Auburn football avoided ‘substantial hits to its roster’ in transfer portal

No “substantial hits” to the Auburn football roster happened during the past several transfer portal cycles — this, at least, according to 247Sports’ Nathan King. In fact, Keiondre Jones was the only player King mentioned as a “bonafide starter” who was lost.

“For the most part, Auburn avoided many, if any substantial hits to its roster in the transfer portal,” King wrote. “The only bonafide starter lost was Jones at offensive guard, and that was all the way back in December.”

Among the most notable snubs from King are TJ Finley, who was the starter under center coming out of fall camp in 2022, and Dylan Brooks, who came to the Plains with high expectations in the 2021 class but failed to break out under Bryan Harsin and his controversial coaching tenure.

Auburn football lost ‘exciting pieces for the future’ but ‘gave much more than it took’ in transfer portal

Overall, the grade King gave the new Auburn football coaching staff encouraging assessments, saying that despite losing key future pieces in the process, Hugh Freeze and Co.’s transfer portal voyages these past few cycles since the end of the 2022 season have been successes.

“The Tigers needed to shore up depth at a number of positions due to their transfer losses, sure, and players like Dawson, King and M’ba were hoped to be exciting pieces for the future,” King prefaced before saying, “But there’s no arguing the portal gave Auburn much, much more than it took this cycle.”

With a new quarterback, backup running back, receiving corps, tight end, offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker room, with reinforcements at the few positions that haven’t gotten new starting-caliber recruits, AU enters the 2023 season as a serious sleeper.

TCU is the roadmap the Tigers must follow in order to satisfy a fanbase whose two primary rivals make up for the last three College Football Playoff National Championships.

Mr. Freeze, do your best Sonny Dykes, and bring Auburn its third claimed national championship in program history.