There isn’t a college football coach in the country immune to the transfer portal, especially when they are coming off a sub .500 season in the SEC. That’s the case for Hugh Freeze and Auburn, with several key contributors hopping into the portal while other potential impact players commit and sign with the Tigers.
The portal is taking more than it is giving to Auburn, but Freeze has still secured some solid value. While the Tigers are moving and shaking, let’s look at Auburn’s transfer portal movement for the 2024 cycle.
Auburn Tigers’ 2024 Transfer Portal Moves
Overall, the Tigers are in the top 10 in recruiting for 2024 on most databases, but it is primarily built on high school prospects, with just nine transfers in a 29-member class. Eight of those arrive from fellow Power Five teams, including four in the SEC — Alabama corner Antonio Kite, Texas safety Jerrin Thompson, Texas DL Trill Carter, and Mississippi State OL Percy Lewis.
Thompson made 31 starts at Texas in 49 games, amassing 176 career tackles, while his now twice teammate, Carter, was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year after transferring from Minnesota. Both have one season left to play.
Lewis, listed at 6’8″and 345 pounds, is also a senior experienced in the SEC, with eight starts in 25 games for the Bulldogs. Kite isn’t as experienced with just two seasons in Tuscaloosa, but he’ll have three seasons to gain some heading into his redshirt sophomore season.
Sam Jackson V had unsuccessful stints as a QB at TCU (2021-2022) and Cal (2023) before transferring to the Tigers and switching to receiver. His dynamic speed made him a high-profile recruit out of high school, and now he’ll get to fully demonstrate that athleticism running routes for Auburn.
Auburn is returning its starting quarterback next season with Payton Thorne, but it will lose a talented backup in Robby Ashford.
After two seasons with the Tigers (2022-2023), he entered the portal and joined the South Carolina Gamecocks. It will be his third school after starting his career at Oregon (2020-2021).
KEEP READING: 2024 SEC Transfer Portal Rankings
After Auburn finished last in the SEC in passing, three receivers entered the portal — Omari Kelly, Jyaire Shorter, and Ja’Varrius Johnson. Kelly committed to Middle Tennessee, and Shorter went to Memphis, but Johnson has yet to find his next team.
Two defensive linemen left the Tigers, with one staying in the SEC. Wilky Denauld, a talented young prospect on the defensive line who didn’t play, left after one season in Auburn to join Mississippi State, while Enyce Sledge is off to Illinois after playing in just two games.
Auburn’s 2024 Transfer Portal Additions (9)
- Antonio Kite, CB, Alabama
- Jerrin Thompson, S, Texas
- Trill Carter, DL, Texas
- Percy Lewis, OL, Mississippi State
- Gage Keys, DL, Kansas
- Sam Jackson V, QB/WR, Cal
- Dorian Mausi, LB, Duke
- Robert Lewis, WR, Georgia State
- Rico Walker, TE, Maryland
Auburn’s 2024 Transfer Portal Departures (15)
- Donovan Kaufman, S, NC State
- Robby Ashford, QB, South Carolina
- Wilky Denaud, DL, Mississippi State
- Tyler Fromm, TE, Georgia Southern
- Omari Kelly, WR, Middle Tennessee
- Jyaire Shorter, WR, Memphis
- Malcolm Johnson Jr., WR, Bowling Green
- Enyce Sledge, DL, Illinois
- Cam Riley, LB, undecided
- Sawyer Pate, QB, undecided
- Tony Hunley Jr, CB, undecided
- Ja’Varrius Johnson, WR, undecided
- Marquise Gilbert, S, undecided
- Stephen Sings, EDGE, undecided
- Stephon Johnson, DL, undecided
Miss any action from the top college QB Rankings during the 2023 football season? Want to track all the movement with the college football transfer portal? College Football Network has you covered with that and more!