Every year when a young star comes into a major college football program, it is a hit or miss most of the time on how they start their careers off and whether they will maintain that line every week.
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That question has not been asked about sophomore Omar Mabson II though, as the young running back has been talked about all throughout preseason camp for the Auburn Tigers.
The young talent was limited in his playing time during the 2025 season, only carrying the ball 16 times for 71 yards and a touchdown in 10 appearances as a true freshman. During that time however, he flashed signs of having a high ceiling in the running back room.
With the Tigers having gotten to go in full pads on Wednesday and raise the physicality in drills, Mabson was short, but direct in how he felt about it.
“I feel amazing. We finally get to get contact. It’s just a great feeling,” Mabson said.
Head Coach Alex Golesh had high compliments for Mabson on Thursday, Aug. 6, saying that he had cemented himself in a competitive room because of his willingness to be his best at practice and his consistent performance.
On Wednesday, running backs coach Larry Porter got his opportunity to speak to the media for the first time in preseason camp, and when asked about Mabson, he echoed Golesh’s sentiments.
“I think what Omar brings is a presence to this team because he comes to work every single day,” Porter said. “There’s no days off, there’s no plays off. You know what you’re getting every single day out of that kid, and as a coach, you can greatly appreciate that because that’s the expectation of every guy on this team. What you’re hearing from the other coaches is a great appreciation for the way that he comes to work.”
Mabson has worked through the offseason to craft his game, doing whatever he can to make himself better.
Having been thrown into the fire of SEC play in his freshman year, Mabson saw firsthand what he needed to work on going into his sophomore campaign. He has sensed growth in multiple areas, which will help him on and off the field.
“I would probably say my pass protection, just being able to ID the fronts better, ID defenses better and also just my recovery mindset, (having) been a freshman not having an idea of what real recovery looks like,” Mabson said.
That early experience of being put into SEC games was huge for him in realizing where he needs to step up, as it might not have been so obvious in his mind otherwise.
“It was crucial,” Mabson said. “The only way you can learn things is to experience it. At the end of the day, I think that was crucial for me to learn and get better each and every day.”
Even in the little things that not many people think about, Mabson has worked to make sure he improves so that he is better suited for what is to come.
The post-practice and postgame aspect of his game has been something he has focused on, all thanks to senior mentor Jeremiah Cobb.
“It’s just seeing how he goes about things off the field and on the field. I’m taking the little things from him like rehab, recovery, just the little things.”
Mabson has been taking the second running back in drill lines, putting him in prime position to earn a significant playing time increase should his stock continue to rise.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
