Tyler Johnson, Louisiana OT, signs Letter of Intent with Auburn
Three-star offensive lineman Tyler Johnson of Natchitoches (La.) Central signed his Letter of Intent with Auburn on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period. Here’s everything you need to know about him …
Position: Offensive tackle
Height/weight: 6-foot-6 / 288 pounds.
On3 Consensus ratings: No. 697 overall, No. 46 OT, No. 31 in Louisiana.
Commitment date: Dec. 11, 2022
Chose Auburn over: Texas Tech
Time of enrollment at Auburn: January.
Notable: Johnson was committed to Texas Tech for nearly three months before flipping to the Tigers. … He committed to Auburn during an official visit — and soon after receiving an offer. The previous Auburn regime liked Johnson but never offered.
Social media: Twitter (@Tjohnson_77)
Quoteworthy: “I can really trust this staff. I believe they’re going to do something big over here at Auburn University. That’s why I came over and visited. Coach (Hugh) Freeze is going to turn Auburn around. He’s very serious about business. Coming to Auburn, he’s going to turn it around. I believe (offensive line coach Jake Thornton) is going to do good, too.”
The Johnson File
Breakdown from Auburn Live’s Cole Pinkston: Johnson’s best attribute at this point is his frame. If one were to build a prototypical offensive tackle in a lab, it would be very similar to Johnson.
At 6-6 300 pounds, Johnson has very little body fat, long legs and arms, and broad shoulders. He resembles a basketball center in his build.
Johnson has not yet learned how to sink his hips to become the lower man against guys with natural leverage. With his height, most of his opponents have natural leverage against him. When he is able to win those one-on-ones, he does so with raw power. That is a good sign at this point in his career.
As a pass blocker, Johnson has quick enough feet to mirror defenders and keep the quarterback clean. With some refining, he will be able to pass set nicely.
SEC readiness
Breakdown from Auburn Live’s Cole Pinkston: Johnson is not ready to contribute in Year 1 barring a quick turn around with the technical side of playing offensive tackle. Ideally, Auburn does not want to have to start a true freshman at either tackle spot, and he understands that.
It will take some time to get his weight to catch up with his massive frame. When that happens combined with the ability to bend and move like he can, Johnson will be ready to compete for a job.
