Auburn football news: RB room loses versatile piece after start of NIL

With everything that Devan Barrett could do on the football field, it makes sense for him to seek an opportunity that includes more game reps than he would have gotten as part of the Auburn football backfield.

Simply put, with the 3-headed hydra of Heisman hopeful Tank Bigsby, change-of-pace bruiser Shaun Shivers, and potential freshman breakout Jarquez Hunter was set to keep him from seeing the number of handoffs he’d likely want in 2021.

Barrett is taking to the portal in an offseason that has seen roster management become a key component of the job duties of a coaching staff. Bryan Harsin and his newly implemented staff have been working overtime to make sure the first roster of their time with the Tigers is capable of engineering a quick turnaround. An appetite for relevant postseason games grows each year the likes of Alabama, LSU, and Georgia make the big dance while Auburn football is left watching.

Losing the versatile Barrett–who had trouble finding a definitive role on the Plains since his 2017 arrival–won’t drastically alter the team’s trajectory, especially after Auburn had to adjust to life without him last season, but the depth chart becomes shallower now with just four RB bodies including redshirt freshman Jordon Ingram. Harsin now has a new position that could use another pillage from the portal.

Barrett’s adjustment period after missing a year of action was perhaps a factor in falling too far behind the other backs. RB coach Cadillac Williams noted he had some rust coming into spring practice:

"“You could tell early on just through his conditioning, even before spring ball started, he had to knock off some of that rust. He’s starting to get in that football shape, more confidence that I can see…”"

Barrett did have a productive A-Day, though, averaging a shade under six yards per carry in limited action. He should be a top guy somewhere else, and Fly War Eagle hopes the Auburn man becomes an RB1 elsewhere.