Auburn football wins weekend with SEMO DB grad transfer

The Auburn football program kicked off the weekend the right way by landing a commit from arguably the top FCS prospect in the NCAA transfer portal. A grad transfer from Southeast Missouri State, defensive back Bydarrius Knighten will join the Tigers with one season of eligibility left.

Knighten received offers from schools of all levels, from small FCS schools all the way up to Power 5 contenders. It was widely thought that the Mississippi native would be headed to Starkville to play for the Bulldogs, but all bets were off once Auburn football slid into the picture.

The defensive back adds another piece to the puzzle that has been created by recent d-line losses to the transfer portal, choosing Auburn over schools such as Purdue, Utah, Oregon State, and Louisville. Knighten’s commitment comes just two days after UAB grad transfer Tony Fair committed to the Tigers.

During his career at Southeast Missouri, Knighten racked up 222 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 21 passes deflected, according to the SEMO website. In 2019 Knighten ranked third on the team with 75 tackles and second in solo stops.

Smoke Monday returns to the Plains as a sure starter at safety, but Knighten will add needed depth after the loss of Jamien Sherwood to the NFL Draft, as will class of 2021 signee Juwon Gaston, a 3-star safety out of Montgomery, AL. Also joining the safety room in the fall will be 3-star Cayden Bridges and 4-star Ahmari Harvey.

Knighten stands at six feet tall and weighs in at 200 pounds. The Tigers are still pursuing Vanderbilt transfer Donovan Kaufman, and if both guys transfer to the Plains the team could face more transfers due to depth.

Regardless, it’s not a bad thing to bring in an experienced DB like Knighten–a four-year starter at Southeast Missouri. He will still have to compete for a spot, but the odds are looking good.