Meet Jovon Robinson, Auburn's Next Offensive Star from the JUCO Ranks

AUBURN, Ala. — For Auburn, offensive success and junior college stars have gone hand-in-hand for the last few seasons.

The tradition started with Heisman-winning quarterback Cam Newton in 2010 and ramped up in 2013 and 2014 with quarterback Nick Marshall, running back Cameron Artis-Payne and wide receiver D'haquille Williams.

So as Marshall and Artis-Payne—and possibly Williams—prepare for their last game with the program this week, it's only fitting that they're being joined by the next dynamic playmaker from the JUCO ranks.

Five-star running back Jovon Robinson, the nation's No. 1 junior college player, enrolled at Auburn over the weekend and joined the Tigers for the start of Outback Bowl preparations as an early enrollee Monday afternoon.

247Sports

"He got some (reps)," Malzahn said Monday afternoon. "He just got here. We're just trying to get him slowly acclimated and everything that goes with it."

Robinson might be coming along slow, but he wasted no time in showing his new teammates what he can do with the ball in his hands.

Robinson's arrival is perfect timing for Auburn's backfield, which loses seniors Artis-Payne and Corey Grant after the Outback Bowl.

Freshman Roc Thomas and 4-star commitment Kerryon Johnson project as speed backs in Malzahn's system, leaving a hole at the every-down role that Tre Mason and Artis-Payne have held the last two seasons.

Mason and Artis-Payne took that responsibility and became the SEC's top running backs for their respective seasons, and Robinson has the talent to make it three in a row in 2015.

At 6'0" and 238 pounds, he has the ideal build for a power back, but 247Sports' Keith Niebuhr said he could be the all-around runner Auburn desires for the 2015 season:

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Not only can he get around the edge and produce big-gainers, he can be that tough runner in between the tackles. ... He runs with power, and with a purpose. The bonus with Robinson is the fact he can catch the ball out of the backfield and make things happen downfield in space. Because of that versatility, he truly can be an every down back in the Gus Malzahn offense at Auburn.

We don’t say this often, but there really aren’t any holes in his game.

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To make the situation even better for Auburn, he gets eight extra practices during bowl season on top of the additional work he would gain during camp next spring.

"It gets him acclimated and gets him around our guys more than anything," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. "We know and think that he’s got a lot of upside."

Of course, Auburn has been familiar with Robinson's upside for several years now.

While the program's former JUCO stars were brand new to the Plains when they enrolled on campus, Robinson has a unique backstory.

His time out on Auburn's practice field Monday afternoon was not the first time he put on the trademark white helmet as a member of the Tigers.

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Robinson was a part of Auburn's recruiting class of 2012 as a 4-star back out of Wooddale High School in Memphis, Tennessee. He signed, enrolled and began practice on Auburn's squad later that year, only to be declared ineligible a week into fall camp after an NCAA investigation revealed at least one of his grades in high school were changed.

Robinson landed at Georgia Military College in 2013 and jumped back onto the national radar by breaking the national junior college record for rushing yards in a season:

Despite a strong push from in-state rival Alabama, Robinson recommitted to Auburn in May and stayed solid to his pledge throughout his sophomore season at GMC.

“Everybody knows I’m committed to Auburn," Robinson told 247Sports (subscription required) in September. "I’m still being recruited by Alabama and all those other schools, but the coaches know where I want to go. I know where I want to go. You know where I want to go."

With a lot of changes coming to the Tigers' offensive depth chart this upcoming offseason, Robinson's decision is already paying off with a head start at becoming the No. 1 back for his new team.

"It’s huge," Lashlee said. "He gets a head start learning the terminology and learning the system and actually going and doing it before we get to March."

All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.

Justin Ferguson is Bleacher Report's lead Auburn writer. Follow him on Twitter @JFergusonAU.