He called it “Key Island.”

It’s the island, so to speak, that Auburn defensive back Keionte Scott wants to force opposing wide receivers onto, eliminating their impact on a game. He’ll be doing that from an outside cornerback role now as he returns to Auburn for one more year.

But why make the change now? Scott had been one of Auburn’s best and most productive players at the “star” position, more commonly known as a nickel cornerback role, playing inside.

He’s doing it for his probable NFL future.

“It’s not something that’s going to be permanent,” Scott said Monday. “Looking forward to being able to be versatile and show my versatility, ultimately.”

Scott played outside cornerback for his two years at Snow College, a junior college in Utah, before transferring to Auburn. When he got to the SEC, he switched and moved inside for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Moving back outside and being successful in the SEC would greatly improve his draft stock, signifying to scouts he can play multiple positions in an NFL game that is now so defined by adaptability and versatility from defensive backs.

“I definitely feel like my time at Nickel will help me,” Scott said. “I was able to go back to corner in the spring and I feel like adapting to guarding guys in the slot and them having two-way goals when you get to be able to use the sideline as your friend, I feel like it helps me more because I’ve gone from having to guys with so much space to guarding guys that if I do win a certain leverage that I can force them to one side and basically turn it to a one side release. I’m definitely excited to get back outside and get some sideline help and my eyes on the ball.”

Scott’s best route to the field at Auburn immediately came by playing the inside cornerback position because Auburn already had an elite outside cornerback duo in Nehemiah Pritchett and DJ James. Both are now out of eligibility and off to the NFL, leading to reshuffling in Auburn’s secondary.

And while Scott certainly had the stock to forego his final year and jump to the NFL, he said the opportunity to play outside cornerback one more time in college was a factor in his decision to stay.

Scott moving outside will open up the starting nickel position likely to senior Donovan Kaufman, who primarily started there when Scott recovered from a high-ankle sprain this season. Sophomore Caleb Wooden saw time in that position, too.

With two open spots on the outside, Scott would slide into one and rising sophomore Kayin Lee would take the other. Lee earned several starts in 2023 when Pritchett had an undisclosed injury early in the 2023 season.

“I feel like he didn’t flinch getting put in the fire early on with Nehemiah being out, and then you just see him excelling, he’s learning every single day,” Scott said. “It’s something exciting to see. Definitely excited for his future. I feel like he’s going to blossom and continue to get better and he’s going to be a draft pick.”

Scott and Lee will begin their outside tandem immediately with both James and Pritchett expected to sit out the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30. Bowl practices — which began Saturday — will be important for them and Auburn’s new-look secondary to begin working on its communication and chemistry.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]