3 Auburn football receivers who can hit transfer portal during spring window

Hugh Freeze admitted to needing new receivers (and defensive linemen) following the Auburn football A-Day spring game on April 6 -- an interesting development considering the depth in the room already.

“We’ve got a couple spots left on our roster -- if you’re going to fill it, let’s fill it with D-line and receivers,” Freeze said following Auburn’s spring game (h/t AL.com). “I think that’s where we need to add some more depth.”

With the Freeze Four (Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain, Malcolm Simmons) making their debuts as freshmen, and transfers Robert Lewis and Sam Jackson V likely getting targets early and possibly often in 2024, the need for new receivers seems to indicate that the existing depth isn't good enough.

AL.com's Ainslie Lee seemingly confirmed that by suggesting that there will be exits from the receiving corps in the portal.

"Should the Tigers go on to add additional talent to the wide receiver room, it’s likely fair to question whether some of Auburn’s returning pass catchers will look to transfer themselves in hopes of securing more playing time," Lee wrote.

So who would leave the Plains in that scenario?

Koy Moore's critical mistake in 2023 Iron Bowl may be his final memory with Auburn football

There would have been no 4th and 31, and all of the heartbreak that followed, during the 2023 Iron Bowl if Koy Moore would've simply caught a punt deep in Tigers territory with under five minutes left to play instead of muffing it and giving Alabama favorable field position.

To be fair to Moore, he probably shouldn't have been in the game at that point. Keionte Scott was the primary punt returner for the special teams and Moore had just seven punt returns up until that key moment. Still, the mistake is his to own, and it may have been his final significant memory in an Auburn uniform.

Moore came to the Plains in 2022 with high hopes after two seasons at LSU, and he did deliver a relatively noteworthy debut season for AU. He took a major step back with the coaching change, though, so he feels like a flight risk.

Caleb Burton III has already transferred once and could again

It's unclear if Caleb Burton III is looking at the transfer portal again, but given he left Ohio State for more opportunities in 2022 and proceeded to have 16 catches for Auburn in 2023, it's fair to wonder if another switch-up is possible given the unique era of player movement NIL has created; and the NCAA has facilitated by allowing unlimited transfers this season.

Burton is in direct competition with transfers Lewis and Jackson, who figure to be more popular targets for likely starter Payton Thorne, so the writing may be on the wall here.

Camden Brown never reached potential with Auburn football

As good as Camden Brown has been in flashes, he's never been able to string it together over a full season. In 2022, he had nine catches, and in 2023, he had 10. His yardage went down during his second season and he didn't catch any TDs last season after catching two his freshman season.

With Coleman ahead of him on the depth chart at the X position, there's likely going to be limited opportunities to Brown to reach his potential. Plenty of programs around the country can use a player with his pedigree, but things just never seemed to work out for the former St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) star with Auburn due to injuries, a coaching change, and constant turnover under center.