Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson will miss the bulk of spring practices following shoulder surgery, a source tells AL.com.



Auburn's breakout freshman star in 2015 was the Tigers' third-leading rusher with 208 yards. He scored three touchdowns on the ground while playing tailback and quarterback in the Wildcat formation. He also caught 14 passes for 159 yards.



The state of Alabama's Mr. Football in 2014 was expected to continue to compete for playing time against Jovon Robinson and Roc Thomas in spring practices, but he will not participate in contact drills, the source said.

An Auburn spokesman confirmed Johnson underwent a "procedure" but said coaches are not yet "ready to rule him out" for spring practices.

The surgery is expected to leave Auburn with three healthy running backs entering spring drills. Peyton Barber led the Tigers with 1,017 yards but declared for the NFL Draft at the 11th hour on Jan. 18.

Freshman Malik Miller, Johnson's former teammate at Madison Academy, enrolled in classes earlier this month at Auburn. He was rated a three-star prospect.

Johnson was inserted in Auburn's Wildcat package in Week 5 against San Jose State. He scored a touchdown out of the formation in the next game against Kentucky.

"He's done a good job for us, and we felt like when we recruited him he was very versatile and would give us a lot of flexibility," Malzahn said at the time. "Now he's getting healthier and he's doing a good job, and he's protecting the football. The true freshmen, you're always concerned about ball security. His ball security's improved each game. He's a guy that he's very versatile. He gives us a lot of flexibility. We try to give him the ball in different ways."

Johnson capped the season with a 36-yard pass from punter Kevin Phillips on a trick play and also recorded an 8-yard touchdown run in the Birmingham Bowl.