AUBURN, Alabama — Will Hastings and Eli Stove may not be ready to play in the season opener, but the two injured Auburn receivers did participate in the first day of preseason camp Friday.

Hastings and Stove tore anterior cruciate ligaments in their left and right knees, respectively, in March and are not expected to be cleared to play in games until at least midway through the season. And yet there they were on the practice field Friday participating in individual drills with their teammates.

Both players wore orange, non-contact jerseys and are not expected to participate in anything other than early-practice drills with tackle dummies and the JUGGS machine, which throws balls to receivers.

Check out the video above for proof of the two receivers participating in drills Friday.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said at SEC Media Days on July 19 that he expects Hastings to possibly be available by the middle of the 2018 season.

"He's off to a very good start," Malzahn said. "His rehab is going excellent. We're hoping we get him back by the middle of the season. Last year he had a great season. He's one of our go-to guys. He's an impact player. Eli Stove is another one that was a tough blow. We lost him with an ACL. Those two tough blows that we need other receivers to step up in their absence until we get them back."

Stove tore an anterior cruciate ligament before spring break and underwent surgery March 13. Stove was in the midst of a strong spring before apparently suffering the injury during Auburn's first contact practice March 8.

Stove caught 29 passes for 265 yards in 2017, serving primarily as a quick option on screens. He was also utilized on jet sweeps, carrying the ball 30 times for 315 yards and two touchdowns. He recorded 10 explosive plays of 20 yards or longer for the Tigers last season.

Hastings is a former walk-on kicker who moved to receiver and became one of Auburn’s primary targets in 2017. He caught 26 passes for 525 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 20.2 yards per catch last season, the second-best average among players on the roster.

Hastings was a record-breaking receiver in the state of Arkansas as a high school player, where he developed into one of the best players in that state’s history. He caught 113 passes for 2,040 yards and 23 touchdowns at Pulaski Academy to become only the second player in state history to eclipse 2,000 yards receiving on the high school level.

Hastings quickly jumped up the depth chart as a role player and later a starter at Auburn, where players affectionally refer to the fast receiver as “White Lightning.” He holds several of the team’s best times in agility drills during the offseason.

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