Tony Stevens Is Making The Best Of His Opportunity

He arrived on the Auburn campus as a U.S. Army and Prep Star All-American. Rivals ranked the 4-star athlete the No.11 receiver in the 2013 recruiting class. The 6′-4″ 210 pounder was expected to quickly challenge to be the go-to guy in the Auburn’s offense. However, fate had a different plan for Tony Stevens.

Although he showed flashes of brilliance in his first three years on the Plains, he never had a breakout performance. In fact, he began his senior year with just 21 catches for 280 yards. Injuries played a part in his lack of production but playing behind Sammie Coates, Duke Williams, and Ricardo Louis was a bigger factor.

Now that those three have moved on to the pro ranks, Stevens is showing signs of being the player he was touted to be coming out of high school. His receiver’s coach, Kodi Burns, told him before the season, “This is your senior year, go get it, do whatever you have to do to be the guy and he’s had every opportunity to do that.”

In the first five games of 2016, he’s become that go-to guy everyone expected of him. And he’s done it while surrounded by freshmen sensations Nate-Craig-Myers, Kyle Davis, and Eli Stove; all of whom have been impressive in the early going.

He has taken over Coates’ roll as the deep ball threat and is tied for third in the SEC with six catches of 20-plus yards this season He leads a talented receiving corp with 21 receptions for 344 yards and three touchdowns. He’s not only done it with good hands but with shifty moves making tacklers miss after the catch.

Stevens established himself in a 75 yard, two touchdown performance against Arkansas State and followed that up with a great performance against Texas A&M. On Saturday Tony became the first Auburn receiver to post a a 100-yard game since Ricardo Louis did it against Ole Miss last October.

You’ve got to be proud to see Stevens finally rising to his potential. Part of that is his talent and the other part is his quarterback has confidence in him.  

It’s great to see him making the best of his opportunity, not only for him but for the team. Because the offense needs to be able to stretch the field to make opposing defenses respect the pass. And if he and the other receivers can keep playing at this level, it will bode well for the Tigers chances for a successful season.

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