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5 most explosive players on the Auburn football team

Cole Pinkstonby:Cole Pinkston•07/04/23•

ColePinkston

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Auburn's Ja'Varrius Johnson vs Mississippi State on November 13, 2021. (Photo by Getty Images)

Who are some of the players that will provide fireworks in the 2023 season for Auburn football?

Thanks to the transfer portal, the Tigers have more explosive players than they did in 2022. In fact, a few of the transfers made this list.

Here are the top five most explosive players and some honorable mention choices as well.

RB, Jarquez Hunter

Ever since Hunter broke off the 97 yard run as a freshman against Alabama State, it was pretty obvious that he had the potential to be an explosive play threat.

Averaging 6.4 yards per carry in 2022, Hunter will get the chance to be the workhorse for Auburn. With more carries means he will have more chances to hit the home run ball and take it to the house from anywhere on the field.

Hunter had several explosive runs a year ago: 25 yards against Texas A&M, 48 yards against Ole Miss, 40 yards against Western Kentucky and 45 yards against Alabama.

He also made some explosive plays as a receiver: A 61 yard reception against LSU and a 62 yard reception against Georgia.

WR, Ja’Varrius Johnson

With the many new transfer receivers, Johnson is sometimes forgotten. He has, however, been one of the more explosive players on the team for the last few years. That should not change in 2023.

Johnson averaged just under 20 yards per catch in 2022. He had a 20+ yard reception in nine games in 2022. Against Mercer and LSU he had catches of over 50 yards.

Johnson has proven to be a deep threat as well as a threat to make a big play on a screen pass. He will be explosive again in 2023.

DB, Keionte Scott

Keionte Scott was one of the most explosive players in the 2021 recruiting class. He was a kick returner, a defensive back, and even played in the box.

He has done the same thing so far at Auburn.

Scott has a knack for being out in coverage and then popping into the T.V. screen out of nowhere chasing down the ball carrier. He is a threat to make a game-changing play at all times as a tackler and as a coverage player.

LB, Austin Keys

Keys has not yet played at Auburn, but he’s a proven SEC linebacker.

Keys does not get enough press for his explosive physicality. He takes on blockers and makes others around him better for it.

Keys can also get after the quarterback and make game-changing plays as a pass rusher.

Keys is the definition of an explosive player at linebacker which is what Auburn has severely lacked at times in recent years.

TE, Rivaldo Fairweather

Again, Fairweather has not played for Auburn yet, but he was a priority for the Tigers because he consistently makes huge plays.

Fairweather is a speedy tight end who can pick the ball out of the air. He has a wide catch radius and speed to out run defensive backs in the secondary.

In 2022, Fairweather had 6 games in which he had receptions of 20 yards or more. In one of those games he had a 75 yard reception.

Whether it is a fade route or an over the middle route, Fairweather is a scoring threat.

Honorable Mention

— QB, Robby Ashford

— WR, Jyaire Shorter

— WR, Shane Hooks

— Saf., Jaylin Simpson

— RB, Brian Battie

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