Published May 4, 2022
Five juniors that will play a key role for Auburn
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Christian Clemente  •  AuburnSports
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Auburn's class of juniors is loaded with talent, including arguably the most talented player on the team.

Taking a look at five juniors set to play a key role for Auburn this fall:

NOTE: This is part three of a series looking at players in each class (Freshman, Sophomore, etc.). Players class is determined by what Auburn lists them as on the athletics website, not how long they've been on campus. I.e. Jayson Jones, who transferred in and is listed as a sophomore by Auburn is treated as a sophomore in this piece.

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Tank Bigsby — RB

No junior or anyone on the team may end up playing a bigger role for Auburn next year than Tank Bigsby.

Bigsby burst onto the scene as a freshman and followed that up with a 1,000-yard season and 10 touchdowns.

This year he's set to be the clear focal point of the offense. Especially with question marks at quarterback and wide receiver, Auburn will be relying on its junior tailback to carry the load.

Bryan Harsin and OC Eric Kiesau made it clear as spring practice started that the role and expectations for Bigsby are high this season.

"I'm expecting a lot out of him, to be honest with you," Kiesau said. "I've had conversations with him about that. I've actually had conversations with the whole offense about that -- like I said, we're going to start this thing with a downhill, physical run game.

"We're going to come after you. That starts with those guys in the backfield, and obviously Tank being the forefront of that. I'm excited about it."

Colby Wooden and Marcus Harris — DL

Cheating a little bit here, because it feels like both Colby Wooden and Marcus Harris deserve to be mentioned along the defensive line.

Wooden has established himself with two strong seasons at Auburn, proving to be a versatile piece along the defensive line, racking up over 100 tackles and nine sacks the past two years.

Harris, meanwhile, transferred in to Auburn last season and put up a serviceable 27 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery. He proved to be one of Auburn's biggest portal wins, as he was a strong part of Auburn's defensive line last year.

With another year of development under their belts, more chemistry and some other pieces available on the D-line to help them out, both Wooden and Harris are set to be a huge part of Auburn's defense this year.

Ja'Varrius Johnson — WR

Ja'Varrius Johnson returns after entering and subsequently withdrawing his name from the transfer portal earlier this spring, and his return is a big one.

He was partially limited during spring with injuries, but making sure he's healthy is the key here. Johnson has dealt with injuries during his time at Auburn, and last year was no different. Auburn needs Johnson to be healthy considering his playmaking ability and the team's lack of depth at the position.

Playing in limited games last year, Johnson caught 19 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns. His 14.4 yards per catch led all Auburn receivers.

If Johnson is able to stay healthy he could end up being a big part of opening up Auburn's offense as a deep threat.

Zion Puckett — S

The days of Smoke Monday are over at safety, and Zion Puckett is being counted on to fill the leadership role in the defensive backfield.

Puckett was limited, like Johnson, during the spring as he worked his way back from an offseason procedure. Getting him healthy is key as he too missed time last year.

He seldomly saw the field his first two seasons at Auburn, but was a bigger contributor last year with 48 tackles and should be ready to fulfill his new role.

Jaylin Simpson — CB

Like Puckett, Jaylin Simpson has big shoes to try and fill with Roger McCreary gone.

Simpson burst onto the scene in 2020, winning SEC Freshman of the Week in the opener against Kentucky, but went down with an injury and didn't play as much the rest of the year.

In 2021, though, Simpson had 27 tackles, three passes deflected and an interception.

He has the size and has shown the ability to play on the outside as a lockdown corner, and Auburn will count on him to do just that this season.