If you were anywhere near a TV in 2016, you probably remember the hype. Netflix had just dropped Last Chance U, and suddenly, everyone was obsessed with the kids at East Mississippi Community College. But one name stood out among the rest of the "Lions" roster: John Franklin III. He was the guy with the blinding speed and the Florida State pedigree who looked like he was playing a different sport than everyone else on the field. When he signed with the Tigers, the expectations for John Franklin III Auburn were, frankly, astronomical.
People didn't just want him to be a backup. They wanted him to be the next Nick Marshall or, dare I say, Cam Newton. He had that "it" factor—the kind of twitchy athleticism that makes defensive coordinators lose sleep. But as is often the case in the brutal reality of the SEC, things didn't exactly go according to the Hollywood script.
The Gus Malzahn Vision and the QB Battle
When John Franklin III arrived on campus in January 2016, the Auburn quarterback room was a bit of a mess. You had Sean White, who was accurate but lacked the "wow" factor, and Jeremy Johnson, who had the size but struggled with consistency. Franklin was supposed to be the missing piece. He was the dual-threat weapon that Gus Malzahn’s offense usually craves.
Honestly, the spring game only fanned the flames. He looked fast. Really fast. We're talking "4.19-second 40-yard dash" fast (though that number has been debated more than a political election). But when the 2016 season actually kicked off against Clemson, Franklin wasn't the guy taking the first snap.
Instead, Malzahn went with a weird three-quarterback rotation that mostly just confused his own team. Franklin played 14 snaps in that opener, but he never really got into a rhythm. It was a sign of things to come. While he was arguably the best athlete on the roster, the transition from JUCO ball to the speed of the SEC proved to be a steeper climb than the Last Chance U cameras led us to believe.
The Flash of Brilliance: ULM and the 80-Yard Tear
If you want to know why fans stayed obsessed with John Franklin III Auburn despite him being a backup, you only have to look at the ULM game.
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It was October 1, 2016. Auburn was already winning comfortably, and Franklin came in to relieve Sean White. On one particular play, he tucked the ball and just... disappeared. He went 80 yards for a touchdown, untouched. It was the second-longest run by a quarterback in Auburn history at the time.
"He’s got gears most people don't even know exist," one scout famously remarked.
That play was the essence of the JF3 experience. It was pure, unadulterated speed. He ended the 2016 season with 430 rushing yards on just 46 carries. That’s a 9.3-yard average. To put that in perspective, if he’d had enough carries to qualify, he would have led the country in yards per rush. But the passing stats were the problem. He went 14-of-26 for 204 yards the whole year. He was a Ferrari that the coaches were afraid to take out of second gear because they didn't trust the steering.
The Texas A&M "Spark" and the Vanderbilt Start
The turning point for many fans was the Texas A&M game. Sean White was struggling, and the offense was stagnant. Malzahn finally pulled the trigger and put Franklin in during the fourth quarter to find a "spark."
He ran 9 times for 47 yards and went 4-for-8 through the air. It wasn't a miracle comeback, but it was enough to earn him his first (and only) start for Auburn against Vanderbilt later that season. That game was... weird. Franklin started, but Sean White came in for the second half to "rescue" the win. It felt like the coaching staff was constantly hedging their bets.
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By the time the Sugar Bowl rolled around against Oklahoma, the writing was on the wall. Franklin was used as a gadget player, and the dream of him being the "long-term solution" at QB was basically dead.
Why It Didn't Work Out at Quarterback
- The Learning Curve: Coming from EMCC, the complexity of an SEC playbook is a massive jump.
- Passing Consistency: Scouts frequently questioned his accuracy on intermediate routes.
- The Stidham Arrival: When Jarrett Stidham transferred in for the 2017 season, the QB competition was effectively over before it started.
The Position Switch and the Exit to FAU
In the spring of 2017, Franklin did what most elite athletes do when they're blocked at QB: he moved to wide receiver. He was actually pretty humble about it, telling reporters that he just wanted to help the team win. He even graduated from Auburn in August 2017 with a degree in public administration.
But the itch to play was too much. He eventually moved on to Florida Atlantic (FAU) as a graduate transfer to play for Lane Kiffin. It made sense. Kiffin is the king of taking high-profile transfers and finding creative ways to use them. At FAU, Franklin finally fully embraced the "athlete" role, catching passes, rushing the ball, and even returning kicks.
Life After Auburn: From the NFL to the Super Bowl
Here is the part that usually shocks people who stopped following him after college. John Franklin III actually made it.
He didn't get drafted, but his speed was too good to ignore. He spent time with the Chicago Bears—switching to defensive back, of all things—and then landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In a wild twist of fate, he was on the Bucs' roster when they won Super Bowl LV.
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Even though he didn't play in the game due to an injury, he got the ring. He went from a JUCO kid struggling for snaps to a Super Bowl champion. Since then, he’s bounced around the USFL (Tampa Bay Bandits), the XFL, and even the CFL with the Edmonton Elks.
Actionable Insights for Athletes and Fans
If you're looking at the career of John Franklin III Auburn, there are a few real-world takeaways that go beyond just football stats.
- Speed is a Floor, Not a Ceiling: You can be the fastest guy in the room, but at the highest level, technical proficiency (like passing accuracy or route running) determines the starter.
- Adaptability is Currency: Franklin’s willingness to switch from QB to WR to DB is why he had a professional career that lasted nearly a decade. Most players would have quit when they didn't win the QB job.
- The "Last Chance U" Effect: Being a reality TV star brings a level of scrutiny that most college players don't have to deal with. Every mistake is magnified.
To really understand his impact, you have to look at the 2016 Auburn highlight reels. He might not have been the most consistent quarterback to ever wear the orange and navy, but for those 80 yards against ULM, he was the most exciting player in the country.
Real Career Stats to Remember:
- Auburn Rushing: 430 yards, 2 TDs, 9.3 YPC.
- Auburn Passing: 204 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT.
- Pro Day Speed: Recorded times between 4.19 (unofficial) and 4.40 (official).
- NFL Status: Super Bowl LV Champion (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
For anyone trying to follow a similar path, the lesson is clear: your first position doesn't have to be your last. Franklin's journey proves that as long as you have one elite trait—in his case, world-class speed—there is always a place for you on a football field somewhere.
Check the current CFL or UFL rosters if you're looking to catch his next game, as he continues to be one of the most resilient "journeyman" athletes in the modern era.