Auburn junior offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner stays at home.
The 6-foot-3, 325-pound star engaged in Auburn over Georgia and Penn State on New Years Day.
Joiner, a 4-star prospect, has played the defensive line for Keith Etheredge’s side this year, but is projecting himself as an interior offensive lineman in college.
“He’s going to be playing indoors at the next level for sure,” Etheredge said. “When he’s on that side, he gets very explosive. When he shoots and blocks someone, he just annihilates the children. I guess he would be a keeper or a center.
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Selected to the Class 7A All-State First Team, Joiner has made 67 tackles this year, including 14 for loss, and six sacks.
“Offensively we already had some good guys on this side,” Etheredge said. “What we didn’t have was a push in the middle of the defense so we took our most athletic guy and put him in the middle and let him hold that spot and fill that gap all the way. ‘year.
“If he’s defending he doesn’t get stuck unless you pass him. If he’s offensive, you don’t go down a block once he’s on you. In college a lot of these fat guys are just trying to push you around. You’re not pushing Bradyn around.
Auburn coach Bryan Harsin has managed to keep some of Auburn High’s best players at home. The Tigers signed offensive lineman Eston Harris and linebacker Powell Gordon in December. Offensive lineman Drew Bobo was also signed to Auburn but signed with Georgia after his father, former Auburn offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, was fired after the regular season.
“He’s very, very good,” Etheredge said of Joiner, who transferred from Oxford to Auburn High ahead of the 2021 season. “He’s a kid who can do so many different things. He started 15 tackling games as a freshman on our State Championship team at Oxford. He played guard the following year. This year he came in and played the nose in technique 3. He’s a very athletic kid with big feet.
Joiner is Auburn’s first commit for the 2023 class.
He is currently No. 16 among state recruits in 2023, according to the 247 composite rankings.