Position Preview: Forward – The Auburn Plainsman

Auburn returns the bulk of its forwards from last season with a few new additions and a key loss that will require someone or players to step up.

Auburn lost its second-best player from last year in forward Jaylin Williams, who went undrafted in the NBA draft but was signed by the Denver Nuggets last summer and played on their summer league team. He averaged 12.4 points per game and shot 57.4% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range as Auburn's starting power forward in 33 of the 34 games he played in last year. Williams played a big role on both ends of the floor and will be missed by Auburn.

The Tigers brought in a player from the transfer portal and a rookie to bolster their forwards for this season. They used the portal to bring in senior Jaheim Hudson, who transferred from SMU. Auburn then brought in a 4-star freshman in Jahki Howard, ranked No. 61 in the 2024 class according to 247Sports.

Forward:

Chad Baker Mazara

Baker-Mazara is a 6-foot-2 forward who does so many things well on the basketball court. He defends at a high level, is an elite shooter and is elite in transition. And he's arguably the best energy guy in the country. Baker-Mazara started last year on the bench, but by the end of the season he was in the starting lineup, cheering on opposing teams. He finished the year with averages of 10 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 2.2 apg. He shot 45.2% from the field, 41.8% from 3-point range and 87.6% from the free throw line. The left-hander should be in Auburn's starting lineup this year, serving as an elite two-way winger to help make Auburn one of the best teams in the country.

Chaney Johnson

Johnson is also a 6-foot-2 senior forward who didn't see as much playing time as other players last season but played the majority of his minutes. He's an underrated athlete and good defender and does a lot of little things well. When Jaylin Williams was sidelined with an injury, Johnson started two games and scored a season-high 16 points against Georgia. Johnson averaged 4.7 ppg and 3.4 rpg on the year while shooting 50.0% from the field and 27.3% from 3-point range. Johnson is being considered to fill some of Williams' roles this year, and if he can continue to improve his offensive game, particularly his shooting from outside, Johnson could be the most improved player on Auburn's roster.

Chris Moore

Moore has been an integral part of the Auburn program for the past four years and returns for the fifth time. Moore is a veteran who started most of the season last year and does a lot of things that don't show up in the stats. He averaged 2.5 ppg and 1.8 rpg and shot 47.7% from the field and 26.1% from 3-point range. Moore is the epitome of a glue guy and makes his impact felt when he's on the court. If he can become more consistent from beyond the arc, he will be an important contributor for the Tigers this year.

Jaheim Hudson

Hudson is a 6-foot-2 senior forward who transferred from SMU this season. He will also try to help Johnson make up for the departure of Williams. Hudson averaged 5.4 ppg and 3.4 rpg last year while shooting 43.4% from the field and 32.1% from three. Hudson is a good rebounder and has a solid offensive game. If he can hit shots and play good defense, he will be a valuable piece to the Auburn rotation.

Jahki Howard

Finally, freshman Howard, who stands 6 feet 6 inches tall, may be the most athletic and explosive player in all of college basketball. Howard is from Boston, Massachusetts, but played high school ball in the Overtime Elite League in Atlanta, Georgia. For the City Reapers, he averaged 15.1 points per game while shooting 43.6% from the field and 26.5% from deep. Howard is known for his elite defense, particularly on-ball defense, and his high-flying dunks in transition. It appears that Howard has improved his jump shot and could help the Tigers break through early on both ends of the court.

Auburn has a great group of forwards this season, each with unique skill sets that will benefit the Tigers in multiple ways. If these guys can continue to improve outside of the box as the year progresses, Auburn will be an extremely dangerous team with the two-way ability of all five of these players.