On the Plains with Nate Johnson: ‘Beyond Grateful’

From the small town of Gaffney, South Carolina, to the Plains of Auburn, Alabama, Nate Johnson has always embodied an underdog mentality.

It might come as a bit of a surprise for an imposing figure who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs north of 260 pounds, but it’s something that has helped shape Johnson as a person and a player while keeping him hungry for more.

“He probably couldn’t even comprehend where I’m at, honestly, at this moment,” Johnson said when asked what his younger self would think about where he is today. “Coming from a small town like Gaffney, my mom stayed on top of us about our grades and about there being more to the world than just Gaffney. She just wanted us to see the world and wanted us to be successful at whatever we chose to do. I really couldn’t comprehend as a young kid that I’d be in this position right now, but I’m beyond grateful every day to be here.”

Playing both football and basketball growing up, Johnson helped lead Gaffney High School to a 15-0 record and South Carolina 5A State Championship in football as a junior.

He finally convinced himself a future in football was a possibility after his standout season and committed to Appalachian State prior to his senior year. However, in Johnson’s mind, he actually had to go do it before he truly believed it.  

An early enrollee at App State in 2023, it didn’t take long for Johnson to find his footing.

“The biggest thing was probably just realizing my ability to play at the college level,” Johnson said of his two years in Appalachia. “Coming in, I had doubts and was a little underweight, but as the season rolled around, I had a pretty good freshman season.”

‘Pretty good’ is an understatement for someone who logged 43 tackles, including 8.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, and was named a First Team Freshman All-American by The Athletic and earned Second Team All-Sun Belt honors.

The belief that he could compete at the college level wasn’t the only thing Johnson gained from his time at App State. He also met his future wife, the former Cadence Saner, and the two got married July 28, 2025. The support from his spouse is something that has helped Nate throughout his journey.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Johnson said. “No matter what happens, I just know I have somebody in my corner who will love me unconditionally.”

After two seasons at App State, Johnson decided to enter the transfer portal and test his skillset in the Southeastern Conference at Missouri.

“It’s definitely a blessing,” Johnson said of going from a Group of Five program to a Power Four via the transfer portal. “App State, they did all they could for me, but I felt like I needed more of a challenge to really understand that I could play at this level.

“No detail goes unnoticed. Just the speed of the game is something I had to get used to. Everybody’s fast. Everybody’s strong at every position.”

Following a 2025 season in which he played in 10 games at Missouri, Johnson pointed to a rekindled relationship with Auburn bucks and edges coach Coleman Hutzler as a main reason he made his way to the Plains.

“(Hutzler) called me again and we just built that relationship,” Johnson said. “I loved the way the community and the town of Auburn felt, and it was a great opportunity for me to be here. It’s been a great fit.”

He already had the opportunity to experience Jordan-Hare Stadium from the other sideline last season, calling it an atmosphere he’ll remember for the rest of his life, and can’t wait to have the Auburn Family supporting him and his teammates from the home sideline throughout the fall.

"We have an opportunity to do something great, not just for us, but for the community of Auburn,” Johnson said. “They’re hungry for a winning season. They’re hungry for even more than that.”

One of many new faces that has given promise ahead of the 2026 season, Johnson and his teammates and coaches have worked tirelessly and rallied together throughout spring ball and summer workouts to embrace the opportunity at hand.

“The main goal is to win. No matter how we do it or what it takes, we want to win,” Johnson added. “Just know we’re working everyday to give the Auburn community what they want.”