The position group that was once viewed as a big weakness for the Auburn football team is now shaping up into a strength. After head coach Bryan Harsin got off to a rough start with the wide receivers, switching up coaches before his first season was even halfway over, he turned things around in a big way with the hire of Ike Hilliard.
The former Florida Gator and NFL player has been a tremendous asset to the Tigers from the moment he stepped foot on the Plains, getting Auburn back into big recruiting battles and pulling in talent from around the country for the coming years.
Thankfully, Coach Hilliard has put the Tigers in place where the news that a sophomore wide receiver is transferring out of the program mid-season is not a huge deal for the team. J.J. Evans, who originally signed with Auburn football as a member of the recruiting class of 2020, announced this week he would be entering his name into the NCAA transfer portal:
🖤🦅✌️ pic.twitter.com/gZERUBefIn
— ✨JJ Evans✨ (@JJ_Evans9) September 7, 2022
In his two years on the roster, Evans did not see any game action for the Tigers, in part due to the fact that he has been battling multiple injuries, including one this spring that ultimately required surgery, per Auburn Undercover.
It seems likely that Evans is entering the portal because he has been buried on the depth chart for the past two seasons and is looking for an opportunity to play at another program. He thanked Coach Harsin and his teammates in his parting statement, and from our perspective it looks like things are ending on good terms.
Evans offered no insight on a potential transfer destination, and while Auburn is not obligated to keep him on scholarship once he has entered the transfer portal, the receiver also has the opportunity to withdraw his name and return to the team.