Auburn football: 3 surprise backups that could end up starting in 2021

Surprise Auburn football backup that could start in 2021 #3: Bydarrius Knighten

The secondary transfer from Southeast Missouri State Bydarrius Knighten comes from the FCS level not to be a backup, but to shine in the spotlight he wasn’t afforded in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Missouri product opted for the Plains over Mississippi State, Oregon State, Washington State, Utah, Purdue and Louisville, choosing to compete in the best conference in the world, but also choosing to have an outside chance at a conference crown instead of suffering in Starkville.

Knighten is an expected contributor in year one, and if Derek Mason has his defense lined up in a nickel formation, Nathan King believes the former SEMO safety can be a gridiron regular in his first season with the Tigers:

"He played mostly safety but was capable of sliding down to the nickel spot, and Auburn could ask him to do a bit of both. Regardless, if his primary spot is safety, he gives sophomore Ladarius Tennison the option of moving back to nickel after he was the starting safety alongside Smoke Monday during spring practices."

While Donovan Kaufman and Eku Leota are getting the most buzz as transfers that can make the most immediate impact, it could be Knighten that sneaks into the starting lineup–and subsequently the spotlight–in 2021.