Auburn’s KeAndre Lambert-Smith Shines at Combine, Leaves Lasting Impact with Tigers

One of the reasons Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers program nabbed veteran wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith from Penn State last year was to provide crucial leadership skills.

Even in a losing campaign, Lambert-Smith delivered. He led the team with career highs in yardage (981) and touchdowns (eight).

Tigers receivers coach Marcus Davis tucked his young, talented pass catchers including Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons under Lambert-Smith’s wing.

Both players are coming along nicely, and the relationship which subsequently developed still remains of mutual benefit as Lambert-Smith prepares to make the leap into the pro ranks.

“That was a big reason why I committed to Auburn,” Lambert-Smith said at the NFL Combine. “Coach Davis said it will be a lot of young talent, and he wanted me to come in and showcase my leadership early on. I call them my little brothers.

“Cam sent me a text the other day saying lock in, and this is the moment I’ve been dreaming of. That shows his character and the impact I left on them. I helped them all that way. I came in ready to lead and bring guys to their max potential.”

It’s a trick that Freeze and Co. will now look to replicate when they added the No.1 transfer portal wide receiver Eric Singleton, he comes over from Georgia Tech to guide the younger guys and catch some passes.

As far as the legacy Lambert-Smith now leaves behind down on the Plains, he feels the levels of professionalism both Coleman and Simmons displayed has in fact rubbed off on him.

“What I learned from Malcolm is how he practiced. He is going 100% every rep,” Lambert-Smith revealed. “I appreciated that from him because he pushed and challenged me not to let him outwork me in practice.

“Cam is intentional in everything he does. He made me want to hone in more and help me be that standard for the young guys.”

The competition from the young players helped push Lambert-Smith to a career year, and it also helped push him to an outstanding NFL Combine performance that saw him rip a 4.37 forty.

“Coach Davis and the support staff at Auburn always had my back and was by my side every step of the way,” Lambert-Smith enthused. “The team in general had a lot of confidence in me and that translated from practice to the game.”

After a productive campaign at Auburn that saw him place fourth in receiving yards and touchdowns in the SEC, Lambert-Smith made himself some money at the NFL Combine. While his time at Auburn has passed, the work he did will pay dividends for him and the Tigers in 2025 and beyond.