Justin Thomas-Thornton to Transfer from Auburn: Latest Comments and Reaction

Auburn Tigers defensive end Justin Thomas-Thornton announced on Sunday through Twitter that he's transferring after two years with the program.

Thomas-Thornton expressed optimism about his future and gratitude for his time at Auburn in declaring his intentions to move on:

Thomas later announced on Twitter that he will be playing for the Northwest Mississippi Rangers in the fall.

Rated as the No. 6 weak-side defensive end from the high school class of 2014 by 247Sports' composite rankings, Thomas-Thornton didn't pan out as a 4-star recruit and will seek to fulfill his potential at the junior college level.

A product of Vigor High School in Mobile, Alabama, Thomas-Thornton was able to go to school close to home and play in the SEC. As a senior at Vigor, he had 56 tackles (17 TFL) and eight sacks. (Warning: NSFW lyrics in the following video.)

Once his commitment to Auburn was official, Tigers defensive line coach Rodney Garner elaborated on how Thomas-Thornton was rather raw but also hinted at his tremendous upside.

"He's long and athletic, an edge guy. He's got to get bigger and stronger," said Garner, per AuburnTigers.com. "He has a chance to be a real force coming off the edge. I think he'll be a great football player before he's done."

After redshirting in his first year on campus, Thomas-Thornton saw action against Louisville in 2015, per the Tigers' official website.

Although Thomas-Thornton could've conceivably played his way into Auburn's rotation in the coming years with three years of eligibility remaining, he must feel his best opportunity to see the field soon lies at the JUCO level. He could perhaps string together a couple of productive seasons, which could aid any potential future NFL ambitions.