With Jeremy Johnson apparently not the answer to the question of who will be the next Nick Marshall, Auburn is reportedly turning its attention to another quarterback with similar qualities.
According to a tweet from ESPN.com‘s Joe Schad, "[f]ormer Florida State QB John Franklin III plans to announce today he is transferring to Auburn.” Interestingly, prior to the Auburn-Florida State BCS title game a couple of years ago, Franklin was used to simulate, you guessed it, Marshall on the scout team in the practices leading up to the FSU’s win.
Franklin had exited spring practice this year as the Seminoles’ No. 2 quarterback behind Sean McGuire. However, a week and a half after Everett Golson transferred in from Notre Dame, Franklin decided to transfer out and moved on to a Mississippi junior college.
If he does end up with the Tigers, he would be eligible to play immediately in 2016. He would then have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Franklin was a three-star member of FSU’s 2013 recruiting class, rated as the No. 25 dual-threat quarterback in the country. After redshirting as a true freshman, Franklin appeared in two games in 2014.
UPDATED 4:09 p.m. ET: On his Twitter account, Franklin confirmed that he has committed to Auburn.
The wait is over! Ready to start my new journey and soar with the War Eagles on the Plains come January. #WDE #JF3 pic.twitter.com/n8UwP8Rngj
— John Franklin III (@jf3_5) November 4, 2015