Auburn Daily

Auburn Tigers Transfer Portal Targets to Watch

The Auburn Tigers will be loaded with young players next season. Strategically adding experience via the transfer portal is a must.

Terrance Biggs

The Auburn Tigers will look to bring in an experienced quarterback Liberty Flames QB Kaidon Salter could be the guy.
The Auburn Tigers will look to bring in an experienced quarterback Liberty Flames QB Kaidon Salter could be the guy. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Hugh Freeze actually can smile this weekend, as his future looks exceedingly bright. After a strong signing day, the Auburn Tigers and their head coach enjoy a bounty of incoming talent at a myriad of positions.

Yet, the team still needs to fill out the rest of the roster. 

READ MORE: Auburn Transfer Portal Tracker

That is to say, grabbing players from the portal that make the most sense from a schematic and chemistry standpoint. No perfunctory moves to smooth out a depth chart. Instead, a deep dive into the transfer portal to look for the best fits. 

Ahmad Hardy (RB, Louisiana-Monroe)

Remember Hardy from the beatdown of Louisiana-Monroe, running for 60 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown? Additionally, he led the Sun Belt Conference in rushing yards by over 300 yards (1,351) and rushing touchdowns (13).

Jarquez Hunter runs from the school record books to the NFL. Damari Austin has never had more than 64 carries in a season, and Alvin Henderson is an incoming freshman.

Auburn may need a bell cow to carry the majority of the running burden for a team with a "win-now" mindset in 2025.

In Hardy, the Tigers would enjoy a volume rusher with good burst, long speed and agility. Most importantly, with a low center of gravity, strong contact balance makes it difficult to arm tackle. He runs a lot like Hunter.

As a result, Hardy slides into second gear down the field. From the moment he stepped foot on The Plains, he becomes the immediate starter at running back. Hardy's three remaining years of eligibility will pay off. 

Kaidon Salter (QB, Liberty)

This situation feels like an almost certainty. First, Freeze recruited, and later coached Salter at Liberty, so the familiarity blends in. Next, with two years of eligibility remaining, he could want to vie for the starting job with super freshman Deuce Knight.

At worst, he could serve as a veteran backup, helping to bring the freshman up to speed. On the field, Salter is a mixed bag. On a positive note, he'll hit the field as a dual threat, with speed to burn and the ability to get loose in space and score.

Plus, he does bring a strong arm with him. On the other hand, he lacks the accuracy to be a main starter. 

Josiah Trotter (LB, West Virginia)

A redshirt freshman, Trotter finished second on the team in tackles (93) in 2024. The younger son of former, four-time NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, the former Mountaineer brings his father's signature toughness on every play. 

Never one to retreat in a play, Trotter barrels down towards the ball and the ballcarrier, trying to sift through the wash to make the play. Auburn loses leading tackler Dorian Mausi to graduation. As a result, luring a game-ready tackler with three seasons of eligibility remaining would bolster the defense.

Bottom Line

Buoyed by a strong recruiting class, the Auburn Tigers can ensure that the roster fills out with talent. Auburn actually looks like the program headed down a positive path despite the 5-7 record. The freshman and sophomore class will be loaded for the Tigers next season, but strategically placing experienced players via the portal is a must.

Life in the SEC is not for the timid and shy. Roman poet Virgil hit the nail on the head for Auburn. " Fortune favors the bold" exemplifies what the Tigers look to achieve.

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Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Senior Editor/ Podcast Host, Full Press Coverage, Bleav, Member: Football Writers Association of America, United States Basketball Writers Association, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, National Football Foundation Voter: FWAA All-American, Jim Thorpe, Davey O'Brien, Outland, and Biletnikoff Awards