Auburn received the news Monday morning that defensive back and punt returner Keionte Scott would be returning to The Plains for his senior campaign in 2024.

Scott made his announcement on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

Scott’s decision to return to Auburn comes on the heels of Nov. 30th’s news, in which he took to X to announce he’d been invited to the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile.

However, with Monday’s news, it appears Scott will be putting off his transition to the NFL for another year, which comes as a huge advantage to Auburn’s secondary and locker room as a whole.

Scott appeared in nine of Auburn’s 12 regular season games in 2023 after being forced to miss action with a high-ankle sprain he sustained in Week 3 against Samford. Scott’s ankle injury ended up requiring surgery, sidelining him for the Tigers’ games against Texas A&M, Georgia and LSU.

In the nine games Scott appeared in, he tallied 41 total tackles, three tackles for a loss and four pass breakups on defense. Scott added 188 yards on 12 punt returns, including a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown against Arkansas on Nov. 11.

And while Scott’s role on the field was big, his role in Auburn’s locker room as a leader was arguably bigger.

“Keionte Scott changes our team,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said as Scott began returning to practice after his injury. “And he’s been back around us this week and he just picks everybody’s spirits us. He really does, particularly on defense.”

Fellow defensive back Jaylin Simpson can attest as he credited Scott for helping him bounce back from a nagging calf injury.

Scott also brings intangibles to the recruiting trail.

Despite hailing all the way from San Diego and having only been at Auburn since 2022 after coming in from the JUCO ranks, Scott is referred to as the “closer” on the recruiting trail.

Needless to say, returning Scott’s on-field production and the intangibles he brings to the Auburn football program is huge for the Tigers as they approach Year 2 under Freeze.

With Scott returning in 2024, he’s set to lead the cornerback room, which — barring any changes — will feature returners Champ Anthony, Kayin Lee, J.D. Rhym, Colton Hood, JC Hart and Tyler Scott, as well as 4-star commits A’mon Lane-Ganus and Jalyn Crawford.