Auburn football: 10 reasons why 2021 could be a special season

7. Big Kat Bryant will be terrorizing NFL quarterbacks

Big Kat Bryant projects to be a mid-round draft prospect at the moment so all signs point to the Auburn defensive end being employed by an NFL team and terrorizing quarterbacks at the professional level in 2021.

That only figures to add to the team’s morale as his former teammates look to bounce back to their winning ways with him doing bigger and better things. Imagine how the Tigers would respond to a sack of former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow!

8. Anthony Schwartz should have his best season at Auburn

Anthony Schwartz will be a senior next season as he embarks on what should be his final season with Auburn football. Schwartz is an Olympic-level athlete who set a new Boy’s World Youth Best of 10.15 seconds over 100 meters in 2017.

He’s in the midst of a down season, having yet to catch a touchdown pass. That said, he should rise in 2021.

9. Owen Pappoe will be primed for a spotlight season

The beastly linebacker Owen Pappoe could be due for his best season yet in 2021, even after finishing with 49 tackles, 2.0 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and four quarterback hurries in 2019 and upping the ante with 73 tackles, and 2.0 sacks so far through just nine games in 2020.

With hopes of one day suiting up in the NFL himself, and with a semi-normal transition into next season, Pappoe could be set up to put on a showcase for all 32 NFL franchises.

10. There could be changes to the coaching staff

Look, there’s no intel here, but if you read the writing on the wall, it seems like there could be changes at some level in the Auburn coaching staff. Between the six different head coach openings sprouting up across the FBS and a certain former Auburn defensive coordinator who has since had stops elsewhere hitting the market, changes could be coming to the Auburn football coaching staff in one way or another.