AUBURN, Alabama — Deshaun Davis wasn't here after practice Friday evening to create a story.

He looked to his right at an Auburn sports information employee as he started answering a question about players standing out in the first two practices of the Music City Bowl.

"There's some talent out there. I can tell you that. I'm excited to see — I don't think I should say that," Davis said, glancing at the Auburn employee with a timidness rarely shown by the Auburn linebacker.

Davis received the go-ahead nod.

"Joey Gatewood's going to be a really good quarterback," the senior linebacker said. "I know that's probably going to be a story, but he's going to be a good quarterback."

Gatewood, a freshman, has not been mentioned much by coaches or teammates throughout the 2018 season. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn kept him off the road (and out of games) as he healed an apparent thumb injury during the season. He didn't travel with the team until a trip to Ole Miss on Oct. 20. Before he season he had his jersey number (1) ripped away and replaced by No. 13. He was told he had to earn the No. 1 back, sources told Auburn Undercover at the time.

"You can tell he's comfortable with the ball in his hand," Davis said. "That's kinda cliché to say for a quarterback, but he's not afraid to make plays, I'll say that. He trusts his receivers in one-on-one situations. He's a good running quarterback. He's faster than I thought he was actually. I know he's going to surprise a lot of other people. He's not going down in the pocket easily. I don't know if it's because of the guys that are trying to tackle him or what, but when he's standing back in the pocket, he's a big guy to bring down."

Auburn utilized its first two practices to focus on upperclassmen early in drills before conducting practice and scrimmage-like situations for freshmen and redshirts Thursday and Friday.

Gatewood arrived at Auburn in January ranked as the nation's No. 1 athlete and 49h-best player overall. He was a longtime Auburn commitment, providing a verbal pledge to then-offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee in December 2015.

His 6-foot-5, 237-pound frame is formidable and his speed dynamic. He fits the inside-zone quarterback Auburn hasn't utilized since Cam Newton in 2010.

“Joey definitely has a lot of talent," senior Auburn receiver Ryan Davis said. "You can see obviously the size in him, athletic ability. Joey is just putting the pieces together and I know it’s going to take time. Joey, just seeing him these first two days, coach Malzahn has definitely been trying to push him to reach that next level. Really, pushing everybody to reach that next level as well. For Joey himself, I feel like he’s definitely taking those steps in the right direction for sure.”

Gatewood threw for 1,468 yards and 12 touchdowns and also ran for an additional 1,100 yards and 16 touchdowns while splitting time at quarterback as a senior at Bartram Trail in St. Augustine, Florida in the fall of 2017.

Gatewood remained as the third-team quarterback much of the season, and was technically bumped to fourth team as 23-year-old freshman Cord Sandberg played earlier this season in a blowout.

Gatewood will face at least three challengers in the race to replace Jarrett Stidham as starting quarterback in the spring: Junior Malik Willis, redshirt freshman Sandberg and early enrollee Bo Nix. Auburn might also look at the graduate transfer market, where the nation is awaiting word on whether dual-threat quarterback Khalil Tate will leave the Arizona in the offseason.

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