Auburn football is widely regarded as a program that made significant strides in the transfer portal during the offseason, following two consecutive losing seasons under Hugh Freeze. While this marks the third year of such discussions, it’s likely that the talent acquired will eventually yield results.
Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon acknowledged Auburn as a winner in the December transfer cycle, though he expressed reservations about the quarterback situation, which has seen the departure of Hank Brown, Walker White, and Holden Geriner in favor of Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels, and Deuce Knight. He noted, “Auburn is in dire need of improvement at quarterback. Starting with Jackson Arnold and Ashton Daniels is a decent option.”
Kenyon pointed out that Arnold’s lackluster performance at Oklahoma in 2024 contributed to his transfer. However, his potential makes him worth pursuing. Daniels also had a challenging season at Stanford but offers valuable starting experience to enhance the quarterback depth.
He emphasized the importance of Auburn recognizing its needs and aggressively pursuing additional talent. The Tigers recruited receivers Eric Singleton Jr. from Georgia Tech and Horatio Fields from Wake Forest, as well as likely starting offensive tackles Xavier Chaplin and Mason Murphy from Virginia Tech and USC, respectively. Running back Durell Robinson, who amassed over 800 total yards as a freshman, further strengthens the offense.
On the defensive side, Auburn brought in edge-rusher Chris Murray from Sam Houston and cornerback Raion Strader from Miami (OH), both of whom received first-team all-conference honors in 2024.
The experience with Payton Thorne demonstrated that even with a strong roster, success hinges on effective quarterback play. Freeze has solid talent across his roster, but he must develop that talent to achieve results.
It’s reasonable to have doubts about Arnold after his first season at Oklahoma and to question Freeze’s QB coaching history at Auburn. However, if Arnold, Daniels, or Knight can rise to the occasion, this Tigers team could potentially live up to the high expectations some have for Auburn.
