Daquan Newkirk could begin Auburn football pipeline to Florida

Earlier today, former defensive lineman Daquan Newkirk declared he will be leaving the Auburn football program and joining the Florida Gators, becoming the first in what could be a long list of Auburn Tigers migrating south to Gainesville.

Today, former Auburn football defensive lineman Daquan Newkirk announced his “coming home” to the Florida Gators via Twitter. Newkirk started all regular-season games for the Tigers in 2020, recorded 28 tackles, and will be a graduate transfer at the University of Florida.

Just one of many Tigers in the transfer portal, Newkirk joins former Auburn defensive back coach Wesley McGriff at UF.

Coach McGriff–whose Twitter profile has already been renovated to a new shade of orange and blue–even got the tag.

Yesterday, we speculated that defensive back Christian Tutt could be heading down to Gainesville, perhaps looking for a familiar face in his former DB coach, McGriff. It appears this is the very situation we find ourselves in with Daquan Newkirk, and only indicates that there could be more Tigers turned Gators on the way.

The next big name we could see Auburn lose to Florida? Big Kat Bryant.

A senior in 2020, Bryant recorded 17 tackles and three sacks and served as a team captain. He is also another defensive lineman in the transfer portal who could be looking to follow his former coach, and now teammate, to Gainesville.

Big Kat took to Twitter to announce his departure from the Auburn football program on January 10, just five minutes before Daquan Newkirk posted his announcement tweet. It seems as though the pair decided to enter the transfer portal together, possibly having to do with the replacement of Rodney Garner, Auburn’s former DL coach.

Big Kat Bryant’s transfer to Florida could be the next to look out for.

Fly War Eagle is sad to see Daquan Newkirk go, and would be even sadder to see Big Kat join him, but it’s clear that the pair have decided to take advantage of their extra year of eligibility elsewhere.