Auburn Football Must Hit Transfer Portal at 4 Positions

The Auburn Tigers have a Top-5 recruiting class from the high school ranks, but there are some depth chart holes that will need to be filled in the Transfer Portal.

Hugh Freeze / Austin Perryman, Auburn University Athletics

Even with the Auburn coaching staff having a great 2025 recruiting class, it must have a plan for which positions need the most help from the Transfer Portal to improve in 2025. 

Beyond obvious returning starters like wide receiver Cam Coleman and cornerback Kayin Lee, will the Tigers be more likely to lean on Transfer Portal additions or incoming recruits for starting roles and major playing time?

Hugh Freeze and his staff finding a blend could be the best answer. First, consider what’s coming to the Plains from the prep ranks.

The Tigers currently rank No. 5 within the 247 Sports team rankings and the class possesses numerous commitments capable of playing right away. A player like safety Eric Winters is a prime example, because he’s incredibly athletic and very intelligent. He’s likely to make a quick move up Auburn’s depth chart. Winters shall not be alone.

Auburn has seven recruits inside 247 Sports Top 100. Headlined by quarterback Deuce Knight, it’s hard to envision a few recruits like defensive lineman Nathaniel Marshall and running back Alvin Henderson not making immediate impacts. Still, it’s not easy for true freshmen to play right away.

Quickly adjusting to playbooks, gaining the needed strength to play SEC football, and the overall culture of college life can slow down freshmen. That’s where the transfers come into play.

Will the Tigers need multiple transfers to be big contributors? Yes, they will. Here are the four positions the Tigers need to use the Transfer Portal to fill holes on the depth chart even with top talent from the prep ranks coming to the Plains.

1) Quarterback is the obvious first choice. The Payton Thorne experiment continues to struggle and he’s out of eligibility beyond the 2024 season anyway. To date, no other Auburn signal-caller is a proven player so the Tigers need a transfer. 

Look for the Tigers to go all-in on the best transfer options that come about when the Transfer Portal opens on Dec. 9. The Tigers must hit a home run here.

2) Linebacker is a concern with seniors like Dorian Mausi and Eugene Asante leaving and little proven depth. Beyond freshman linebacker Demarcus Riddick and sophomore Robert Woodyard, Jr., no Auburn linebacker with at least two more years of eligibility is among the top 25 tacklers for this year’s squad.

It’s likely the Tigers go after at least two transfer linebackers. Riddick is all but a lock to start next season, but beyond him, it’s hard to say what will happen. Being successful here is pivotal.

3) The offensive line has some talent returning like current sophomore Connor Lew, a starter since the back portion of his freshman season. He’s the pivot man so that’s great news to have him return for at least the 2025 season. Adding at least one big-time offensive tackle with starting experience would be great. Gaining an interior offensive lineman with experience would also aid the Tigers.

Overall, Auburn is not in a terrible spot along the offensive line but cannot sit still either. Expect two or more transfer offensive linemen.

4) The tight end position loses Rivaldo Fairweather and Luke Deal. They are the primary tight ends for an offense that often uses 12 personnel, i.e. one running back and two tight end sets. It will not be easy to replace them even with Ryan Ghea and Hollis Davidson each being top recruits. Not many young tight ends are ready for the blocking aspect of being in the SEC.

Look for the Tigers to go after a versatile tight end from the Transfer Portal. They need one capable of being a consistent blocking and receiving threat.

To summarize, Auburn has a tremendous recruiting class but still needs impact players from the Transfer Portal to have a successful 2025 season. No one needs to tell the 2024 Auburn Tigers that a miss at quarterback can submarine the entire season.