Sporting News’ Crissy Floyd listed Hugh Freeze’s Auburn football program as a potential landing spot for Oregon State transfer DJ Uiagalelei — and in discussing the fit between the No. 2 Class of 2020 quarterback and AU, Floyd claimed Uiagalelei would “up the competition” in the Tigers’ QB room.
“The Tigers have had a plethora of issues at quarterback over recent years, failing to maintain consistency or to tap the potential of quarterbacks with talent now considered elite like that of Bo Nix,” Floyd wrote.
“Last year, Auburn was tied to multiple quarterbacks in the transfer portal. The Tigers ended up going with Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne, who currently holds the starting job. Many expect Auburn to be active in the portal once more, and the team could bring on a player like Uiagalelei to up the competition within the room.”
DJ Uiagalelei was given similar Auburn football QB room fit assessment to Will Howard
Around these parts, the language associated with each quarterback target’s possible Plains fit has been eyed with hawk-like attention to detail. Floyd’s assessment was similar to how On3’s Peter Nakos saw Will Howard’s fit with Auburn as merely a depth play.
“According to the source, Washington, Louisville, Mizzou, Kentucky and Auburn will all be schools to watch as possible landing spots,” Nakos wrote. “Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has been open about adding depth at the quarterback position.”
The lack of enthusiasm for Uiagalelei and Howard from the national media likely indicates that Auburn isn’t at the top of their lists, which makes sense considering Grayson McCall’s transfer portal entry could lead the Coastal Carolina star back to a program he was seemingly destined for during the 2022 portal cycle.
Stay tuned, because one of these portal entries could be eyeing the potential hero role under center for an Auburn football program that just came within a quarter of beating both Alabama and Georgia; merely off the strength of the team’s defense and run game.