Just over two years ago, Tyler Johnson was at Big Cat hoping to land an offer from Bryan Harsin's team.

He never got that offer from Harsin, but he did get it from Hugh Freeze a week before signing day, and Johnson, who was committed to Texas Tech at the time, flipped to Auburn on the spot.

Flash forward two years, and Johnson was Auburn's opening day starting left tackle as a redshirt freshman.

For Johnson, the start was a reward for the work he had put in up to that point.

"I couldn't even really explain it to you," Johnson said to reporters Tuesday. "It was just like all the hard work just paying off through fall camp. I don't know, just everything really paying off."

Initially, Johnson had no intention of starting this early.

Johnson planned to use his redshirt year as a chance to develop before maybe splitting time the following season.

Sometimes, plans change.

"I could see that I was going to get some playing time," Johnson said when asked about his year two plans. "But as for being a starter? Nah."

And because it was such a lopsided game, Johnson only saw 23 snaps, but he made them count posting a grade of 80.5 which ranked him as a top-20 tackle in the country in week one, per PFF.

Johnson was happy with his performance, but he also knows he can clean some things up before Auburn starts conference play.

"I felt like it was a good first game," Johnson said. "There was some good stuff I did watching the film, and then there was some bad stuff I did. But it was a good, solid game."

Now with his first start under his belt, Johnson's next step is learning the game and his teammates. And the best teacher of that is experience.

"I would say really becoming a college football player," Johnson said. "Learning the other things just besides things on the offensive line. Learning the things the receivers are trying to do, understanding, 'What's the concept of this run or this pass?' Just learning stuff like that, just becoming a real football player."