Potential Auburn quarterback target announces intention to enter transfer portal

On Sunday, Ashton Daniels announced his intent to enter the transfer portal after one season at Auburn, leaving Deuce Knight as the only player with experience in the Tigers’ quarterback room.

That could quickly change once the transfer portal opens on January 2, as USF quarterback Byrum Brown, who played for new Auburn head coach Alex Golesh during the past three seasons, has also announced his intent to enter the portal.

In 12 games for the Bulls this past season, Brown threw for 3,158 yards and 28 touchdowns with seven interceptions while completing 66.3 percent of his passes. The Raleigh, N.C., native also rushed for 1,008 yards and 10 touchdowns as he helped lead USF to a 9-3 record during the regular season.

Brown would be immediate leader for starting QB position

The news that he intends to enter the portal is not exactly surprising, as Brown sat out the Bulls’ bowl game, a 24-10 loss to Old Dominion, last week.

Brown was the starter for Golesh in all of the coach’s three seasons in Tampa, but missed the final eight games of 2024 after suffering a broken leg in a Week 5 matchup against Tulane. 

According to CBS Sports' Chris Hummer, Auburn is the favorite to land Brown out of the portal.

With the departure of Daniels and Jackson Arnold, Brown could immediately come in and compete for the starting job in Golesh’s first season on the Plains alongside Knight, a former 5-star recruit who saw action in two games this season. As the starter against Mercer, Knight threw for 239 yards and two touchwons while rushing for 162 yards and four scores.

If Brown is the starter, he will become the third-straight transfer who wins the position after coming in from another school, joining Arnold and Payton Thorne.