Auburn football: 3 surprising Tigers that could hit the transfer portal

The 2021 Auburn football season could still meet many expectations pundits had for the Tigers heading into the season. With a ceiling of eight wins not being met, a seven-win season–seen as the floor for AU this past Summer–is within reach if Auburn can pull off its third straight upset since 2017 at Jordan-Hare Stadium over Alabama this Saturday.

That said, there’s a strong chance that the Tigers are on their way to a .500 season, made less impressive by the fact that those wins came against a Group of Five team that can also finish 6-6 (Georgia State), a Group of Five team with a losing record (Akron), and an FCS team with a losing record (Alabama State).

Alabama is on its way to the SEC Championship to take on Georgia, and they’ve been on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to luck with the officiating crew’s calls. They’re currently 18-point favorites over the Tigers and are seen as the clear #2 team in the country. The #1 team in the country had little trouble with Auburn back in Week 6, and that was a much healthier team than the one that will suit up in the Iron Bowl Saturday.

If things continue on their southbound trajectory, common sense dictates that some players on the Plains may look elsewhere after not having the season they would have hoped for.

These 3 Tigers in particular could be seen as flight-risks:

Auburn football potential transfer #1: Dematrius Davis

Dematrius Davis had one heck of a high school career in Texas, but in his first year in orange and blue, he has been completely absent from the field.

AU’s student paper, The Plainsman, believes he could be being pushed out the door as we speak by Bryan Harsin, who wasn’t the head coach when he committed to Auburn in May 2020:

"Bottom line: Playing Loy only serves to push Davis out the door, a door that is now continuously revolving with the newly implemented transfer rules. And a door Davis may already be stepping into, with good reason."

Davis defended this coaching staff after Saturday’s loss against South Carolina, but that doesn’t guarantee he’d be willing to potentially be the fourth string QB next year when Holden Geriner makes his way west from Savannah.