Tag: joko willis

Former Auburn defensive lineman is one of the best players available in the transfer portal

Marquis Robinson had a limited role as a Tiger but 247Sports thinks he is one of the top players left in the transfer portal.

With the first transfer portal window complete most players found their new home but there are still some talented players looking for their next school.

One of these is former Auburn defensive lineman [autotag]Marquis Robinson[/autotag], who entered the portal on Dec. 6, 2022. 247Sports has him ranked as the No. 3 available player in the transfer portal.

Robinson actually entered the portal ahead of the 2022 season but decided to return to Auburn for his redshirt-freshman season. However, he missed spring practice and was never able to get into the rotation along the defensive line, appearing in two games and making two tackles.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder was a four-star recruit coming out of Milton High School and could still have some appeal to teams looking to fill out their defensive line.

He isn’t the only former Tiger still looking for a new home, linebacker [autotag]Joko Willis[/autotag] is also still in the transfer portal.

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Where are they now?: The curious case of Auburn’s 2021 signing class

The nation’s No. 18 signing class from 2021 is only halfway standing after the news of Landen King, A.D. Diamond, and Tar’varish Dawson’s intent to transfer.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] was dealt a great hand to open his tenure on the Plains.

Just one week before the official announcement of the Harsin hire, Auburn signed the nation’s No. 18 recruiting class according to 247Sports, a class that consisted of 18 high school players, six of whom were rated as four-star prospects.

However, just two years after faxing their National Letter of Intent to the university, half of those signees that were expected to be the future of the program now appear on another program’s roster. The number has grown now that tight end [autotag]Landen King[/autotag] has announced his intent to enter the transfer portal. One day later, wide receiver [autotag]Tar’varish Dawson[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]A.D. Diamond[/autotag] also announced that they were looking to test the transfer waters once the season concluded, moving the number of departures from seven players to ten in just two days.

Why is that? No one can for sure say at this time, but it is definitely a concern. Not only are the departures concerning, but the lack of production from this class is worrisome.

The headliner from this class is running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], who has been given an opportunity to complement Tank Bigsby in the running game. Outside of Hunter, defensive players such as [autotag]Dylan Brooks[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Bridges[/autotag], [autotag]Marquis Robinson[/autotag], and [autotag]Joko Willis[/autotag] have combined to play just 236 of Auburn’s 513 defensive snaps according to Pro Football Focus. Between those four players, Bridges is receiving the bulk of those snaps with 173.

With the recent news of King, Dawson, and Diamond’s departure, Auburn Wire is here to break down Auburn’s 2021 signing class, and who is still a part of it.

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Who is still here? Who has gone on to play for another program? All of that information is below:

2022 Auburn football preview: Edge

Derick Hall and Eku Leota are a great 1-2 punch at edge but Auburn needs someone to step up behind them.

The edge group is one of the most interesting positions on Auburn’s roster.

[autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag] and [autotag]Eku Leota [/autotag] have proven they are productive players in the SEC and are likely headed to the NFL after this season.

The concern is the lack of depth behind them, the Tigers have just three scholarship players behind them. Western Kentucky transfer [autotag]Marcus Bragg[/autotag], redshirt freshman [autotag]Dylan Brooks[/autotag], and [autotag]Joko Willis[/autotag], who is transitioning from linebacker.

With Hall and Leota leading the way there is no concern about the production of the group, but if either one of them were to suffer an injury then things could get dicey for Auburn.

Wide Receiver Preview

Tight End Preview

Running Back Preview

Offensive Line Preview

Quarterback Preview

Auburn Tiger Snapshot Profile: No. 33 Joko Willis

Get to know sophomore linebacker Joko Willis.

Going into the 2022 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Bryan Harsin this season.

Up next is linebacker [autotag]Joko Willis[/autotag]. Willis played at Independence Community College before transferring to Auburn ahead of the 2021 season. He was primarily used on special teams in his first season on the Plains, a role he excelled in, but is set to have a larger role on the defense in the coming season.

Joko Willis’ Preseason Player Profile

Auburn lands commitment from second-ranked JUCO LB Joko Willis

Joko Willis, ranked the second-best linebacker out of junior college by 247Sports, has announced his commitment to Auburn.

It has been quite a day for Bryan Harsin and his staff and it is barely now just past noon in Auburn.

After receiving commitments from 3-star offensive tackle Colby Smith and 3-star quarterback Holden Geriner, the second-ranked linebacker in junior college, Joko Willis, also announced that he will be playing on the Plains.

From Auburn Undercover:

Joko Willis, the No. 2 junior college inside linebacker nationally in the industry generated 247Sports Composite, will be a Tiger.

Willis, a former Kentucky commit from Independence Community College in Kansas, was offered by the Tigers on Monday morning and he quickly committed to coach Bryan Harsin, defensive coordinator Derek Mason and inside linebackers coach Jeff Schmedding.

“It’s just like a dream offer,” he said. “I’ve always wanted it.”

Originally from Troup HS in LaGrange, Ga., Willis landed at Independence after being a non-qualifier. The junior college’s 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.

Auburn Undercover spoke with Willis’ high school coach Tanner Glisson.

“He was the only player in my career who one year, his junior year, was an Atlanta Journal- Constitution first-team all-state player at linebacker and the next year was AJC first team all-state at wide receiver,” Glisson said. He’s just tough, instinctive — very tough. He’s an extremely athletic player. He’s very hard to block. He’s got a nose for getting around blocks. He’s a freak athletically. I’ve got three in the SEC right now and he’s just as good as any I’ve ever had.”

3-star QB Holden Geriner commits to Auburn