Saturday Down South’s Matt Hayes linked four Power Five quarterbacks to the Auburn football program should the aforementioned signal-callers end up backing up their competition after spring practices.
First-year head coach Hugh Freeze and first-year offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery may not see any of the incumbent QBs as the guy once spring ball is done, and relying on incoming freshman gunslinger Hank Brown may be too much of a gamble since he won’t arrive until the summer. It’s possible the Tigers dig around the transfer portal to find someone who Freeze can handpick and mold after A-Day.
Ipso facto, Hayes linked these Big Ten, Pac-12, and Big 12 options to both AU and Florida in his latest First and 10:
"“There are, however, a couple of potential strange or unique possibilities — for Florida and Auburn, the 2 SEC schools that need quarterbacks.”“At the top of the list is the Ohio State quarterback job, where Kyle McCord (the favorite) will battle Devin Brown. Both are former top 50 players, and McCord was CJ Stroud’s backup the past 2 seasons, starting a game in 2021 when Stroud was injured. If Brown, a redshirt freshman, doesn’t win the job, does he leave?”“Ethan Garbers at UCLA is another potential candidate. He was Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s backup the past 2 seasons, and will battle Kent State transfer Collin Schlee in spring practice. In the fall, 5-star recruit (and top 5 overall) Dante Moore enters the competition.”“Other possibilities: Casey Thompson, who is competing with Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims at Nebraska, and Evan Prater, who is battling Ben Bryant at Cincinnati.”"
Casey Thompson would be best option for Auburn football
Of all the names Hayes listed, Casey Thompson would be the biggest potential needle-mover upon arriving on the Plains. Thompson’s touchdown and interceptions totals regressed for a 2022 Nebraska team that dismissed head coach Scott Frost after three games, but he did throw for a career-high 2,407 yards in 10 games. With Texas in 2021, Thompson went for 24 touchdowns to nine interceptions. From day one, he’d come in with big game experience in two different football-crazed environments.
Hayes believes Ohio State’s Kyle McCord would be at the top of the list for Florida and Auburn football, though his experience is limited. Still, he comes in as a former 5-star who was projected to be an early round NFL draft pick.
UCLA’s Ethan Garbers has NFL size at six-foot-three, but has been inconsistent thus far in limited action. He did play well against Utah in his lone showcase game back in 2021, throwing for 265 yards and two touchdowns, though he did throw a pick. There’s intrigue here, but he isn’t a slam dunk and would risk undermining Ashford and the other AU QBs.
Finally, there’s Cincinnati’s local product, Evan Prater. Prater has seen the team almost upset eventual back-to-back CFP champion Georgia the year before their dynasty began and backed up Desmond Ridder during the Bearcats’ CFP appearance. The idea of him leaving now is questionable with Cincinnati entering its first season at the Power Five ranks, but if he does, the six-foot-five dual-threat.