LB Austin Keys Commits to Auburn

[toddc 13,194]

Auburn lands former Ole Miss LB Austin Keys

4 minutes ago

Shortly after adding former LSU linebacker DeMario Tolan, Auburn has added former Ole Miss linebacker Austin Keys.

The addition of Keys comes shortly after entering the transfer portal on Jan. 6 and during his official visit to the Plains.

Redshirting at Ole Miss during the 202o season, Keys was a special teams guy for the Rebels during the Covid season. In 2021 Keys started to earn his stripes, playing in six games and tallying 12 tackles before an injury cut his season short. The 2022 season was where Keys really found his footing, appearing in 12 games and finishing the season with 39 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Keys arrives at Auburn with two years of eligibility remaining — so another young addition to Josh Aldridge's linebacker room. 

Auburn's addition of Tolan comes as more of a versatile linebacker, able to potentially play outside at 6-foot-2, 222 pounds. Keys, on the other hand, is much bigger at 6-foot-2, 245 and projects as more of a true middle linebacker.

2COMMENTS

After Owen Pappoe departed for the NFL, linebacker became a major position of need, especially with no high school recruits signing with Auburn. Cam Riley, Wesley Steiner and Desmond Tisdol all return as somewhat experienced veterans — but all three are still unproven. Robert Woodyard also returns after getting some run in 2022, but again, Woodyard is relatively unproven. 

Hugh Freeze and Aldridge have now addressed that need in the portal.

Edited January 15, 2023 by toddc

[WFE12 9,191]

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

Boom....we are saving the Nick Jackson announcement for Sunday! 

[toddc 13,194]

[bigbird 60,359]

We're most likely taking 2 of the 4 LBs.  Keys is the first. I don't know who the 2nd will be.

[Quietmaninthecorner 1,944]

4 minutes ago, bigbird said:

We're most likely taking 2 of the 4 LBs.  Keys is the first. I don't know who the 2nd will be.

I know Nick Jackson,  but cant remember the other 2.  Can ya help me out?

[AUDaddio 79]

The only thing that will make me more excited about all these transfers is if we can have the same success in the H.S. ranks.

[Shadow Tiger 1,290]

[Quietmaninthecorner 1,944]

6 minutes ago, AUDaddio said:

The only thing that will make me more excited about all these transfers is if we can have the same success in the H.S. ranks.

I agree,   but

high school recruits seem to be more long term relationship oriented.     

It may take a year before we get more than just our foot in the door.  I suspect we will do pretty good this year anyway. 

  The portal recruiting will be hard to match with just a few months of relations with the high school recruits.  

Edited January 15, 2023 by Quietmaninthecorner

[Zeek 16,584]

Our fourth transfer from an SEC school this cycle. They’re stopgap solutions but at least they’re a solution. This plus Token adds much needed depth to the LBs.

 If we can win 8-9 the high school kids will come too 

[roe4christ 940]

19 minutes ago, Quietmaninthecorner said:

I know Nick Jackson,  but cant remember the other 2.  Can ya help me out?

I think the only other two besides Jackson that we might be interested in are Marshall (Georgia) and Spreights (Oregon St.)  Am I wrong Mods?

[Randman5000 4,223]

10 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Our fourth transfer from an SEC school this cycle. They’re stopgap solutions but at least they’re a solution. This plus Token adds much needed depth to the LBs.

 If we can win 8-9 the high school kids will come too 

2 SEC line backers and they have 2 and 3 years of eligibility 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Randman5000

[SumterAubie 3,031]

[JDUBB4AU 5,100]

Just now, SumterAubie said:

I get it… UNO right? Bunko maybe? 21? 

[Sizzle 3,909]

The coaching staff is definitely getting much needed depth. He’s more of a bigger LB and those types are still useful but not like they used to be. LB’s gotta be able to run sideline to sideline now 

[JuscAUse! 1,381]

4 minutes ago, Sizzle said:

The coaching staff is definitely getting much needed depth. He’s more of a bigger LB and those types are still useful but not like they used to be. LB’s gotta be able to run sideline to sideline now 

Not in the middle , IMO. We got killed by runs up the gut the last few years. Our middle lb needs to make tackles in front of him, not 5-6 yards down the field. I'll take the thumper in the middle every time. 

[Chaotic_zx 1,033]

[AUINSY 2,228]

[PowerOfDixieland 3,225]

43 minutes ago, JuscAUse! said:

Not in the middle , IMO. We got killed by runs up the gut the last few years. Our middle lb needs to make tackles in front of him, not 5-6 yards down the field. I'll take the thumper in the middle every time. 

I am in violent agreement with this....

[bigbird 60,359]

2 hours ago, Quietmaninthecorner said:

I know Nick Jackson,  but cant remember the other 2.  Can ya help me out?

OreSt 

UVA 

UGA

[PoetTiger 1,896]

 

[Mikey 16,540]

3 hours ago, AUDaddio said:

The only thing that will make me more excited about all these transfers is if we can have the same success in the H.S. ranks.

These days the high school recruiting is about all wrapped up in December. You and all the rest of us will have to wait until early signing day in December of 2023 to see how well we do.

[Potatooooooes!! 1,366]

1 hour ago, bigbird said:

OreSt 

UVA 

UGA

I feel like any one of those three would be amazing

[GwillMac6 20,579]

6 hours ago, Chaotic_zx said:

I felt this!!!! Today def was a sit down in the recliner. Kick back and watch some golden girls until the AU basketball game kind of night!!! 😆😁

[GwillMac6 20,579]