The Auburn football team has been looking for help at the wide receiver position–Bryan Harsin has made that clear throughout his time on the Plains. After losing wide receivers Anthony Schwartz, Seth Williams. and Eli Stove to the 2021 NFL Draft, Harsin is looking to fill in some of those holes.
The latest development on the wide receiver trail comes from down the road in Troy, AL. Wide receiver Kaylon Geiger has officially entered the transfer portal after two years with the Trojans according to Matt Zenitz.
Geiger hauled in 141 passes for 1,625 yards and eight touchdowns over two seasons, in addition to eight rush attempts for 52 yards and one touchdown. He was also a special teams contributor, returning 23 kick-offs for 545 yards and five punts for 26 yards.
Have learned that Troy wide receiver Kaylon Geiger, an All-Sun Belt selection each of the last two years, has entered the transfer portal. Had 77 catches in 2019 and then 64 last season. https://t.co/xuWZF2ufnz
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) May 25, 2021
The Tigers have an immediate in with Geiger– Bryan Harsin hired his former position coach, Cornelius Williams, as the new Auburn football wide receivers coach. Under Williams at Troy, Geiger led the Trojans in catches and receiving yards and was awarded All-Sun Belt first selection honors.
Geiger would be a major pickup for the Tigers, not only because of his impressive numbers but also because the wide receiver corps could use a veteran player with on-field experience. Per The Montgomery Advertiser, Auburn football’s projected first-team wide receivers are Kobe Hudson, Elijah Canion, Ja’Varrius Johnson, none of whom are upperclassmen.
With Schwartz, Stove, and Williams on the roster, this year’s projected starters did not have much playing time last season. The eight receivers that participated in spring practice combined for just 23 catches, according to Tom Green:
"It’s a lot to replace, with Auburn’s current group of receivers — eight of them entering spring practices, with two more set to arrive by the fall — accounting for just 23 catches, 311 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season. In other words, Auburn is returning just 10.6 percent of its passing game production, in terms of receptions, at the wide receiver position this year and just 12.8 percent of its production in terms of receiving yards."
It’s an opportunity for the returners to prove their spots on the roster, but it also means that the WR room could use the experience of Kaylon Geiger, who is conveniently a product of Auburn’s current receivers coach. Seems like a good fit, doesn’t it?
There’s no word yet on when the former Trojan will make an official decision, but a move to the Plains could be a win-win situation.