Quinshon Judkins pursuing big NIL payout makes him unlikely Auburn football target

Quinshon Judkins, who never received an Auburn football offer after Bryan Harsin's staff instead focused on Damari Alston, is unlikely to make way to the Plains despite entering the transfer portal on January 4.

Why, you may ask? Well, for one, the former Pike Road star is looking for a big-time NIL payout, as OutKick's Mark Harris points out.

"Expectations heading into next year, both realistic and from those who wear red and blue glasses, have never been higher in the history of Ole Miss football," Harris prefaced before saying, "So, why would Judkins potentially leave what you could argue is the most exciting program not only in the SEC but all of college football? Money, of course.

"There is a chance, albeit likely a very small one, that Judkins could return to Ole Miss next season even after entering the portal. This move is simply a play to secure a bigger bag of cash from the Rebels."

The other main reason is that the Tigers are well-stocked in the running back room despite Brian Battie's portal departure. Including Alston, AU has second-year ex-Montgomery Catholic star Jeremiah Cobb, and most importantly, RB1 Jarquez Hunter returning. Dedicating NIL funds to an RB1-caliber talent who wouldn't be getting RB1-caliber touches is a misuse of On To Victory's efforts; not to mention Judkins'.

Auburn football not linked to Quinshon Judkins yet, though no school is

As Auburn Daily's Lance Dawe points out, not a single Judkins landing spot has been rumored by any reports -- though his desire to make more than his more-than-half-a-million-dollar NIL valuation has been made public.

"There are currently no favorites to land the former Pike Road (AL) running back, but we may have an idea of the type of school Judkins will be looking at," Dawe prefaced before saying, "According to multiple reports, Judkins was seeking more NIL money at Ole Miss (not just for to his own talents, but due to other Rebels receiving significantly larger deals) and could not get it."

Maybe Hugh Freeze reverses course here, but it feels like Hunter would have to reverse course himself before Judkins was ever seriously on Auburn's radar.