Few teams were more active in the transfer portal during the December window than Auburn.

The Tigers have added 14 transfers so far and their class is ranked eighth in On3’s team transfer portal rankings. This is highlighted by high-profile signings like former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold and former Georgia Tech standout wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr.

The December transfer portal window officially closed Saturday evening, meaning undergraduate players can no longer enter the portal. However, there are some exceptions.

Players participating in their teams’ bowl games will have a 5-day window after the game to enter the portal. Additionally, every time a head coach leaves their school, every player on the team has a 30-day window to enter the portal. Graduates can also access the portal at any time.

It’s also important to note that while the window to enter the portal is closed, players will still be able to enroll in new schools until the start of the semester to enroll in spring training.

One last thing to note: December 28th is simply the deadline for submitting the necessary documents to access the portal. It can sometimes take up to 48 hours for the paperwork to officially enter a player into the portal to be processed, meaning players can still be officially added to the portal on Sunday or Monday.

With that all sorted out, this is where Auburn stands at the end of the December window.

Outgoing transfers

• QB Holden Geriner
• QB Hank Brown
• QB Walker White
• WR Camden Brown
• WR Caleb Burton III
• WR Sam Jackson V
• TE Micah Riley
• OL EJ Harris
• OL Percy Lewis
• DL TJ Lindsey
• DL measurement key
• DL Darron Reed Jr.
• LB Laquan Robinson
• CB Antonio Kite
• CB Keionte Scott
• S Caleb Wood
• S CJ Johnson
• P Gabe Russo

Incoming transfers

• QB Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma
• RB Durell Robinson, UConn
• P. Hudson Kaak, Oklahoma State
• S Taye Seymore, Georgia Tech
• QB Ashton Daniels, Stanford
• OL Xavier Chaplin, Virginia Tech
• OL Mason Murphy, USC
• CB Raion Strader, Miami (OH)
• LB Xavier Atkins, LSU
• DL Dallas Walker IV, Western Kentucky
• WR Horatio Fields, Wake Forest
• K Connor Gibbs, Southern Miss
• TE Preston Howard, Maryland
• WR Eric Singleton Jr., Georgia Tech

quarterback

Players in (3): Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels, Deuce Knight

Retiring players (4): Payton Thorne, Hank Brown, Holden Geriner, Walker White

What you should know

Auburn lost all four of its scholarship quarterbacks in 2024, meaning it will start all over again next season. Arnold appears to be the expected starter in 2025, but Daniels also brings starting experience from Stanford.

What puts the competition in Arnold’s favor is the fact that Daniels won’t arrive until the summer, meaning he won’t be with the team in spring training.

Hugh Freeze has also revealed that he wants Auburn to have four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, meaning another would need to be added, likely in the spring portal window.

Run back

Players in (2): Durell Robinson, Alvin Henderson

Retiring players (1): Jarquez Hunter

Returning players (2): Damari Alston, Jeremiah Cobb

What you should know

Losing Hunter certainly hurts, but Auburn will have a good rotation at running back in 2025. Both Alston and Cobb had carries behind Hunter last season, and Robinson is coming off a 731-yard, eight-touchdown season at UConn.

Henderson, an incoming freshman, could also play a role. In high school, he broke the AHSAA all-time career rushing record and was rated a four-star prospect.

Wide receiver

Players in (5): Horatio Fields, Eric Singleton Jr., Derick Smith, Sam Turner, Erick Smith

Retiring players (5): KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Robert Lewis, Camden Brown, Caleb Burton III, Sam Jackson V

Returning players (4): Cam Coleman, Malcolm Simmons, Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain

What you should know

While Auburn’s receiver room saw a lot of turnover in the offseason, it retained the young Freeze Four core of Coleman, Simmons, Thompson and Cain.

It would make sense for Auburn to use these players more as sophomores this season, but the Tigers have also added experienced receivers like Fields and Singleton in the portal. Both players are likely to be big contributors right away, especially Singleton, who was the top-ranked receiver in the portal.

With his experience and previous performances at Georgia Tech, Singleton is expected to make a similar impact to Lambert-Smith’s last season.

Tight end

Players in (3): Preston Howard, Hollis Davidson, Ryan Ghea

Retiring players (3): Rivaldo Fairweather, Luke Deal, Micah Riley

Returning players (2): Brandon Frazier, Rico Walker

What you should know

Arguably the most important news Auburn got in the end was that Frazier could return for a sixth season after taking a medical redshirt in 2024.

He will likely be the main player Auburn leans on here, along with Howard, a transfer from Maryland. It also wouldn’t be a big surprise if Auburn pursues another tight end transfer during the spring portal window.

Offensive line

Players in (6): Xavier Chaplin, Mason Murphy, Broderick Shull, Tai Buster, Kail Ellis, Jacobe Ward

Retiring players (3): Percy Lewis, Ronan Chambers, EJ Harris

Returning players (13): Dillon Wade, Izavion Miller*, Jeremiah Wright, Jaden Muskrat, Tate Johnson, Connor Lew, Bradyn Joiner, Tyler Johnson, Dylan Senda, Clay Wedin, Seth Wilfred, DeAndre Carter, Favor Edwin

What you should know

Miller will have a star attached to his name since he was originally ineligible, but will now likely have the opportunity to come back with the extra year the NCAA grants to seniors who played at the JUCO level.

When he returns, Auburn will have a highly experienced offensive line with returnees like Miller, Wright, Wade and Lew, combined with experienced transfers like Murphy and Chaplin.

Given Auburn’s current numbers on offense, the bigger question will be who is in the starting lineup. Murphy and Chaplin both started at their previous schools, but if Miller returns, Auburn will return all five offensive line starters from last season.

Internal defensive line

Players in (5): Dallas Walker IV, Malik Autry, Jourdin Crawford, Antonio Coleman, Darrion Smith

Retiring players (6): Isaiah Raikes, Philip Blidi, Jayson Jones, Trill Carter, Gage Keys, TJ Lindsey

Returning players (2): Quientrail Jamison-Travis, Malik Blocton

What you should know

If there’s one position Auburn wants to add players at, it’s the interior defensive line. Walker is the only transfer the Tigers have signed so far after losing three key players.

The freshman indoors course shows promise, but it is difficult to say in December how big the early impact of each course will be.

Defensive end

Players in (1): Jared Smith

Retiring players (2): Zykeivous Walker, Darron Reed Jr.

Returning players (2): Keldric Faulk, Amaris Williams

What you should know

There isn’t much movement on the defensive end as Auburn returns arguably the best player on its defense in Faulk. Smith, a five-star recruit, is a promising candidate but could play either the downlineman end position behind Faulk or the BUCK linebacker.

Retaining Williams was also a big win for Auburn after he originally planned to enter the transfer portal. With him still on the roster, Auburn has a solid defensive rotation with some exciting young talent.

BUCK linebacker

Retiring players (1): Jalen McLeod

Returning players (3): Keyron Crawford, Jamonta Waller, Joe Phillips

What you should know

There isn’t much movement at the BUCK spot yet as Auburn missed some of its early transfer targets. However, don’t be surprised if the Tigers are still trying to bring in an experienced replacement for McLeod

Crawford also appears more than capable of taking over the starting role after getting significant playing time in 2024. Waller and Phillips will also likely get more roles in 2025, along with the aforementioned possibility of Smith playing on BUCK.

Middle linebacker

Players in (4): Xavier Atkins, Jakaleb Faulk, Elijah Melendez, Bryce Deas

Retiring players (5): Eugene Asante, Dorian Mausi, Austin Keys, Fa’Najae Gotay, Laquan Robinson

Returning players (3): Robert Woodyard Jr., Demarcus Riddick, DJ Barber

What you should know

Middle linebacker is another position where Auburn may still want to gain experience. A transfer was added – Atkins – who only played one season at LSU and was not a starter.

Riddick’s development in his sophomore season will be important, but Auburn could still use some experience around him after losing three seniors who played significant snaps.

Cornerback

Players in (4): Raion Strader, Donovan Starr, Blake Woodby, Devin Williams

Retiring players (2): Keionte Scott, Antonio Kite

Returning players (6): Kayin Lee, Champ Anthony, JC Hart, Tyler Scott, Jay Crawford, Kensley Louidor-Faustin

What you should know

Auburn is pretty strong at corner right now as it returns its two starters from last season and adds Strader, a former All-MAC cornerback at Miami (OH).

The Tigers also return players like Anthony and Scott who missed either most or all of the 2024 season due to injuries. How Auburn manages all the players in this room will be worth seeing next season, but there is no shortage of options.

Security

Players in (3): Taye Seymore, Anquon Fegans, Eric Winters

Retiring players (3): Jerrin Thompson, Caleb Wooden, CJ Johnson

Returning players (5): Jahquez Robinson, Terrance Love, Sylvester Smith, Kaleb Harris, Amon Lane-Ganus

What you should know

Auburn’s 2025 safety outlook is positive, especially given the emergence of young players like Smith and Harris in 2024.

Seymore is the only transfer signing, and he may be more of an experienced player as Smith and Harris appear to be the likely starters next season.

Kicker/Punter

Players in (3): K Connor Gibbs, P Hudson Kaak, P John Alan McGuire

Retiring players (2): P Oscar Chapman, P Gabe Russo

Returning players (3): K Alex McPherson, K Ian Vachon, K Towns McGough

What you should know

Auburn added transfers at both punter and kicker in the December window. Kaak, a former Oklahoma State player, fills the void left by Chapman, who is ineligible to play.

The more interesting situation is at kickers, where Auburn added Gibbs from Southern Miss despite already having three kickers. This raises questions about McPherson’s future, as he only appeared in one game in the 2024 season due to a gastrointestinal illness.

With McPherson’s health still questionable and potentially concerning, signing Gibbs makes sense given Auburn’s kicking issues last season.

Peter Rauterkus reports on Auburn Sports AL.com. You can follow him on X below @peter_rauterkus or send him an email at [email protected]M