Tigers land JUCO defensive back

Auburn just added another defensive back for its 2023 roster.

Champ Anthony, who most recently played for Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, committed to Auburn following his official visit Sunday.

"It was the coaches and the environment," Anthony said. "You can’t beat playing in the SEC. Every kid dreams of playing in the SEC and going from JUCO to the SEC, it’s not heard of, it’s not regular. I had to take this opportunity to play in the SEC and play along with some great coaches."

Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Anthony made the move to Mansfield, Texas, in 10th grade, where he finished out his high school career. With limited offers out of high school, Anthony elected to head to Tyler Junior College.

In one season at Tyler, the 6-foot-1 defensive back recorded 14 tackles and an interception.

His player host for his official visit to Auburn over the weekend was former JUCO player Keionte Scott, who came from Snow College. The two were both coached by Tanner Jacobson, who was an assistant at Snow before being named as the head coach at Tyler.

"He told me to put my head down, I kept my head down," Anthony said. "By the end of the season, I was starting and now I’m at Auburn. This is crazy."

Now, Anthony will be coached by Wesley McGriff and Zac Etheridge in the secondary.

"I feel like it’s gonna be family here," Anthony said. "They’re great coaches, great people and I can feel it. Not only do they care about football, but they care about me. That’s really important because I care about football enough for myself. Being away from my hometown, coming to Alabama, it’s gonna be a little different. Being somewhere where I feel like I can trust these people, that’s very important to me."

He'll also be under head coach Hugh Freeze, who's resume is well-known by Anthony.

"Hugh Freeze, he’s gonna turn this program around," Anthony said. "We’ve seen his lineage. It was a great opportunity for me to fit in. Right time for me to come in here and play and I know I’ll go make an impact."

Anthony will have three years of playing eligibility remaining, with a redshirt option as well.