Auburn rookie Woody Barrett runs quarterback drills at practice

Auburn's quarterback race got a bit more crowded last month.

Four-star dual-threat Woody Barrett of Orlando enrolled in classes June 27 and is hoping to push fellow signal-callers Jeremy Johnson, John Franklin III and Sean White for reps in fall camp next month.

"I'm just going to work hard and keep my head up," the 6-foot-2, 238-pounder told AL.com last month. "I'm going to come in there like I already have the job. I'm just going to compete as hard as I can and try to make everyone around me better. I feel pretty confident. If I have to redshirt, I have to redshirt, but I like my odds."

At SEC Media Days Monday, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn weighed in on his newest quarterback. He called him "extremely talented," but noted the obvious -- the other three quarterbacks (Jeremy Johnson, John Franklin III and Sean White) are a bit farther along due to their experience.

"Starting out in fall camp we're going to be focusing on the older guys a little bit more than (Barrett), but we'll bring him along," Malzahn said. "We think he's a talented young man that fits our offense very good. I think every player has a shot, but realistically right now, the three older guys are going to be ahead... That's not saying (Barrett) won't play this year, it's just where we're at."

Johnson and White split time as Auburn's starer last season with mixed results. Johnson entered the season as the heir apparent to Nick Marshall, but lost the starting job to White in Week 4 after throwing six turnovers in the first three games. White earned the nod in the next five games before multiple injuries forced him back to the bench. Johnson played better in his return, but still did not live up to the preseason hype — and the passing game struggled.

With Barrett already committed to the 2016 class, Malzahn began recruiting Franklin out of East Mississippi Community College around midseason. His speed makes him stand out, but he is also the smallest quarterback on the roster.

Auburn's race appears to just as close as it was this spring, as Malzahn declined to say whether any player currently has an edge. He said this spring he hoped to name a starter "early" in fall camp, and still feels the same way.

"Obviously, earlier better than later," Malzahn said. "But we're going to make sure we're 100 percent sure who gives us the best chance of winning. I do feel like all three guys can run our offense and I think that's very important. The good thing is we have three guys. The challenge is we have to figure out who the main guy is that's going to lead our team. We have a good plan going into fall camp of trying to accelerate that and see who comes out on top. I have a very open mind about that."

As a recruit, Barrett was ranked as a four-star prospect and the nation's No. 6 dual-threat quarterback. He was a 2016 Under Armour All-American and passed for 2,018 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior at West Orange and added 1,413 yards and 23 scores on the ground.

"He just got here a couple weeks ago, and you can see the talent," said Auburn senior receiver Marcus Davis. "You know why he was a highly recruited guy. I think he'll be able to help in the future."