Auburn Tigers WR Camden Ricks Aims Higher After Standout Freshman Campaign
AUBURN, AL — After a freshman season that turned heads across the SEC, Auburn wide receiver Camden Ricks isn’t resting on hype—he’s hunting greatness.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound receiver from Marietta, Georgia, entered the 2024 season as a three-star recruit, overlooked by many blue-blood programs. But Auburn saw something different. So did wide receivers coach Marcus Davis. “He walked on campus like he had something to prove,” Davis recalls. “And every rep, every route, he backed it up.”
Ricks finished his freshman year with 42 receptions, 618 yards, and 6 touchdowns—second-most among SEC freshmen receivers. His breakout game came in Week 6 against Texas A&M, where he hauled in 8 catches for 129 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime. But even with the accolades and rising draft buzz, Ricks remains grounded.
“I’m not satisfied,” Ricks says, sitting at the edge of the Auburn practice field, sweat still fresh on his brow after a grueling 6 a.m. workout. “I made some plays last year, sure. But I left way more out there. Drops, bad reads, missed blocks—I remember every one.”
That mindset is exactly what Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, in his fictional return to the Plains, preaches daily. “Camden’s got the tools,” Malzahn said during spring ball. “What sets him apart is his hunger. The great ones don’t get comfortable. Camden? He’s uncomfortable when he’s not working.”
Ricks has been laser-focused this offseason. His routine includes 5 a.m. film sessions, footwork drills with former Auburn star Ryan Davis, and three-day-a-week yoga sessions to improve flexibility and endurance. “I’m trying to become the most complete receiver in the SEC,” Ricks explains. “Not just a deep threat—someone who blocks, runs every route, and leads.”
The Tigers’ offense, under new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, is expected to be more
