Tag: Lee Hunter

Former Auburn WR Ja’Varrius Johnson transfers to UCF

With the transfer portal window coming to an end in the college football offseason, former Auburn WR Ja’Varrius Johnson commits to UCF

The transfer portal window is coming to an end in the college football offseason and rosters are becoming set for the 2024-25 year. A lot of moves are being made all around the country, especially ones that should be put on high notice.

One that is potentially very impactful comes from former Auburn wide receiver, [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag], who has committed to the UCF Knights for next season.

Johnson entered the portal on Dec. 15 with one year of eligibility remaining in his college career. He has spent every season up to this point on the Plains, going through three different head coaches in his time.

The senior racked up 64 receptions for 1,114 yards and eight touchdowns with the Tigers. He capped the 2023 season off with the best game of his season in a loss to Alabama, where he had four catches for 76 yards and a touchdown.

He joins former Auburn head coach [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag] in Orlando, as well as former players in wide receiver [autotag]Kobe Hudson[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Lee Hunter[/autotag].

The Tigers now only notably return their top receiver from last year in [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], to go along with Camden Brown as main contributors in pass catching from last season.

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Former Auburn player blasts Bryan Harsin on Instagram

A former commit blasted his old head coach on IG.

The hits just keep on coming for Bryan Harsin. Not only is speculation and rumors running rampant, but now he is taking heat from a former player.

Lee Hunter joined the Auburn Tigers in the 2021 recruiting class as a four-star prospect and No. 5 player in the state of Alabama. In his lone season for the Tigers, Hunter never saw the field for Auburn last year. He put his name in the transfer portal in mid-January and committed to UCF and Gus Malzahn just days later.

Following the reports of the Bryan Harsin situation, Hunter took to his Instagram account to weigh in on his former head coach. He praised him as a football coach but not much else.

“Coach Harsin has the true mindset for a winner but has a terrible mindset as a person,” Hunter said.

Given what has been circulating over the last 24 hours that is anything but a ringing endorsement for his former coach. Not exactly shocking considering that Hunter opted to use the transfer portal and join the former Auburn head coach in the Sunshine State.

Given the day and age that we live in, this likely won’t be the last we hear of comments such as this.

Auburn football transfer tracker

Here’s everything that’s happened so far.

The transfer portal has continued to become a bigger part of college football as more and more players enter the portal.

While the biggest exodus came the day after Bryan Harsin fired offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, the biggest name to enter was Bo Nix. As players continue to enter the portal, check back here for all the players leaving Auburn, and those who are joining Auburn.

Transferring out

Quarterback Bo Nix: A three-year starter, Nix was having his best injury before being sidelined with an injury. He leaves as ranking third in school history with 7,251 passing yards. Transferred to Oregon.

Running back Shaun Shivers: A veteran in the running back room, Shivers endeared himself to fans with his physical style, despite his size. He will forever be a hero for his game-winning touchdown in the 2019 Iron Bowl. Transferred to Indiana.

Offensive lineman Tashawn Manning: Manning was a starter in 2020 at left guard but saw his opportunities drop this season. Transferred to Kentucky.

Receiver Elijah Canion: Canion had a big game in last season’s bowl game but managed just four receptions for 46 yards this season. Transferred to Purdue.

Receiver Kobe Hudson: Auburn’s best receiver from this season will be moving on, in a since-deleted Instagram post, Hudson announced he had been “kicked off the team.” He finished with 44 receptions for 580 yards and four touchdowns, all were team-highs. Transferred to UCF.

Receiver Caylin Newton: A special teams star the past two seasons, Newton blocked two kicks this season and caught one pass for 31 yards. 

Defensive back Ladarius Tennison: A physical safety, Tennison spent most of the season in a backup role but played well against Texas A&M and Mississippi State. Transferred to Ole Miss.

Defensive back Ahmari Harvey: Harvey was Auburn’s third highest signee in 2021 but will be moving on without ever playing for Auburn. Transferred to Georgia Tech.

Cornerback Dreshun Miller: After an All-Big 12 season in 2020 for West Virgina, Miller was unable to crack Auburn’s corner rotation and appeared in just one game. 

Edge Caleb Johnson: A reserve who was away from the team for three games for undisclosed reasons. Johnson made 18 tackles, 1.0 sack and 4.0 tackles for loss across four seasons.

Edge Romello Height: Auburn’s depth at edge took a hit with Height deciding to transfer. A reserve last season, Height finished with 18 tackles and 3.0 tackles for a loss in nine games. He was likely going to be a reserve next season as well. 

Defensive line Dre Butler: Butler made 20 tackles, 1.0 sack and 2.0 tackles for loss in his two seasons at Auburn.

Defensive Line Daniel Foster-Allen: After not seeing the field in his two seasons at Auburn, Foster-Allen entered the portal. The former three-star recruit would have had a tough time earning playing time due to Auburn’s depth along the defensive line. 

Defensive line Lee Hunter: A top 100-recruit in the 2021 class, Hunter is already the second player from the class to enter the portal. He did not appear in any games as a freshman. 

Defensive line JJ Pegues: The extremely athletic Pegues reportedly entered the portal on Monday. In his first year playing defensive line, Pegues finished with 17 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and forced one fumble.

Transferring in

Defensive line Jayson Jones: A former four-star recruit from Calera, Alabama, Jones spent just two seasons as an Oregon Duck. He played in all 13 games for Oregon, making 19 total tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Quarterback Zach Calzada: After losing Nix, Auburn needed to add an experienced quarterback and Calzada fits the bill. He played in 12 games for Texas A&M last season and threw for 2,185 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

Quarterback Robby Ashford: Who says there are no trades in college sports? Ashford entered the portal after Nix committed to Auburn and could replace him as Auburn’s starter. A four-star recruit in the 2020 class out of Hoover, Alabama, he did not appear in a game for Oregon.

Cornerback DJ James: Another former Oregon player, James started for the Ducks last season and was a three-year contributor. He will bring experience and playmaking ability to the cornerback room which is full of new faces.

Lee Hunter named one of 247Sports freshmen to watch in SEC

The true freshman from Blount High School in Eight Mile, Alabama is expected to contribute immediately for Auburn in 2021.

Auburn needs some help along the defensive line. Could that assist come in the form of true freshman Lee Hunter?

The writers over at 247Sports think so as they have Hunter listed as one of the freshman in the SEC to watch during the 2021 season.

Auburn’s defensive tackle room is rather unproven, and Hunter, who ranked as the Tigers’ top overall signee in 2021, has an excellent chance to break into the rotation right away. Hunter brings college-ready strength to The Plains at 320 pounds, and his nastiness in the trenches pops up on film. There’s a need inside, too. In fact, nobody on the interior of Auburn’s defensive line finished with better than a 59 PFF Grade last year. Auburn is resetting at this spot, and Hunter has a great chance to play a lot even with UAB transfer Tony Fair joining the roster.

From Blount High School in Eight Miles, Alabama, Hunter was a four-star signee and ranked the No. 7 defensive tackle in the nation. He should contribute immediately as a key player in the trenches for Derek Mason’s defense.

Auburn Spring Practice: Can the Tigers find a dominant defensive line?

Here are the Tigers projected to fill the positions on the defensive line.

The last few months have been chaotic for every aspect of Auburn football, especially the Tigers’ defensive line. New defensive line coach Nick Eason comes to Auburn after spending a season coaching the Cincinnati Bengals’ d-line. Eason steps in to replace Tracy Rocker who left after just 11 days for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The hardest task that lies ahead for Eason and DC Derek Mason is replacing two of the line’s biggest contributors from last season in defensive end Big Kat Bryant and defensive tackle Daquan Newkirk.

Bryant left Auburn to originally follow Kevin Steele to Tennessee but finally ended up at UCF with former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn. He finished last season with 15 tackles, 3 sacks, and 1 interception. Newkirk transferred to Florida and finished last season with 28 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Mason typically runs a hybrid defense that alternates between three and four man fronts. Here are the Tigers projected to fill the positions on the defensive line:

Defensive tackle:

Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

Dre Butler 6’5, 304 lb junior

  • 2020 stats: 14 tackles, 1 sack
  • Butler transferred to Auburn from Independence Community College in Kansas where he recorded 66 tackles, 22.0 TFL, and 11.5 sacks

Lee Hunter 6’4, 300 lb freshman

  • Senior statistics at Blount High School (Mobile, AL): 54 tackles, 20 TFL, 4.5 sacks
  • 4-star recruit with high praise for his strength and athleticism along all aspects of the line

Jay Hardy 6’4, 300 lb redshirt freshman

  • 2020 stats: early season leg injury sidelined Hardy throughout season, saw action in one game against Northwestern
  • Instinctually a very solid player with quick hands and big upside but will need to step up athletically this spring to fill the role

Zykeivous Walker 6’4, 266 lb sophomore

  • 2020 stats: solid option for Auburn at DE, finished season with 14 tackles and 1 sack
  • Powerful and quick for his size, has the versatility and skillset to play on the edge and the interior

Marquis Burks 6’3, 312 lb senior

  • 2020 stats: 4 tackles, 1 sack
  • Two years of experience at Iowa City Community College

Defensive end:

Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics

Colby Wooden 6’4 268 lb sophomore

  • 2020 stats: 42 tackles, 3 sacks, 9.5 TFL
  • His 9.5 TFL ranked third best in the SEC and he finished the season on the SEC All-Freshman team

Zykeivous Walker 6’4 266 lb sophomore

  • 2020 stats: 14 tackles, 1 sack
  • As mentioned before, his versatility is great and he’s a proven pass rusher

Jaren Handy 6’5 252 lb junior

  • 2020 stats: 3 tackles, 1 sack
  • Reserve DE for the Tigers in 2020, plays aggressively and runs well in pursuit

Reactions to Auburn’s Early Signing Day

Twitter wasn’t exactly happy with how Auburn’s 2021 signing class has turned out so far on the first day of the Early Signing Period.

Things today were certainly interesting. The good news is that Auburn managed to sign 12 commits today. The bad news is that the Tigers’ 2021 recruiting class is currently ranked 46th overall nationally. The Tigers have not fallen below the top 25 in recruiting since 2003. Luckily they have plenty of more time to improve before February 3rd.

Early Signing Day is always exciting, especially when it falls on day three of Auburn fans begging the question, “Who is Auburn even going to hire to coach these guys next year?”

Head coaching chaos aside, today was still an exciting day for Auburn fans and future players. I know I’m looking forward to watching each of these guys play in orange and blue. It takes a lot of courage for these young men to sign when the future of a program is uncertain, but hey, that’s when you know these guys love Auburn and are coming for the right reasons.

Let’s get into the reactions from today:

Sad news in addition to this, but redshirt freshman RB Mark Antony Richards has entered the transfer portal. It’s a depressing feeling to see depth leaving at a time like this. We wish him nothing but the best.

Today was not ideal by any means, but these young guys are the future. Take a deep breath, remain calm, and pray that Auburn’s decision makers find the right guy who can build upon this recruiting class, find some offensive linemen and linebackers, and coach these guys up to the standard of Auburn football that we all know and love.

Looking at the 2021 Auburn recruiting class ahead of the Early Signing Period

Auburn’s 2021 class is small so far but the Tigers have the chance to sign some big talent in the Early Signing Period.

With the Dec. 16 early signing period just more than a week away it is time to take a closer look at the 2021 recruiting class and see what could be in store for the Tigers.

The Tigers currently have the No. 42 recruiting class in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. The class ranks 11th in the SEC and is currently behind Kentucky and just ahead of Vanderbilt.

 The class plummeted nearly 20 spots after the decommitment of running back Amari Goodwin.

Under Gus Malzahn Auburn has never finished below 12th nationally and all but twice (2018 and 2019) have finished outside the top 10.

While it would seem that the Tigers would be hard pressed to finish inside the top 10, the class still has several elite recruits.

Here is a look at everything you need to know about the 2021 Auburn recruiting class

Total commits: 12

One of the biggest factors in the Tigers low ranking is the size of their class, as Auburn’s 12 commits are the second fewest in the SEC. Alabama, Georgia and LSU – the top 3 classes in the SEC – have at least 20 commits.

Last commitment: 3-star receiver Hal Presley on Nov. 11.

Spots to fill: This number is hard to know. With 2020 not counting against a player’s eligibility and it being unknown how that will affect the amount of scholarship players a program can have on the roster. The NCAA also created a one-time transfer exception for the 2020–21 legislative cycle, which will likely make the transfer market more active.

Class Ranking: 42nd nationally, 11th in SEC

The Tigers lead just Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and South Carolina in the SEC and trail Rutgers, Georgia Tech, Virginia and Iowa in overall ranking.

AVERAGE RATING PER COMMIT: 89.23

The rating is just below the 90.00 threshold to be considered a 4-star and ranks 15th nationally.

Decommits:

  • 4-star running back Amari Goodwin, uncommitted
  • 4-star quarterback Aaron McLaughlin, NC State
  • 4-star offensive tackle Caleb Johnson, Notre Dame
  • 3-star offensive tackle J’Marion Gooch, Tennessee

Now, here’s an overview of each position

Auburn recruiting: Two commits shine on both sides of the ball

Scoring four touchdowns in one game is impressive. But to score them the way Tar’varish Dawson did Thursday night, is remarkable.

Scoring four touchdowns in one game is impressive. But to score them the way Tar’varish Dawson did is remarkable.

The 4-star athlete powered Lehigh Acres to a 35-7 win over Cypress Lake Thursday night. The 5-feet-10, 175-pound Dawson had two receiving touchdowns, one rushing touchdown and two interceptions, with one being a pick six.

He now has 17 carries for 155 yards and two scores on the season to go with 15 receptions for 216 yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions while at corner.

He wasn’t the only future Tiger making plays on both sides of the ball either, as Lee Hunter had a monster night of his own.

Hunter, a 4-star defensive tackle and Auburn’s highest ranked commit, totaled 12 tackles, four tackles for loss and two scores.

While both came on the offensive one it was the second that stole the show.

The 6-5, 292-pound Blount caught a 20-yard touchdown reception to seal the 38-20 victory over Robertsdale.

Dematrius Davis may not have may plays on defense but had another impressive game. The 4-star prospect connected on 14 of his 21 attempts for 212 yards and a score as well as 86 yards and three more touchdowns on the ground.

Armoni Goodwin, 4-star running back commit, had another big game for Hewitt-Trussville, rushing for 163 yards and a touchdown as they fell to Hoover 29-28.

Ahmari Harvey, 4-star safety commit, had an interception for Florida State University School.

Other Notes

After planning to announce his college decision this Saturday, 4-star defensive end Jeremiah Williams has decided to push back his decision.

Despite this postponement, Auburn could still get some huge news this weekend, just in basketball.

Jabari Smith, the No. 5 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite and the top power forward, will announce his college decision on Friday at 3:00 pm EST. Auburn is competing with Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, North Carolina and Tennessee for his commitment.

Five-star defensive back Ga’Quincy “Koolaid” McKinstry announced that he will be committing on Oct. 25. Auburn, Alabama and LSU are the final schools.

Auburn is currently the favorite to land all three players in the 247Sports Crystal Ball.

The bounty of winning the Iron Bowl: Auburn’s 5-star junior commit Lee Hunter

Lee Hunter, the five-star defensive tackle from Blount High School in Alabama, committed to Auburn shortly after the team’s Iron Bowl victory against Alabama.

Auburn’s victory in the 2019 Iron Bowl against Alabama has has a number of direct impacts. The heat is officially off head coach Gus Malzahn. The Tigers are still in play for a 10-win season. And recruiting to the Plains definitely got easier for Malzahn and his staff.

Case in point: the pledge of Class of 2021 5-star defensive tackle Lee Hunter.

A five-star defensive line prospect from Blount High School (Eight Mile, Ala.), Hunter committed to Auburn just two days after watching the Tigers drop the Crimson Tide, picking Auburn ahead of 21 other scholarship offers.

Hunter is considered a top-30 prospect in the current junior class and a top-five overall prospect in the state of Alabama.

“My heart keeps telling me to go to this school and that’s where I’m going to fit in good,” Hunter told 247Sports. “It’s Auburn. My heart just keeps telling me to go to Auburn. If I don’t go there I feel like I’ll make a bad decision.

“I love the defense Coach Kevin Steele runs. I think I would fit perfectly in it. I feel like I can relate myself to number five, Derrick Brown. I feel like I can do the same things on the same side of the ball and hopefully do it even better.”

It’s worth noting that Hunter wasn’t won over by the win over Alabama itself, and even noted the atmosphere in Jordan Hare Stadium the last time he was there on campus, for Auburn’s loss to Georgia. Still, the win provided a perfect capstone on his decision to become a Tiger, and now he’s excited to be done with the recruiting process far ahead of his final high school campaign.

“I’ll still take a few visits, but I’m committed to Auburn,” Hunter told 247Sports. “I love Auburn.”