Auburn football: 3 positions Tigers could still address via transfer portal

For now, transfer portal season is a wrap.

The NCAA’s football transfer window closed at midnight Saturday, meaning players can’t enter the portal until the second offseason window, which opens April 15 and lasts 11 days.

That also means Auburn football can’t see players depart until the spring, and with some stasis on roster movement, the program’s 14-man transfer class was relatively sound work. Hugh Freeze and the Tigers made splashes and addressed positions of need while securing a consensus top-10 bunch of transfers.

There are still positions of need for Auburn. With transfers still available to sign after the window’s close, there will be opportunity for Freeze and his staff to remedy deficits.

Here’s a look at three positions of need the Tigers could still address through the portal.

Edge rusher

Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Jalen McLeod (35) celebrates a defensive stop as Auburn Tigers take on Mississippi State Bulldogs at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Auburn Tigers lead Mississippi State Bulldogs 24-3 at halftime.

The only position where Auburn struck out during the transfer window, the Tigers didn’t sign a single player who projects to move to its buck linebacker room.

Its two biggest targets of the window were Coastal Carolina edge rusher Clev Lubin and Florida edge rusher TJ Searcy but they transferred to Louisville and Texas A&M, respectively, and did so while defensive edge coach Josh Aldridge was departing Freeze’s staff.

With Keyron Crawford, Joseph Phillips and Jamonta Waller at the buck spot, Auburn has three high-ceiling options for rushing the passer. There’s also a chance 2025 signee Jakaleb Faulk joins the room. But if Auburn could add a veteran to the group to help replace Jalen McLeod, it could be vital.

Backup quarterback

Nov 23, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA;…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/auburn-football-3-positions-tigers-090152743.html

Author : The Montgomery Advertiser

Publish date : 2024-12-29 09:01:00

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