC voices Booger McFarland and Laura Rutledge, declared that Joey Gatewood would become a household name in Gus Malzahn’s offense.

“Gus Malzahn has proven time and time again when I have a dual-threat quarterback that can run effectively, I can have an offense as prolific as anybody in the country,” Spears said, via 247Sports. “Success we’ve seen with Auburn, sustained success and ability to beat Alabama and win big games, has been with quarterbacks that can move and he can move.

“Nick Marshall did it. Cam Newton did it. Gus Malzahn has taken over play-calling for Auburn again, and I think that guy has a lot to do with why he wanted to take the reins on this offense.”

The redshirt freshman Gatewood will battle early enrollee Bo Nix for the Tigers starting quarterback job during fall camp, but Gatewood is the prototypical signal caller for Malzahn’s offense. He has all the traits in terms of physicality (6-foot-5, 233-pounds), arm strength and running ability.

Malzahn’s offense goes when it has a dual-threat signal caller, and Gatewood (physically) will remind some of Cam Newton; however, more than a quarterback alone, Auburn has to find its running game. Malzahn’s offense is always really good when it gashes teams on the ground. See Kerryon Johnson (2017), Kam Pettway (2016), Cameron Artis-Payne (2014) and Tre Mason (2013).

Gatewood will certainly help the rushing attack, and if he can prove to make teams pay in the passing game, look out. Auburn’s offense could be nasty, led by Gatewood.