Transfer portal priorities for Auburn football, coach Hugh Freeze before deadline

AUBURN — Between signing high school recruits and courting players from the transfer portal, the new staff at Auburn football has brought in 27 new players to the program since coach Hugh Freeze was hired in November.

Some of the signees had been committed to the Tigers prior to Freeze's arrival, but others like four-star defensive lineman Keldric Faulk and four-star cornerback Kayin Lee were convinced to flip to Auburn during the early signing period. Faulk had been committed to Florida State before changing his decision, and Lee was tied to Ohio State.

Each of the seven transfers brought in over the last few weeks can be credited to the new staff, too. The window for players to enter the portal opened Dec. 5, a week after Freeze was officially hired. The Tigers picked up tight end Rivaldo Fairweather from Florida International on Dec. 18 to get things going, and have since gained commitments from offensive tackles Dillon Wade (Tulsa) and Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky), defensive linemen Mosiah Nasili-Kite (Maryland) and Lawrence Johnson (Purdue), linebacker DeMario Tolan (LSU) and edge Elijah McAllister (Vanderbilt).

EARLY SIGNING PERIOD:Auburn football recruiting class 2023: Meet Tigers' early signees for Hugh Freeze

JUNIOR COLLEGE:Auburn football gets two juco commits in OT Izavion Miller, DL Quientrail Jamison-Travis

There are still more holes to fill, though, and it's crunch time for Auburn. Classes start Wednesday and the last day to enroll is Jan. 18. If Freeze wants any incoming transfers to be able to participate in spring practice, which typically starts in March, he needs to get them squared away in the next week or so.

Here are a few positions the Tigers need to add before the deadline hits.

Quarterback

Ever since Freeze confirmed in a news conference Dec. 21 his interest in taking a transfer portal quarterback, fans have been waiting to see who it'll be. Even before Freeze's comments, though, logic says the Tigers need another arm for spring practice.

Robby Ashford, TJ Finley and Holden Geriner are on the roster, but that's it for scholarship quarterbacks at spring practice. Getting a player talented enough to push for the starting spot to create competition would be ideal, but adding someone else to take reps during the spring seems like a necessity.

Top transfer quarterbacks like Grayson McCall, Devin Leary, Brennan Armstrong, Sam Hartman and Tanner Mordecai have already left the portal, either finding new homes or withdrawing and returning to their original teams.

Edge

Auburn will not return two of its best defensive players as edge rushers Colby Wooden and Derick Hall both declared for the 2023 NFL Draft in December. Freeze has addressed the departures by signing a few recruits out of high school, like Faulk, that can get to the quarterback. McAllister was brought in, too.

But that's not enough. The Tigers are primed to have a loaded secondary in 2023, especially after cornerback DJ James announced he would be returning for one more season, and that should help a young pass rush, but adding another veteran on the edge would be useful.

Interior offensive line

The talent was thin along the entire offensive line when Freeze was hired weeks ago. He's plugged some of the holes early by adding two offensive tackles from the portal, picking up OT Izavion Miller from junior college and signing three-star tackle Tyler Johnson out of Natchitoches Central High School in Louisiana.

Now it's time to work on the interior. Miller could be pushed inside if Wade and Britton establish themselves as the starting tackles, and Jeremiah Wright looks poised to be a starter at one of the guard spots. Three-star freshman Connor Lew could play center, but asking a recruit to come in and start off the bat is a tough spot to be in. And if nothing else, Auburn needs some depth.

Richard Silva is the Auburn beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Transfer portal priorities for Auburn football with deadline looming