Looks like the Alabama QB drama isn’t just a thing in Tuscaloosa with Kalen DeBoer’s crew, because the battle’s totally on fire over at Auburn with Hugh Freeze and Co. too! And maybe Freeze figured a two-man race just wasn’t spicy enough, so just like that, he’s made it a three-way showdown with Jackson Arnold, Deuce Knight, and now Ashton Daniels all in the mix for that starting spot. With spring practice rolling on, you can bet the heat is getting turned way up. Freeze definitely made some big splashes, snagging Oklahoma transfer Arnold and 5-star freshman Knight from the portal and then throwing Stanford’s Daniels into the competition.

Right now, though, everyone’s got their eyes glued on Arnold. That starting gig isn’t going to be a gift; he’s got to show he’s worth every penny.

On paper, Jackson Arnold had a respectable performance last season, racking up 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only 3 interceptions. However, challenges did arise, ultimately leading to him losing the starting position to Michael Hawkins Jr. during Oklahoma’s SEC opener against Tennessee. While Arnold clearly has talent, the big question mark is whether he can bounce back from those setbacks and prove his mettle. That’s precisely what Brad Crawford is highlighting on the 247sports Ultimate CFB Show. “He have to improve his consistency and accuracy from the pocket. I mean, I don’t think he’s done that so far in spring practice. He obviously didn’t do it last September as a first-year starter at OU because he got benched from Michael Hawkins,” he said.

Arnold was, in fact, benched during the first half of the game against Tennessee after committing three turnovers before halftime. Following his second fumble of the night, the team replaced him with true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr., who also had a turnover in the first quarter. This kind of costly mistake is something Hugh Freeze’s team simply cannot afford. Looking back at last season, Auburn struggled with Payton Thorne’s performance against Cal, where he threw 4 interceptions, and they ended up losing 21-14. That’s a scenario Arnold absolutely must avoid repeating this season. And if Arnold doesn’t deliver, Deuce Knight is waiting in the wings, ready to step in.

So, will this be the turning point for the 20-year-old? According to On3’s J.D. PicKell, it doesn’t seem like a sure thing. “Deuce Knight is going to give Jackson Arnold a pretty good push within this battle. Now, is he going to win the job? I would be surprised… I’m watching the show right now. I would be surprised if he ended up winning the job outright.” However, PicKell highlighted a significant “if” situation…

“But I will say the dude, 6’4 213, runs in the 4’4 range and has a wicked left arm. Not playing him is what we call stupid on this show, just a bad idea when you have a dude with that skill set, and you have the offensive acumen that Hugh Freeze does,” he added.

And on top of that, Hugh Freeze and his team’s significant investment in their receiving unit is clearly aimed at preventing setbacks for Jackson Arnold. It’s no wonder the pressure is on him to elevate his game.

Auburn’s high-stakes gamble on Jackson Arnold

Auburn is hitting the reset button after a tough 5-7 season, and a new quarterback is central to this fresh start. As Crawford put it, “Hugh Freeze has pushed all of his chips to the center of the table at the quarterback spot.” The team has made a significant $20 million investment in Jackson Arnold, clearly banking on his potential to ignite their offense.

But it’s not just about who starts; it’s about proving that massive investment in Arnold was the right call. Freeze and his staff have loaded up the receiving corps to support him. As Crawford pointed out, “Auburn has made such a heavy NIL investment in the receiving group with five-star Cam Coleman last season, Perry Thompson, you’ve got Eric Singleton. They top-rated portal receiver from Georgia Tech on the way. So, I mean, Auburn has all the tools offensively to have an elite group on that side of the ball this season.”

The concerning part? They’ve now got a hefty $1.8 million adjusted NIL value tied to Arnold, with the expectation that he’ll be the one leading that stacked WR unit. And the early buzz from his first spring game isn’t exactly calming any nerves. The word is, that he threw an interception in the first week, raising some eyebrows about his decision-making.

Still, it’s worth remembering that some of his throws were on the money, and his knack for extending plays with his legs definitely flashed. Now, the big question hanging in the air is whether he can put it all together and win that starting job.