NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 04 - Auburn Wide Receiver Ja'Varrius Johnson (6) during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, TN on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Photo by Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers
At UCF, Johnson will be reunited with former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, who initially recruited him to Auburn. Additionally, former Auburn staffer Trovon Reed now coaches the secondary at UCF.
This will be Johnson’s final year of eligibility.
Johnson entered the transfer portal in December after leading Auburn’s wide receivers in receiving yards for two consecutive seasons.
The Hewitt-Trussville product amassed over 1,110 receiving yards in 34 games over the past three seasons.
At the time, he was the most notable departure in a wave of wide receiver exits from Auburn, amidst significant changes. During the spring transfer window, Jay Fair, the only other wide receiver along with Johnson, also left Auburn and transferred to USC. Other receivers who transferred out include Omari Kelly, Jyaire Shorter, and Malcolm Johnson Jr.
Auburn’s overall leading pass catcher, tight end Rivaldo Fairweather, will return to the team in 2024.
Auburn revamped its wide receiver room during the offseason, bringing in the highest-rated group of high school receivers in program history, led by five-star recruit Cam Coleman. The team also added receivers from the transfer portal, including Penn State’s 2023 leading receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Georgia State receiver Robert Lewis, and former Cal quarterback Sam Jackson V.
Head coach Hugh Freeze is counting on the addition of several new pass-catching talents to bring about a substantial transformation to the SEC’s statistically worst passing offense in 2023. Quarterback Payton Thorne is expected to retain his starting position in 2024.
