FCS Transfer DB Bydarrius Knighten COMMITS TO AUBURN!!!

[Gowebb11 9,339]

1 hour ago, augolf1716 said:

55/55

As Pay Dye once said, “Hindsight is 50/50.” Or was that Yogi Berra……or George W. Bush……

[augolf1716 21,221]

5 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

As Pay Dye once said, “Hindsight is 50/50.” Or was that Yogi Berra……or George W. Bush……

I never said most of the things I said. Then again, I might have said ’em, but you never know.

 

[Zeek 16,657]

 

 

[Sizzle 3,917]

 

[Zeek 16,657]

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/auburn-transfers-bydarrius-knighten-commit-2021-tigers-football-donovan-kaufman-tony-fair-jordon-ingram-165391461/

Quote

Auburn has now got the ball rolling in the transfer market, bringing in its second addition via the portal this week in Southeast Missouri State safety Bydarrius Knighten, who committed to the Tigers on Friday after being offered just two days prior.

Like UAB defensive tackle Tony Fair, who committed on Wednesday, Knighten is a grad transfer who will be using his final year of eligibility with the Tigers.

A Mississippi native who said Auburn's proximity to his family was a factor in his decision, Knighten was one of, if not the best player on SEMO's defense over the past three seasons. The 6-foot, 200-pound safety, who can also shift down and play nickel cornerback, was a four-year starter with the Redhawks. He was the fourth-leading tackler on the team his redshirt freshman year in 2017, was named first team All-Ohio Valley Conference with 88 tackles and 10 pass breakups his sophomore year, was second team All-OVC with 75 tackles and three interceptions his junior season in 2019, and had 40 tackles and a pick during SEMO's seven-game spring schedule this year.

Auburn now has four transfer additions in its 2021 class — Knighten, Fair, West Virginia cornerback Dreshun Miller and Northwestern defensive end Eku Leota.

With Knighten on board, Auburn essentially replaces Chris Thompson Jr., a former four-star safety prospect who transferred out two weeks ago and landed at USC this week.

Here's a look at who Auburn now has on the roster at both safety and nickelback, and how Knighten could fit in come fall camp. Reminder that every player listed below besides Knighten and the true freshmen who did participate in the 2020 season are allowed an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA, should they and Auburn decide to use it in the future.

SENIORS: Bydarrius Knighten, Smoke Monday

JUNIORS: Nehemiah Pritchett

SOPHOMORES: Ladarius Tennison, Zion Puckett

FRESHMEN: Ahmari Harvey, Cayden Bridges, Juwon Gaston

Just because Knighten is now the most experienced safety alongside Monday, that doesn't mean he's now penciled in as the other starter.

Auburn defensive coordinator Derek Mason loves what Knighten brings to the table in terms of experience and versatility, but the Tigers are still pursuing another safety transfer: Vanderbilt's Donovan Kaufman. If Auburn adds him, the safety room all of a sudden goes from being wire-thin in spring ball to one of the deepest units on the roster.

Knighten told Auburn Undercover this week that his meetings with Mason about how he fits into Auburn's defensive scheme played a big role in luring him to the Plains. Mason, who coaches Auburn's safeties, loves to have flex players in the secondary, especially ones who can float to the nickel position, as Knighten is capable of doing.

Players like Tennison, who started at safety this spring after playing nickel last season, is among that group. Pritchett was a standout cornerback last year but slid over to nickel in the spring to fill in Tennison's old spot. Puckett dealt with an injury this spring, but once he returns, Auburn's defensive staff is high on his ability to contribute at either nickel or safety. And lastly, Harvey, who signed as a safety, was working as a backup nickel in spring camp.

So it's all up to Mason and his coaches to decide who fits best where. Is Tennison the man at nickel now, moving Pritchett back to corner? Where does Puckett fit in once he returns?

In Monday, Knighten, Tennison and Puckett, Auburn has four players it considers to be SEC-caliber safeties. In the Kevin Steele defenses of a few years back, Auburn had similarly strong depth on the back end, with Daniel Thomas and Jeremiah Dinson backed up by Jamien Sherwood and Smoke Monday for two seasons. Three of those four will likely be NFL draft picks after Monday's last ride at Auburn this season.

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There are a lot of questions for Auburn's secondary coaches to answer in fall camp, and the Tigers could experience more outgoing transfers due to the depth. Regardless, Mason has a good problem on his hands now, and it'll get even better if Kaufman commits: tons of talent at defensive back that extends well down the depth chart.

Like Fair, Knighten is motivated to become an NFL prospect in his final college season, after four years as a highly productive defender on the FCS level.

"It's in the SEC, it's close to my family," Knighten said. "I want to go out with a bang and give it a run for a championship."

MORE BYDARRIUS KNIGHTEN COVERAGE

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Player analysis (VIP)

Nathan King has been killing it with 247.

[augolf1716 21,221]

18 minutes ago, Zeek said:

 

 

Get ready for a few more

[Zeek 16,657]

2 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

Get ready for a few more

Derek Mason is absolutely FEASTING on the Transfer Portal and I love it.

[Gowebb11 9,339]

What pops with this one is his production. This guy creates impact In multiple ways. WDE 🦅!

[W.E.D 11,070]

Was a good FCS player, looking forward to seeing if he can do it vs better players

[Zeek 16,657]

10 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

What pops with this one is his production. This guy creates impact In multiple ways. WDE 🦅!

Yup, not a big interception guy but huge Pass Break Up numbers.

[Zeek 16,657]

3 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Was a good FCS player, looking forward to seeing if he can do it vs better players

I think we still get Kaufman and Knighten will be a rotational piece at nickel with Tennison.

[steeleagle 2,945]

1 hour ago, Zeek said:

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/auburn-transfers-bydarrius-knighten-commit-2021-tigers-football-donovan-kaufman-tony-fair-jordon-ingram-165391461/

Nathan King has been killing it with 247.

I wonder why Nathan left off a bunch of DBs off of his list in his article? He left out Domio, Reed, Simpson, and I think one more that would be part of the DB depth.

I'm all for some of these DBs as we needed depth in some particular areas, and I trust a top notch DC like Mason who knows specifically the DB spot to fill his depth with the pieces that will work for him...

[McLoofus 35,182]

26 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Was a good FCS player, looking forward to seeing if he can do it vs better players

Just depends on whether or not we give him a scholarship. /s

[Zeek 16,657]

10 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

I wonder why Nathan left off a bunch of DBs off of his list in his article? He left out Domio, Reed, Simpson, and I think one more that would be part of the DB depth.

I'm all for some of these DBs as we needed depth in some particular areas, and I trust a top notch DC like Mason who knows specifically the DB spot to fill his depth with the pieces that will work for him...

Those guys are outside dudes mostly. Knighten is Nickel/Safety

[W.E.D 11,070]

46 minutes ago, Zeek said:

I think we still get Kaufman and Knighten will be a rotational piece at nickel with Tennison.

It would be disappointing for Mason to lose his own player

[W.E.D 11,070]

30 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

Domio

One name I've heard that might transfer

[toddc 13,194]

[DAG 33,997]

Awesome!! Welcome to the plains!

[GwillMac6 20,689]

10 hours ago, Zeek said:

https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/auburn-transfers-bydarrius-knighten-commit-2021-tigers-football-donovan-kaufman-tony-fair-jordon-ingram-165391461/

Nathan King has been killing it with 247.

Not with basketball recruiting coverage! 😂😂 Rivals has been lapping 247 in that department and that's what I care most about.

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

Man....Can you guys picture what our Secondary could potentially be if this guy plays to the same level he has against better competition, we get Kauffman, and do not lose anybody else? 

 

[steeleagle 2,945]

15 hours ago, Tigerpro2a said:

Man....Can you guys picture what our Secondary could potentially be if this guy plays to the same level he has against better competition, we get Kauffman, and do not lose anybody else? 

 

It's really interesting w these transfers that as fans we can see they are talented and were integral parts of their other team, and making plays.

It gives us a chance bringing them to Auburn that we could have the most experienced and overall talented and deep DB group we have ever had back there.

[cole256 17,084]

What were his other offers?

[JuscAUse! 1,430]

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

What were his other offers?

Nobody is a bigger homer than me. But I did think the same thing. I am not a coach, so I will assume the coaches have more football knowledge than my wife and me. But if she starts calling our plays based on alignment and personnel, all bets are off! 🙂

[augolf1716 21,221]

17 hours ago, cole256 said:

What were his other offers?

I believe he had offers from Washington State, Utah, Mississippi State, Kansas State, Purdue and Louisville not 100% sure on all those

[W.E.D 11,070]

FCS gets players drafted every year. It'll be interesting to see how kids get plucked from those ranks and can play in the SEC then get drafted.