The Auburn football program had a lot of improving to do when head coach Hugh Freeze was hired, and in time he has taken steps to make those improvements. From hiring a coaching staff that he feels good about to setting the standard for the players in the program to getting a hot start on the recruiting trail, things are trending up for the Tigers.
But just as important as recruiting high schoolers is staying up to date with the transfer portal. Freeze knew that the portal would be instrumental in his success during his first year on the Plains, and brought in 12 impact players during the first window following the 2022 season.
Now, the Tigers are making moves in the portal following the spring window, which was April 15-30. According to Saturday Blitz, Auburn football has been a major winner in the portal so far, primarily because of the addition of quarterback Payton Thorne:
"That was the addition that made Auburn football a transfer portal winner this spring in my opinion. Thorne wasn’t perfect and some Michigan State fans will tell you he was going to have to have a battle on his hands to start this fall, but there’s hiding the fact that he accounted for over 50 touchdowns the past two seasons."
So far, the Tigers have added five transfers in the spring window in addition to Thorne, including edge Jalen McLeod (App State), WR Caleb Burton (Ohio State), OL Jaden Muskrat (Tulsa), WR Jyaire Shorter (North Texas), and linebacker Larry Nixon III (North Texas).
Of note is the fact that the Tigers have added so many receivers through the transfer portal. Nick Mardner transferred in during the first window, and now two more receivers have joined the room. Several wide receivers have transferred out of the program during the offseason, but it could also be indicative that Freeze and the staff are looking for more talent to add to a position group that has struggled in the past few seasons.