Auburn Tigers News: Hugh Freeze comments on addition of Sam Jackson, Maryland transfer TE sets official visit

In today's edition of Auburn Tigers News, head coach Hugh Freeze comments on the addition of former Cal QB Sam Jackson, and a Maryland transfer sets an official visit

So far, since the NCAA transfer portal opened on December 4, the Auburn football team has only added four transfers: wide receiver Robert Lewis, defensive lineman Gage Keys, linebacker Dorian Mausi, and quarterback-turned-wide-receiver Sam Jackson.

Though he hit the transfer portal hard during his first year on the Plains, head coach Hugh Freeze knew the recruiting classes of 2024 and 2025 would make or break his success at Auburn, and he and his staff have focused heavily on high school recruiting over the past several months.

It turned into success on early signing day, when the Tigers locked down a top-ten recruiting class, but has impacted the haul from the transfer portal. Per AL.com, Freeze pointed this out when asked about adding former Cal quarterback Sam Jackson, who will play wide receiver for the Tigers:

“I made no secret that our focus was entirely on the high school recruiting,” Freeze said to start his answer about adding former Cal quarterback Sam Jackson. “I got to witness Sam, obviously, live as we played... It’s a risk, probably. But I think he’s one heck of an athlete.”

Maryland transfer tight end sets an official visit

On the weekend of Auburn football's bowl game against the Maryland Terrapins, a former Terp has set an official visit with the Tigers. Rico Walker, a freshman tight end, hit the portal on December 1 after making four catches for 27 yards in 2023.

A 4-star ATH out of high school, Walker originally committed to North Carolina before flipping to Maryland. Auburn was in Walker's top five, and his dad, Ricardo Walker, played defensive line for the Tigers. The tight end will officially visit the Plains on January 3 according to On3's Jeffrey Lee, per Auburn Daily.