Auburn Tigers tabbed biggest winner in spring transfer portal window
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Hugh Freeze came in and got it done for the Tigers in the transfer portal.
Arguably no team had better success in the portal during the spring window than Auburn, who ended up nabbing 20 players in total - including 11 four-stars, the most in the nation.
Auburn is the No. 1 winner in the spring transfer portal window according to Matt Zenitz of On3. Zenitz recently released a list of the biggest winners in the spring portal and had the Tigers at the top above the likes of USC, SMU, Ole Miss, and Alabama.
"Coming out of spring ball, Hugh Freeze and his Auburn staff had hoped to add transfer talent at quarterback (most notably) as well as several other spots," Zenitz wrote. "They were successful in accomplishing that. The Tigers landed eight transfers, including a likely new starting QB in Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne and as many as four or so other potential starters. There’s a lot of enthusiasm at Auburn about Appalachian State EDGE transfer Jalen McLeod and his ability as a pass rusher. McLeod posted six sacks for App State last season."
The Tigers also picked up several high-profile pass catchers to add to the arsenal. Nick Mardner (Cincinnati) and Rivaldo Fairweather (FIU) were two of the bigger names Auburn had landed through the portal early on in the cycle. Then Freeze went out and got former Ohio State receiver Caleb Burton, who was heralded for his blazing speed coming out of high school, North Texas' Jyaire Shorter, who led the nation in yards per catch last year, and Jackson State's Shane Hooks, who led Deion Sanders' JSU team in catches, yards and touchdowns in 2022.
Auburn now has five legitimate pass catchers that are 6-foot-2 or taller:
Nick Mardner: 6-foot-6
Rivaldo Fairweather: 6-foot-4
Shane Hooks: 6-foot-5
Jyaire Shorter: 6-foot-2
Camden Brown: 6-foot-3
Offensive line was also a huge position of need that Jake Thornton and the Tigers filled. Four-star tackles Dillon Wade (Tulsa) and Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky) were the first additions, then center Avery Jones (East Carolina) and guard Jaden Muskrat (Tulsa). South Florida running back and All-American kick returner Brian Battie was the lone backfield piece the Tigers got.
Defensive line and linebacker were the final concerns for Auburn. D-linemen Mosiah Nasili-Kite (Maryland), Lawrence Johnson (Purdue), and former five-star Justin Rogers (Kentucky) were added with defensive ends/EDGE players Elijah McAllister (Vanderbilt), the aforementioned Jalen McLeod (Appalachian State), and Stephen Sings (Liberty).
Linebackers DeMario Tolan (LSU), Austin Keys (Ole Miss), and Larry Nixon III (North Texas) were the final touches on what was the nation's No. 2 transfer portal class.
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