aubiefifty

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn in the mix to land JUCO OL Seth Wilfred Taylor Jones ~2 minutes Auburn football coaches were very active this weekend as they hosted several recruits from junior college and the transfer portal for official visits. Among those was JUCO offensive lineman Seth Wilfred, who left Auburn feeling pleased with his visit. After his visit, he spoke with Caleb Jones of Rivals about his time on the Plains. Wilfred says that he was pleased with the community and atmosphere that Auburn presents, and he likes the idea of playing football under head coach Hugh Freeze and offensive line coach Jake Thornton. How high is Auburn on his list of possible destinations? “(Auburn is) Definitely pretty high on my list,” Wilfred said in an interview with Rivals. “The atmosphere you can’t really match it with anything else, it’s a really great place and I love it here.” Before visiting Auburn, Wilfred visited Houston. He is also set to visit Iowa State next weekend before signing on Dec. 20 according to Jones. Wilfred is a 6-6, 295 pound offensive lineman from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. If he were to choose Auburn, Jones feels that Wilfred will be best suited as an offensive tackle. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

si.com Three Takeaways: Joseph Phillips’ Senior Film Brian Smith 3–4 minutes Auburn commitment Joseph Phillips shows off all-around skills There are many reasons for Auburn Tigers fans to be happy about the 2024 recruiting class. A good reason to smile should be edge defender Joseph Phillips. Watching his senior film, it honestly shocked me. I knew he was good but did not realize his overall talents. Here’s my take on Phillips and what he’s bringing to the Plains. 1) Versatility is tremendous! Playing for Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington, Phillips did more than use his 6-foot-2 and 250-pound frame to be an edge defender. That’s where most project him to play for Auburn, but here’s the lowdown. Quarterback, middle linebacker, and edge defender are all spots where Phillips excels on the prep level. You read that correctly, quarterback is a spot where Phillips is a standout. Whether running the football or throwing it deep, he makes plays. Now, he’s not the next Cam Newton. I’m not suggesting that one bit. When Phillips takes off, however, he showcases the ability to spin out of a tackle, use a stiff arm, and the power to lower the boom! Those traits will translate to the defensive side of the football for Auburn. He's going to get off blocks faster and create havoc for the Tigers. 2) Phillips is a smart and instinctive football player. This is short and sweet. Phillips sees the play develop, then he sets his course and finally brings the ball carrier down. Sound simple? It’s not. Phillips has a unique sense of the proper angle to take even when he’s running across the field to bring down a receiver that going down the sideline. At the SEC level, that’s the difference between a five-yard gain and an 80-yard touchdown. 3) Auburn can use Phillips in different packages and situations. He might be 250 pounds, but Phillips can flat-out run. Yes, he’s likely to play on the edge for the Tigers. That point does not rule out Phillips being used as an inside linebacker during goal-line and short-yardage situations, or blitzing from an inside linebacker spot. During third-down passing situations, he’s also someone that Auburn can drop into coverage and zone blitz with a safety or linebacker. There are not many 250-plus-pound players that can be successful in this endeavor, but Phillips is that guy. He’s going to be 260, maybe even 270 pounds in a year or two. He’s such a good athlete that there will be ways for the Tigers to keep opposing teams off balance with how Phillips is utilized. He’s a darn-good football player.

saturdaydownsouth.com Keionte Scott, Auburn DB, reportedly leaning toward another season with the Tigers Spenser Davis | 13 hours ago 2–3 minutes Keionte Scott is “leaning toward” a return to Auburn for the 2024 season, according to a report. That news was shared by 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz on Sunday evening. His report said Scott has been weighing his options between a return to Auburn or entering the 2024 NFL Draft. The current belief is that Auburn standout defensive back Keionte Scott is leaning toward returning to the Tigers for another season instead of turning pro, sources tell @247sports. Scott has been one of Auburn’s top defensive players the last two years.https://t.co/aS6AHhmMLJ pic.twitter.com/9noXAYCA1E — Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 10, 2023 If Scott does return to Auburn in 2024, it would be a big boost for the Tigers’ secondary. The junior cornerback recorded 41 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 4 pass deflections in 9 games this season. Scott would be in position to establish himself as one of the better cornerbacks in the SEC next season if he returns to Auburn. Scott has also served as Auburn’s primary punt returner over the past 2 seasons. He scored a touchdown on a punt return earlier this season. The Tigers will be looking to make a big step forward in 2024. Auburn went 6-6 this past season, which was the first year of the Hugh Freeze era. Auburn’s pass defense was a strength in 2023, but there is room for improvement moving forward. The Tigers posted a pass defense efficiency rating of 131.94, which ranked 6th in the SEC. Auburn will face Maryland in its bowl game to close out the 2023 season. TRENDING 58,148 READS 51,772 READS 23,016 READS Spenser Davis Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands. Follow on Twitter.

al.com Recapping a busy weekend: Which recruits, portal targets visited Auburn over the weekend? Published: Dec. 11, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 5–6 minutes With the college football transfer portal having been open for business since Monday and early national signing day right around the corner, the entrance of Auburn’s Woltosz Football Performance Center has been a revolving door as Hugh Freeze and the Tigers have hosted a slew of targets from both the high school ranks and the transfer portal. This past weekend was no different as a handful of high school recruits and transfer portal entrants made their way to The Plains to hear what Freeze and Auburn have to offer. Here’s a quick look at who visited this weekend and what it could mean for the Tigers. Matthew Bedford, Indiana OL After announcing his intentions to transfer as a grad transfer on Nov. 27, Auburn was the first stop for Indiana transfer offensive lineman Matthew Bedford, who started 39 games during his five seasons with the Hoosiers. Bedford made a midweek trip to The Plains, visiting Auburn on Wednesday and Thursday. Over the weekend Bedford paid Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes a visit. According to On3′s Cole Pinkston, Bedford hopes to announce his transfer destination shortly after Christmas. Derrick Harmon, Michigan State DL Michigan State defensive lineman Derrick Harmon announced that he’d be entering the transfer portal on Nov. 29 after three years in East Lansing with the Spartans. In two of those seasons, Harmon stood out as one of Michigan State’s top defenders and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. Looking to add depth to the defensive front, Auburn offered Harmon on Dec. 4 and hosted the former teammate of quarterback Payton Thorne on Friday, according to 247Sports’ Nathan King. On3′s Pete Nakos reported Friday that in addition to his visit to Auburn, Harmon also planned on visiting Ohio State. Robert Lewis, Georgia State WR After three seasons at Georgia State, wide receiver Robert Lewis announced his plans to transfer with one year of eligibility remaining on Dec. 4. And it wasn’t long after that Freeze and the Tigers came knocking with an offer. After receiving an offer from Auburn the same day the portal opened, Lewis was quick to get to The Plains, visiting the Tigers on Saturday and Sunday. Shortly after his visit, Lewis went on to commit to Auburn, giving the Tigers their first commitment out of the transfer portal. LJ McCray, 5-star DL Though 5-star defensive lineman LJ McCray remains committed to Florida, Freeze and the Tigers haven’t given up. After all, Auburn has had its fair share of luck flipping commitments since the summer. After making a stop in Tallahassee to visit Florida State, which also continues to make a push for him, McCray made his way to Auburn on Saturday and was accompanied by 4-star defensive lineman commit Jamonta Waller. Waller, who was also previously committed to the Gators, flipped his commitment to the Tigers on Nov. 11 and has been a big recruiter for Auburn ever since. “I just want us to be on the same field together, man,” Waller told On3′s Cole Pinkston of he and McCray. “They can’t block both of us. It’s just magic what it could be.” Makylan Pounders, Memphis OL Memphis offensive lineman Makylan Pounders was another transfer portal entrant Auburn wasted no time getting to. After entering his name into the transfer portal on Dec. 7, Pounders reported an offer from the Tigers the very next day. Pounders, who played 12 games at left tackle for Memphis in 2023 and has two years of eligibility remaining, quickly made his way to Auburn, visiting The Plains on Sunday. Gerquan Scott, Southern Miss OL An early entrant into the transfer portal, Southern Miss offensive lineman Gerquan Scott announced his intentions to transfer on Nov. 27. And once again, Auburn was an early player in landing the veteran offensive lineman as the Tigers reportedly extended an offer that same day. Scott first visited Ole Miss on Dec. 3, followed by his trip to Auburn on Dec. 8. And by the sounds of it, despite a handful of Power 5 offers, those trips to Oxford, Miss. and Auburn was all Scott needed as he told 247Sports’ Christian Clemente that he’d be deciding between the Rebels and Tigers in the coming days. Seth Wilfred, JUCO OL Seth Wilfred, an offensive lineman out of the junior college ranks, also made his way to Auburn over the weekend after being offered by the Tigers on Nov. 9. The 6-foot-6, 295-pound offensive lineman appeared in seven of Snow College’s 12 games this fall and first visited Houston before making his way to Auburn over the weekend. According to 247Sports’ Christian Clemente, Wilfred has one more visit scheduled before making his decision. Per Wilfred’s social media, he has also hauled in offers from Iowa State and Arizona State, among others. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Dylan Gentry announces commitment to Auburn Taylor Jones ~2 minutes Who says Auburn can not recruit well in Phenix City? It is for sure a new era on the Plains as head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff have landed their second 2024 commitment from a Central-Phenix City High School wide receiver in as many weeks. Dylan Gentry, a three-star wide receiver and high school teammate of 2024 five-star Auburn commitment Cam Coleman, announced Sunday that he is pledging to the Tigers. According to 247Sports, Gentry has fielded offers from Florida A&M and Albany State but will join the Tigers after earning a preferred walk-on offer in November. Gentry ended the season as Central’s third-leading receiver with 540 yards on 29 catches with seven touchdowns. He trailed only Auburn commit Cam Coleman and Daylyn Upshaw, a 2025 prospect who owns an Auburn offer. In last week’s AHSAA Class 7A state championship game, Gentry caught two passes for 36 yards. CU On The Plains🦅..AGTG🙏🏼 @CoachDavisWR @CoachHughFreeze @CHSREDDEVILS pic.twitter.com/xl2tUpz5ZM — Gods Child✝️ (@DylanGentry6) December 10, 2023 Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

247sports.com Auburn transfer impact WR Robert Lewis Nathan King 4–5 minutes Auburn’s first transfer commitment of the 2024 cycle is at a big position of need. The Tigers not only got Robert Lewis on campus for a visit less than a week after the portal opened, but on Sunday afternoon, they added the productive Georgia State receiver to next year’s offensive blueprint. Set to be a fifth-year senior, Lewis brings more than 1,300 career receiving yards and 14 touchdowns to the Plains. Lewis said he quickly connected with Auburn receivers coach Marcus Davis and is excited about the role Hugh Freeze has envisioned for him in next year’s passing game. “Just a lot of things that caught my eye and I feel like it can be a perfect fit,” he told Auburn Undercover. “With everything that the coaches had for me in the scheme and the offense, it just seemed like it was a perfect fit." From nearby Covington, Georgia, Lewis was a 3-star recruit in the 2020 class, though he had some SEC interest from programs like Tennessee and Kentucky. He chose to play close to home at Georgia State, though, and emerged as a starting receiver for the Panthers during his redshirt sophomore season. At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, Lewis was one of the most explosive pass-catchers in the Group of Five in 2022, averaging 17.2 yards per catch with six touchdowns. He then took another step forward this season, leading Georgia State in receptions (70), yards (877) and touchdowns (seven). Lewis is the first transfer pickup for Auburn, likely with a few more decisions for names like Southern Miss offensive lineman Gerquan Scott this week. The Tigers will likely look for at least one more addition at wide receiver, where next year’s group is brimming with young talent, but might need an influx of experience to bridge the gap. Here’s the way-too-early early depth chart impact for Lewis, and a glance at who else Auburn has in the receiving corps for 2024 at the moment. Seniors: Ja'Varrius Johnson (RS)*, Robert Lewis (RS), Koy Moore Juniors: Camden Brown, Jay Fair Sophomores: Caleb Burton (RS) Freshmen: Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Malcolm Simmons, Bryce Cain * = Eligible to use extra year of COVID-19 eligibility -- Way-too-early depth chart projection WR/X: Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Camden Brown WR/Z: Robert Lewis, Caleb Burton, Koy Moore, Malcolm Simmons WR/H: Ja'Varrius Johnson, Jay Fair, Bryce Cain Just because he’s sub-6 feet doesn’t mean Lewis is typecast as a slot receiver. Over the past two seasons at Georgia State, he’s proven he can be utilized at multiple spots as a pass-catcher. In 2022, he spent most of his time in the slot, then when he stepped into a bigger role this season and had a breakout year, Lewis played only 21.0 percent of his receiver snaps in the slot, per Pro Football Focus. Lewis is an explosive route-runner who won’t necessarily make plays in traffic — PFF had him at only five contested catches in 2023 on 13 opportunities — but has a knack for getting himself open underneath coverage. His speed isn’t jaw-dropping, and Auburn will have a handful of better athletes at receiver in 2024. But Georgia State consistently put the ball in his hands on screens and short patterns, and Lewis showed a veteran ability to squeeze a few extra yards out of most plays. Set to play his final college season at Auburn, Lewis will be looked to as a veteran piece of the receiving corps not only to help lead a crop of elite, 5-star youngsters, but also fill a need for experience and versatility in the passing attack. Auburn lacked consistency at receiver in 2023, and the monumental lack of production from its trio of veteran transfer additions was a big gut punch. The Tigers will hope those fortunes will be reversed and that Lewis can find his way into a valuable role. *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more *** *** Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter ***

slim pickings this morning folks...................

al.com Josh Bynes thanks Auburn, Ozzie Newsome upon retirement Updated: Dec. 10, 2023, 8:11 a.m.|Published: Dec. 10, 2023, 8:00 a.m. 5–6 minutes The Baltimore Ravens will honor Josh Bynes as their Legend of the Game when they play the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Bynes announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday. Among those receiving thanks during the linebacker’s farewell press conference were Auburn University and former Alabama All-American Ozzie Newsome, who served as the Ravens’ general manager for most of Bynes’ time in Baltimore. Josh Bynes thanks Auburn, Ozzie Newsome upon retirement Sunday night showdown for Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Jalen Hurts on Jalen Milroe: ‘All my support goes to him’ Auburn, Newsome and Bynes’ retirement intersected on Friday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “Josh Bynes is announcing his retirement as a Raven today,” Harbaugh said. “His whole family’s here. His beautiful family’s here with his amazing wife and kids. I know they’re walking around here right now. He has a couple of sons that will probably be looking at Michigan here in a couple of years. Ozzie was trying to recruit them for Alabama already. Josh said, ‘Absolutely not,’ because where did Josh go to school? Auburn. War Eagle.” Bynes was the leading tackler for the Auburn team that posted an undefeated record and won the BCS national championship for the 2010 season. “I’d just like to thank Auburn University first – War Eagle,” Bynes said during his retirement remarks. “… Just for giving me an opportunity -- a kid out of Fort Lauderdale just trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life then. And to take an opportunity to give me an opportunity to meet my wife, who also went to Auburn as well, so that’s been a huge thing. I appreciate Auburn for that.” Bynes entered the NFL as undrafted rookie in 2011. He didn’t survive the roster cut between the preseason and the regular season, but that wasn’t the end of the relationship for Bynes and Baltimore. “This is crazy,” Bynes said. “I don’t think I’ve told anybody this story. I had just interviewed for a job down in Fort Lauderdale as an academic advisor, and I still had on my suit and everything. Ozzie called me literally just as I walked in the door. Called me, I was like, ‘Hello?’ He was like, ‘It’s Ozzie, with the Ravens.’ I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’ He was like, ‘Do you want to come back to be with the Ravens?’ I was like -- I think I said, ‘You sure? I think I said that first.’ He was like, ‘Yes.’ I was like, ‘Uh, I just got done with a job interview.’ He was like, ‘You don’t have to do the workout or anything. Just come on. We’re on going to bring you back.’ “And I kid you not, I started crying, because -- at the time, I was just 20, whatever it was, 21, 22, at the time, trying to figure out, ‘OK, what’s my next phase?’ Football is over at the time. And to go from that to, obviously, playing 12 years is insane. And I’ve got to give a thank you to Ozzie for that phone call. I appreciate you.” Bynes played one game for the Ravens in 2011, the first of 138 regular-season and seven playoff games in his NFL career, even though he was released seven times. Bynes played 59 regular-season and five playoff games with Baltimore. “To me, Josh is a person, player, man who epitomizes the opportunity that football represents – the true meritocracy we like to talk about in football,” Harbaugh said. “That no matter where you come from, no matter where you’ve been, your background, whatever it is, how heralded you are or you are not, how much you’re talked about, whatever it might be, the content of your character, your talent, your work ethic, your ability just to find a way to get the job done and produce in whatever the job may be, to me, that’s what Josh Bynes represents. An undrafted free agent -- people probably weren’t betting on him to make the team even way back then. … “Past the football stuff, which you have to do. You have to produce. But the locker room, the mentorship, the example that he sets for the guys by the type of a family man he is and the father and husband that he is. I think guys look at that, and it makes a difference. I know he’s been there for guys just to talk to them and make a difference in their lives. That’s what a Hall of Famer is to me. He’s that kind of a player that deserves that kind of recognition in terms of being -- all the accolades that he’s accomplished as a football player -- but a Hall of Famer in life and relationships. That’s the beauty of football to me is someone like that.” FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn offers former Florida defensive tackle Chris McClellan JD McCarthy 1–2 minutes Auburn is looking to shore up its defensive line through the transfer portal and would love to add some experienced players. One of their latest targets is Chris McClellan, a former top-150 recruit who spent the past two seasons at Florida. The Oklahoma native was a rotational piece for the Gators, making 46 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 25 appearances. The Tigers extended him an offer on Thursday but they are far from his only offer. FSU, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas and Mississippi State have also offered him. Jeremy Garrett’s defensive line needs some experienced contributors to help shore up the depth at McClellan would be a great fit. The 6-foot-3, 320-pounder can play multiple positions and has several seasons of eligibility remaining, an added bonus. Auburn offered‼️ pic.twitter.com/xPeVjnq2Xd — Chris McClellan 7️⃣🦍 (@ChrisDMac10) December 7, 2023 Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn to host Miami tight end Jaleel Skinner for official visit Taylor Jones ~2 minutes Auburn snagged a tight end from the Miami area last season from the transfer portal in Rivaldo Fairweather. They will try their hand at landing another this season by hosting another tight end this month. Jaleel Skinner, formerly of Miami, will take a visit to Auburn during the weekend of Dec. 15-17 according to a report by Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live. Skinner entered the transfer portal after spending the first two seasons of his college career at Miami. As a Hurricane, he hauled in 10 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. He was more productive as a freshman in 2022 when he hauled in nine passes for 129 yards and a score. His sophomore campaign was not as active, as he made just one catch for nine yards. According to Pro Football Focus, he only appeared in two games and played a total of 25 snaps in 2023. Despite not having aundefined productive start to his career, Skinner was once a high-profile recruit. As a member of the 2022 recruiting cycle from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Skinner was a four-star tight end according to 247Sports composite rankings. He was the No. 3 tight end and the No. 102 overall player for the class. Auburn tight end Rivaldo Fairweather became Auburn’s leading receiver this season by reeling in 39 passes for 349 yards and six touchdowns. He has one season of eligibility remaining. Tight end Brandon Frazier has announced that he will return to Auburn while tyler fromm has declared his intent to enter the transfer portal. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter

si.com Auburn has reached out to Freshman All-American in the transfer portal Zac Blackerby ~2 minutes Auburn has offered several offensive linemen that have entered the transfer portal. According to Hayes Fawcett of On3, Former Texas A&M Aggie and Freshman All-American Chase Bisontis has heard from the Auburn Tigers. In a graphic posted on social media by Fawcett, Auburn is one of 26 schools to reach out to Bisontis since he entered the portal. Those schools are: Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame, Clemson, Ohio State, Oregon, Missouri, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan, Tennessee, Michigan State, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Penn State, Syracuse, South Carolina, Rutgers, Kansas State, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Miami, Boston College, Nebraska, and SMU. Bisontis is one of several Texas A&M players to enter the portal since the Aggies fired Jimbo Fisher and have since hired former Duke head coach Mike Elko to take over the reins. Auburn has clearly made the offensive line a priority for the second year in a row. After adding several offensive linemen last December, Hugh Freeze and his staff have already hosted Indiana'a Matthew Bedford and are expecting visits from Southern Miss' Gerquan Scott and Memphis offensive tackle Mak Pounders. Auburn will lose Gunner Britton from a season ago due to graduation and eligibility. Britton is expected to be a draft pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Recruiting Pages to Bookmark

auburnwire.usatoday.com College football insider believes Zac Etheridge is a candidate at Troy JD McCarthy 1–2 minutes Zac Etheridge has been one of Auburn’s top assistants ever since he joined the coaching staff in 2021 as cornerbacks coach. He has shined as both a recruiter and a developer, and in 2022 was promoted to associate head coach. After excelling in his time on the Plains, his name has been connected to several openings. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman believes he is a “name to keep an eye on” for the Troy head coaching job. While Auburn is his alma mater and where he won a national championship in 2010, he has several ties to Troy that make it a great opportunity for the 35-year-old to take the next step in his career. He is from Troy and has experience in the Sun Belt, serving as Louisiana’s cornerbacks coach in 2018, helping lead them to an appearance in the conference championship. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

we gonna hang a hundred plus on those cats.......

rumor has it indiana players shave their legs..............

did the announcers give auburn any love? i might have missed it but all i heard was praise for indiana. if i was there i would start a chant at the announcers hollering dumbazz.............

si.com Auburn offers former Memphis OL Mak Pounders Daniel Locke ~2 minutes Auburn continues its efforts to bolster its offensive line through the transfer portal. Auburn has offered former Memphis offensive lineman Mak Pounders. Pounders is a 6-foot-5, 290-pound sophomore from Byhalia, Mississippi. He played offensive tackle for the Tigers this season. Out of high school, Pounders was a 3-star recruit in the class of 2021 according to 247Sports. He had a 0.8556 composite rating and was the No. 1,030 player nationally, the No. 66 interior offensive lineman and the No. 15 player in the state of Mississippi. Pounders held offers from multiple major programs coming out of high school including Arkansas, Florida State, LSU, Mississippi S Pounders is the No. 63 ranked offensive lineman in the transfer portal currently according to 247Sports. Apart from Auburn, has been offered by Pitt, South Carolina and Texas Tech so far.

si.com Coen Echols: 'My recruitment is 100% open' Andrew Stefaniak ~2 minutes Auburn offensive line target Coen Echols opens back up his recruitment. Texas A&M fired head coach Jimbo Fisher a few weeks ago, which has led to the Aggies losing a bunch of 2024 recruits. Today, four-star interior offensive lineman Coen Echols announced that his recruitment is 100% back open. It has since been announced on various platforms that Echols has backed off his pledge to Texas A&M. Now Auburn seems to be the favorite to land, as Steve Wiltfong just put in a crystal ball for the Tigers to land Echols with a confidence of six. This is a great example of why Coach Freeze never stops recruiting a player even when they are committed to another school. This worked with Perry Thompson and Cam Coleman, and now has a shot to work with a talented interior offensive lineman from the Lone Star State. Echols is ranked as the 285th best player in the 2024 class according to 247Sports composite rankings. He is a guy who has shot up the rankings over the past few months and has a really good shot at being a dominant offensive lineman at the next level. If Auburn offensive line coach Jake Thornton can get Echols in this 2024 recruiting class, it will have the interior of the Tigers line set for a very long time, as you already have DeAndre Carter committed. Carter and Echols manning the interior of Auburn's offensive line is a really exciting thought to toss around. Recruiting Pages to Bookmark

247sports.com Auburn LB commit DJ Barber talks gamesaving tackle winning state title Jason Caldwell 9–12 minutes Barber and Clay-Chalkville took down Saraland 31-28. TUSCALOOSA, Alabama--It all came down to one play. Years of hard work, sweat, blood and tears came down to one play and just a few yards of torn up grass at Bryant-Denny Stadium. That’s all that stood between either Clay-Chalkville or Saraland and the 6A state title. Auburn linebacker commitment DJ Barber was determined to defend his goal line at all costs. Leading Saraland 31-28 with just five seconds left, Clay-Chalkville had to defend against playmakers Ryan Williams, KJ Lacey and the dominant Saraland one final time. Passing up the field goal, Saraland went for the touchdown on fourth and five from the 10-yard line. Dropping back, Lacey broke up the middle and had a seam to get to the goal line, but Barber had other ideas. Tracking down the quarterback, Barber spun him around with teammate Carlos Ivy helping to finish him off just two yards away from paydirt. “That whole drive I was saying to myself, please throw it my way,” Barber told Auburnundercover. “Please run it my way. I know the defense we have and we just trust each other every single day. We work out hard. We practice hard. We always make sure we give it 110 percent because we know our brothers beside us are going to do the same thing. “It was a great play, but I couldn’t have done it if I didn’t have the defense behind me. I had my safeties over the top making sure I’m covered on the pass. I’ve got my partner in crime, Carlos Ivy beside me. He’s got the tunnel in case the quarterback scrambles, just like he did. We went and made the play and sealed the deal on the game.” Auburn commitment DJ Barber and teammate Carlos Ivy make the game-saving stop. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports) Finishing the game with seven tackles, Barber played outstanding football with his future coaches looking on. Linebackers coach Josh Aldridge was in attendance for the second consecutive game while Hugh Freeze also took in the game to see Barber play. That only added to a special night for the linebacker, he said. “It made it tremendous for me,” Barber said. “It’s a blessing for them to be able to come watch me and for them to bless me with the opportunity to play at a prestigious university like Auburn. I’m going to give the university everything I have to make sure it’s in better hands when I leave there.” That starts with bringing a winning tradition with him to Auburn. Friday night was the second state title for the linebacker after the Cougars beat Hueytown to win the title in 2021. He said he’s ready to bring that with him to the Plains. “I’m bringing a winning mindset and a winning attitude,” Barber said. “I’m bringing hard work and dedication that you can’t really build over time. You just have to come with it. I’m just focused on taking my last exams and getting down there and getting to work immediately.” That work starts in just over a week when Barber and several of Auburn’s current commitments arrive on campus to take part in bowl practices with the Tigers. Getting a head start on the spring and his career is something that Barber can’t wait to get going. “I’m looking forward to it a lot,” Barber said. “Just mixing it up with the guys and receiving the playbook from coach Aldridge. I want to go over the defensive scheme and learn it to a tee so when the springtime rolls around all I have to do is go execute.” The 2-4-7: Auburn vs. Indiana The Tigers hope to have a home environment in State Farm Arena Cam Coleman talks winning state title flipping to Auburn"> Auburn is not only looking to bounce back from a rough loss at App State, but it can also do so by adding a win against a quality nonconference opponent. Bruce Pearl called Indiana the second-best team Auburn has faced thus far, only behind Baylor, and the Tigers (5-2) will welcome the Hoosiers (7-1, 2-0 Big Ten) to this year's Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta — Auburn's third straight appearance in the event. Here’s the 2-4-7 preview of Auburn's matchup with the Hoosiers, with two matchups two watch, four quotes of note and seven stats to study ahead of what will be the first of two straight neutral-site games for the Tigers in five days. Location: State Farm Arena (Atlanta, Georgia) Tipoff: 1 p.m. CST (ESPN2) Auburn's chance to win: 74.6% (ESPN BPI) Series history: Indiana 1-0 (last meeting: 1987) Coaching matchup: Bruce Pearl 0-0 vs. Mike Woodson 2 MATCHUPS TO WATCH 'The best frontcourt we play all year' Auburn hoped one of its pillars this season would be the veteran frontcourt duo of Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams, and now they'll be tested in a huge way — literally and figuratively. Broome's matchup with Indiana center Kel'el Ware — a former 5-star recruit and Oregon transfer — will likely be a big key to both teams' success. Broome has 51 points over his past two games, both double-doubles, while Ware is averaging 17.1 points per game 9.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 64 percent from the floor, making him the most efficient offensive player in the Big Ten. Forward Malik Reneau is also above 60 percent this season and will be a tough guard for Williams at 14.8 points per game. Regardless of whether the Hoosiers end up as the toughest frontcourt matchup for Auburn this season, the Tigers certainly can't ask for a much better stage to test their own strengths on the interior, both offensively and defensively. If Auburn is able to contain Indiana inside, the Tiges will be comfortable letting the Hoosiers attempt to make up ground with their outside shooting. Only one team in all of college basketball averages less 3-point attempts per game. Pressure the point guard Indiana starting point guard Xavier Johnson's status is still unclear, Woodson said this week. Johnson has missed the past two games with an ankle injury. Auburn's signature defensive pressure could be key in the backcourt, looking to complicate the Hoosiers' offensive sets and keep Indiana from simply throwing the ball in to Ware every play and feeding off his gravity. So it could be a freshman matchup between Aden Holloway and Gabe Cupps at point guard. Cupps, a top-150 overall recruit in the 2023 class, has started the past two games in Johnson's absence, only attempting three shots and dishing two assists. Clearly, Indiana is comfortable not running its offense through Cupps often, and Auburn will look to take advantage by ramping up the defensive intensity in the halfcourt. Per KenPom, Auburn is the best defensive team Indiana has faced this year — a couple spots ahead of UConn, which serves as the Hoosiers' only loss. 4 QUOTES OF NOTE "The question is if we're gonna shoot it better. You know, I liked the shots we got at App State. Some of them were contested, some of them were open. I've got confidence in our guys to knock them down. We just, obviously, need to shoot the ball better. Part of it is — let's just say, in the last two games where we haven't shot it very well — Virginia Tech and App State are both good basketball teams and good defensive teams. You may not have quite as much time and space as you would against other opponents, where you're wide open instead of just open. Nobody is guarding us at the foul line, so we've got to do a better job of making more than nine and missing 10 in a close game." — Bruce Pearl on Auburn's recent shooting struggles "When I'm coaching my players, I know what they're really good at. So let's just say the first time the world saw Aden in a college basketball game was against Baylor. He shot it really well. So we did some things in that Baylor game that you're like 'Wow. He can really shoot it.' Well, the opponents have seen that, too, now. And so they're doing some things defensively to not try to let him shoot it as easily. And then as a result, we have to work harder to get him those shots, and or then he's got to do other things to take advantage of how the defenses are guarding him." — Bruce Pearl on Aden Holloway's recent offensive struggles "I can say we're hitting on the right spots. We come ready to play every game — no matter what. If our shot's falling, no matter the outcome. We come ready to play every game. These guys want to play basketball, they're in the gym, we're together all the time. So we've got the chemistry and some of the stuff on the court together. We put some screws in there and fix it all up, we'll be good." — SG K.D. Johnson on the team's recent trajectory "I would just say try to play more physical. Because I feel like the past opponents, you have to be physical when they crash. Offensively, they don’t try to do much. SO I would just say try to be more physical than them, get them off-balance with their game and then just see where it goes from there." — PF Jaylin Williams on the game plan for Indiana's frontcourt 7 STATS TO STUDY * Between Saturday's trip to Atlanta and next Wednesday's game in Huntsville against UNC Asheville, Auburn will play back-to-back games at different neutral sites for the first time in the regular season under Pearl * Auburn is 3-1 against the Big Ten under Pearl, including three straight victories * Broome is one of only six players in college basketball so far this season averaging at least 18 points and nine rebounds per game * Only two teams on Auburn's schedule have a better shooting percentage than Indiana's current 50.4 percent: Baylor and Kentucky * As strong as Indiana has been on the interior this season, it's only No. 180 nationally in rebounding rate. The Hoosiers are especially weak on the offensive glass, and Auburn will have to take advantage by limiting second-chance points * Speaking of which, Indiana averages -1.5 extra possessions per game, which ranks No. 232 in college basketball

al.com Poking around the portal: Who has Auburn offered from the transfer portal so far? Published: Dec. 08, 2023, 7:00 a.m. 7–9 minutes If the transfer portal had physical constraints, it surely would’ve needed to upsize after this week. According to On3 Sports, as of Thursday afternoon, 1,426 FBS football players had entered the transfer portal, which opened on Dec. 4 and will remain that way for 30 days, closing on Jan. 2. Needless to say, college football coaches have been left with a lot to sift through as they look to add to their 85-man rosters. Last season, Auburn first-year head coach Hugh Freeze went to the portal and plucked out more than 20 players to add to the Tigers’ depleted roster. And while Freeze won’t need to do quite the overhaul he did last offseason this offseason, he and Auburn’s coaching staff have still been doing their fair share of poking around in the portal. RELATED: Keep track of all of Auburn’s moves in the transfer portal here As of Thursday night, more than 20 transfers reported having received an offer from Auburn. Before we take a look at them, however, here’s a quick preface: The following offers are only what have been made public via players’ social media. Not every player in the portal announces their offers — this is especially true of some of the bigger names in the portal. That said, this is not an exhaustive list. Wide receivers Freeze hasn’t been shy about Auburn’s need for pass catchers. When asked in October what he was planning to prioritize when it came to recruiting, Freeze was quick to respond. “We’ve gotta get some guys in the receiver room – some depth there that can separate and win some 1-on-1s,” Freeze said on Oct. 2. And Auburn’s emphasis on loading up the wide receiver room has been evident on the high school recruiting trail as Freeze has landed the commitments of a pair of 5-star wide receivers in Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson. But Freeze isn’t stopping there. Since the transfer portal opened Monday, Auburn has reportedly extended offers to at least six wide receivers. Here’s a look at them, their stats from 2023 and whether or not they’ve reportedly scheduled a visit to Auburn. Jared Brown, redshirt sophomore, Coastal Carolina: 6-foot, 190 pounds, 58 receptions, 740 yards, four touchdowns in 2023; plans to visit Auburn Deion Burks, redshirt sophomore, Purdue: 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, 47 receptions, 629 yards, seven touchdowns in 2023 Caullin Lacy, junior, South Alabama: 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, 91 receptions, 1,316 yards, seven touchdowns in 2023 Robert Lewis, redshirt junior, Georgia State: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, 70 receptions, 877 yards, seven touchdowns in 2023; plans to visit Auburn on Dec. 8-10 Will Sheppard, senior, Vanderbilt: 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, 47 receptions, 684 yards, eight touchdowns in 2023 Zavion Thomas, sophomore, Mississippi State: 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, 40 receptions, 503 yards, one touchdown in 2023 Offensive linemen In the first days of this year’s portal madness, the offensive front is another area Freeze has hit hard. With Gunner Britton, Avery Jones and Kam Stutts — three starting offensive linemen from 2023 — departing due to being out of eligibility, the Tigers will certainly need to add to their offensive line room. And the portal is where they hope to do a lot of that. As of Thursday evening, Auburn has reportedly extended offers to at least six transfer offensive linemen. Here’s a look at them and whether or not they’ve reported plans to visit Auburn. Matthew Bedford, redshirt senior, Indiana: 6-foot-6, 305 pounds; visited Auburn Dec. 6 Fernando Carmona Jr., sophomore, San Jose State: 6-foot-5, 314 pounds Alan Herron, sophomore, Shorter: 6-foot-6, 310 pounds Easton Kilty, junior, North Dakota: 6-foot-5, 305 pounds Makylan Pounders, redshirt sophomore, Memphis: 6-foot-5, 290 pounds Gerquan Scott, redshirt junior, Southern Miss: 6-foot-4, 330 pounds; plans to visit Auburn Dec. 8-10 Defensive backs Auburn is staring down a lot of turnover in the defensive backfield as DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett and Jaylin Simpson are all turning their attention to the NFL after the 2023 season ends. Fortunately for the Tigers, they’ve already got a nice foundation of defensive backs set to return to The Plains in 2024. The downside? Many of them are young and inexperienced. Of the 14 defensive backs set to return next fall, nine were sophomores or younger this season. So Freeze has set out to the transfer portal to find more seasoned defensive backs. As of Thursday evening, Auburn has reportedly offered at least five transfer defensive backs. Here’s a look at each of them. Akili Arnold, junior, Oregon State: 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, 62 total tackles, two INTs, fumble recovery in 2023 Syeed Gibbs, freshman, Rhode Island: 6-foot, 180 pounds, 38 total tackles, three INTs in 2023 Will Lee III, sophomore, Kansas State: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, 42 total tackles, two INTs, fumble recovery in 2023 Jermod McCoy, freshman, Oregon State: 6-foot, 180 pounds, 31 total tackles, two INTs, fumble recovery in 2023 Ethan Robinson, junior, Bucknell: 6-foot, 175 pounds, 50 total tackles, three INTs, fumble recovery in 2023 Defensive linemen The defensive line is an area Freeze griped about not having enough depth a time or two. Often, Freeze would mention that Marcus Harris, who has yet to announce if he will return for his final year of eligibility or turn pro, was having to play too many snaps in one game. And while the Tigers are set to bring in a trio of defensive linemen in 4-star commit TJ Lindsey and 3-star commits Malik Blocton and Dimitry Nicolas, Auburn is looking to add more to its defensive front via the transfer portal. As of Thursday evening, the Tigers had reportedly extended offers to at least three transfer defensive linemen. Here’s a look at each of them. Nate Clifton, senior, Vanderbilt: 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, 30 total tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, one interceptions in 2023 Derrick Harmon, redshirt sophomore, Michigan State: 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, 40 total tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, forced fumble in 2023; plans to visit Auburn Dec. 8-10 Chris McClellan, sophomore, Florida: 6-foot-3, 320 pounds, 23 total tackles, 1 TFL Linebackers Auburn isn’t necessarily hurting at the linebacker spot. So far, Larry Nixon III is the only confirmed outgoing linebacker, meaning — barring no changes — the Tigers could return veterans Cam Riley, Wesley Steiner, Eugene Asante and Austin Keys, along with three other linebackers. Freeze also has a pair of notable high school linebacker commits coming in 4-stars Demarcus Riddick and D’Angelo Barber. But sometimes, talent hits the portal and you’ve just gotta give it a shot. As of Thursday night, Auburn had reportedly offered at least one transfer linebacker. Here’s a look. Chris Paul Jr., sophomore, Arkansas: 6-foot-1, 233 pounds, 74 total tackles, 6.5 TFLs, two sacks in 2023 If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.