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whnt.com Auburn adds two transfers Sunday; Now hold #2 transfer class Josiah Elmore ~2 minutes AUBURN, Ala. (WHNT) – Hugh Freeze has yet to coach an official game at Auburn but that doesn’t mean the Tigers first-year head coach hasn’t been busy. Since being hired, Freeze has added 21 transfer portal players and signed a 21-player class from high school. As things currently stand, Auburn football will have nearly 45 new players for the 2023 season. The latest transfer commits came Sunday from a former Jackson State wide receiver and New Mexico State defensive back. Shane Hooks, a 6’5 200 pound wide receiver announced Sunday that he would be spending his final year of college football on the Plains. Hooks reeled in 64 catches for 748 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022. He led Jackson State last season in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Over his career, which began at Ohio University, Hooks has 114 receptions for 1,582 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is the fourth transfer wide receiver that has committed to the Tigers this offseason joining Jyaire Shorter, Caleb Burton and Nick Mardner. The second transfer to commit to the Tigers Sunday was former New Mexico State defensive back, Syrus Dumas. Dumas spent two seasons at New Mexico State after transferring from Independence Community College. Dumas has totaled 89 tackles, 4 interceptions and 15 pass deflections over his career. He was named First-Team All-Independent in 2022. With the latest additions, the class ranks as the second-best transfer recruiting class in college football, trailing just Colorado.

saturdaydownsouth.com Syrus Dumas, New Mexico State CB transfer, announces SEC commitment Keith Farner 2–3 minutes Syrus Dumas, a cornerback New Mexico State, has committed to play in the SEC. Dumas made a pledge to Auburn, On3 Sports reported, after he previously committed to UTSA, and has 2 years of eligibility. He spent the past 2 seasons at New Mexico State where he played in 20 games total, made 83 tackles, including 61 solos and 8 tackles for loss. He also had 4 interceptions and 15 pass breakups. Dumas is from Columbus, Mississippi and previously played at Independence Community College in Kansas. Dumas last season played in all 13 games for the Aggies, and started 12. He ranked fourth on the team and led returners with 47 total tackles, including 38 solo stops. He was tied for the team lead with 2 interceptions, coming on the road against Wisconsin and UMass. In 2021, Dumas had a season-high 8 tackles at Alabama, and also broke up 3 passes in a trip to Kentucky. Dumas also picked up honors as a Phil Steele second-team All-Independent and College Football Network first-team All-Independent selection. TRENDING 58,148 READS 51,772 READS 23,016 READS A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South. Follow on Twitter.

247sports.com Why Auburns 2023 transfer haul is one of college footballs best Nathan King 11–14 minutes Why Auburn's 2023 transfer haul is one of college football's best No one has added more 4-star transfers to its roster this offseason than Auburn There’s a strong argument to be made that no one has worked the transfer portal better this offseason than Hugh Freeze. Auburn’s 2023 transfer haul is nearly complete, as the Tigers reached the mark of 20 additions Sunday, when Jackson State leading receiver Shane Hooks committed. Auburn has been a mainstay in the top 5 of 247Sports’ transfer rankings throughout the cycle, and with Hooks on board, the Tigers jumped to No. 2 nationally — behind only Colorado, which has brought in 48 transfers, 19 more than any other FBS program. Here’s a quick look at the top 10. 1. Colorado (48 transfers) 2. Auburn (20) 3. USC (15) 4. LSU (14) 5. Florida State (10) 6. Ole Miss (21) 7. Oklahoma (15) 8. Miami (13) 9. Oregon (15) 10. Arkansas (18) Just like high-school recruiting, 247Sports calculates classes through a combined formula of quantity and quality. It’s difficult to ascend to the top of the rankings with only a few transfer additions — Georgia, for example, has four incoming transfers, with an average rating of 91, tied for the second-best mark in the country, but its class is only ranked No. 57. Most, but not all players are given transfer ratings by 247Sports after they enter the portal — though it’s much more of an inexact science than rating a high-school recruit, considering the varying levels of competition and playing time for a current college football player. New Colorado defensive back Travis Hunter, who followed Deion Sanders from Jackson State, is the only 5-star transfer this cycle, while there were five last year (Caleb Williams, Quinn Ewers, Jordan Addison, Jahmyr Gibbs and Eli Ricks). It's worth noting that not all of Auburn's transfer pickups have been ranked yet, namely App State pass-rusher Jalen McLeod. The metric that’s easiest to point to when assessing the quality of Freeze’s efforts is that Auburn has brought in more 4-star transfers (11) than any other program in the country. No other team has more than nine. Those 11 players are center Avery Jones (East Carolina), offensive tackle Dillon Wade (Tulsa), nose tackle Justin Rogers (Kentucky), running back Brian Battie (USF), offensive tackle Gunner Britton (Western Kentucky), tight end Rivaldo Fairweather (FIU), linebacker DeMario Tolan (LSU), defensive lineman Mosiah Nasili-Kite (Maryland), Hooks (Jackson State), receiver Caleb Burton (Ohio State) and receiver Jyaire Shorter. The quality of available talent in the transfer ranks was assessed as being much in the first portal window as compared to the second, and that’s reflected in Auburn’s 4-stars, only three of which were brought in after the conclusion of spring practice. Unsurprisingly, the portal’s top talent is clumped at the top of the team rankings, with Auburn, USC, LSU, Florida State and Ole Miss combining for a whopping 22.4 percent of all 4-star transfer additions this cycle. Of course, programs like Auburn and Colorado were in need of major touch-ups on their rosters — as is usually the case under first-year coaches — compared to more established teams that are also buoyed by consistent recruiting success. Of the seven programs bringing in at least 20 transfers, four are entering Year 1 under a new coach (Colorado, Auburn, Louisville and Arizona State). Freeze won’t want to rely on the transfer portal for massive roster overhauls every year, though, as the formula of high-level recruiting mixed with the occasional patchwork in the portal is followed by most championship-contending programs. But Auburn is off to a decent start there, even with only Freeze’s first recruiting class. Auburn is one of only seven teams with a top-20 ranking for both their 2023 transfer hauls and recruiting classes (LSU, Miami, USC, Oregon, Florida, Florida State and TCU). Again, much of those high marks for Auburn’s transfers come from the fact that the Tigers have plenty of quality pickups in a 20-man class. For comparison, Auburn didn’t add a single 4-star transfer to its roster during the Bryan Harsin era. Among teams with double-digit incoming transfers this year, Auburn’s average rating of 89.61 is No. 6 nationally, behind Florida State, LSU, USC, Kentucky and Miami. In terms of average rating vs. quantity of players added, teams like Florida State, LSU and USC — which already had strong roster outlooks for 2023 before the offseason began — appear to be best positioned to parlay their portal success into championships. Sleepers this cycle could be programs like Kentucky and Maryland, which added six and five 4-star transfers, respectively. Oregon also has the No. 9 transfer class for a team that won 10 games last year, while Florida will hope its six 4-star transfers help to turn around a 6-7 season for Billy Napier in Year 1. Here are the top 10 transfer classes this year based on average rating alone, including only those with a sizable number of additions. We’ll go with a minimum of eight players here to include programs like Michigan (90.71 average) and Maryland (89.11). 1. Florida State (91.70) 2. LSU (90.54) 3. Michigan (90.71) 4. USC (90.0) 5. Kentucky (90.0) 6. Miami (89.92) 7. Auburn (89.61) 8. Oregon (89.36) 9. Maryland (89.11) 10. Ohio State (89.43)

Ranking the impact of Auburn football's newest three transfers Zac Blackerby 3–4 minutes Auburn football added three talented players over the weekend via the transfer portal. The Auburn football roster got a little bit deeper over the weekend. Hugh Freeze and the rest of the Auburn coaching staff landed former wide receiver Shane Hooks, former NMSU corner Syrus Dumas, and former Liberty EDGE Stephen Sings over the weekend. These three transfers give Freeze 21 new additions via the portal since he arrives on the Plains. Auburn holds the number two transfer class in college football. All three additions serve different purposes and all three make the roster better in different ways. I thought it would be a fun way to rank the impact that I believe these three newcomers will have as a way to recap the weekend. 3. Syrus Dumas Dumas offers depth at a position group that Auburn boasts the most talent at but could lack depth if a player were unable to compete on any given Saturday. D.J. James, Nehemiah Pritchett, J.D. Rhym, and Kieonte Scott are all fan favorites and are capable of playing at a high level on the outside of the field. Both Rhym and Scott played some in the middle of the field a season ago and Rhym missed a ton of spring due to an injury. While it's easy to feel really good about your top guys, Dumas adds depth this season and could be a larger contributor next season as well. Last season, Dumas sported a 73.8 coverage grade according to PFF. He also played over 600 snaps at wide corner at New Mexico State in 2022. 2. Stephen Sings Like Dumas, Sings is a known commodity, especially to former Librety and current Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett. Sings was part of a Liberty pass rush that was one of the best in college football last season. While he could be down the depth chart a bit at the jack position, he offers depth and experience in a room that badly needed it. Elijah McAllister, Keldric Faulk, and Jaden McLeod will more than likely play more snaps than Sings this season, Auburn saw what running out of pass rushers looked like a year ago when multiple got hurt at the position. 1. Shane Hooks The former Jackson State wide receiver chose Hugh Freeze to coach him for the final year of his college career. His 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame is special and he's shown the ability to win contested passes and use his height to win matchups throughout his time at Ohio and Jackson State. With the wide receiver room being the one with the most questions, the addition of Hooks seems like a home run for Freeze and the rest of this offensive coaching staff.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn's schedule is, like usual, listed as one of the hardest in the country Daniel Locke 2–3 minutes Having a tough schedule is nothing new for the Auburn Tigers. With the annual match-ups against the top-two programs in college football in Alabama and Georgia and the consistently competitive LSU, the Tigers play a grueling schedule annually. That remains true in 2023 as 247Sports ranked Auburn’s schedule as the seventh toughest in the country. Brad Crawford gave his input: Buy Tigers Tickets “Welcome (back) to the SEC, Hugh Freeze. Auburn has a strong chance to be 3-0 when SEC play begins in College Station, but there’s the double-whammy of Georgia and LSU after that. That could be a quick three-game losing streak for the Tigers against a trio of opponents who are each expected to field more talented rosters in 2023. How quickly can Freeze implement his offense on the Plains and does he have the quarterback to facilitate with precision? Those are questions Auburn is trying to answer.” The teams with schedules listed as tougher than Auburn’s include Michigan State, Florida, West Virginia, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Ole Miss from sixth to first. An odd year benefits Auburn as Alabama and Georgia will travel to the Plains for contests inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers will also be looking for their second straight win over LSU in Baton Rouge after being victorious in Death Valley for the first time in 22 years back in 2021. Other notable match-ups for Auburn this season include an intriguing road trip to Cal, Hugh Freeze’s first game against Ole Miss since returning to the SEC, and a trip to Nashville as the Tigers drew Vanderbilt as their rotational SEC East opponent this season. Auburn will begin the new era against UMass on September 2nd. The Kick-off time and broadcast network are still TBD. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Daniel on Twitter @DanielJLocke

si.com 2025 offensive lineman puts Auburn in the 'mix of top three' Zac Blackerby ~3 minutes Central Phenix City offensive lineman Mal Waldrep likes what Jake Thornton and the Auburn Tigers are selling. Auburn needs offensive linemen and they need to start winning recruiting battles in East Alabama at a higher rate. Central Phenix City's Mal Waldrep could help with both of those things. The 2025 offensive lineman visited Auburn last week with teammates wide receiver Cam Coleman and defensive back Red Morgan. "It was a really good time," Waldrep told Auburn Daily. "I enjoyed going over there with my teammates and hanging out and talking with all the coaches. All of the coaches that were there made us feel very good and like we were a priority to them." The coach that he spent the most time with was offensive line coach Jake Thornton. He believes they are starting to build something. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound recruit shared, "Coach Thornton and I are starting to build a relationship with each other and I enjoy getting to talk to him and learn how he coaches and what he does." And Thornton has made it clear to Waldrep that he wants him at Auburn. "One of the things he tells me every time I get off the phone with him he reminds me that he is coming for me and he really wants me at Auburn and it's a great feeling knowing that the school just down the road is really interested in me," Waldrep said. "Definitely in a mix of top three," Waldrep told Auburn Daily. "I'm still completely open but just know Auburn is high on the list." Waldrep is starting to generate more buzz from schools all over the country. The 3-star lineman (as ranked by On3) will get more attention as more schools turn their heads to the 2025 recruiting cycle. He's recently picked up offers from Colorado, Penn State, and Florida State. Playing at Central, Waldrep understands that he gets to go up against the best every day and he knows it will make him better. "I love the energy my teammates put into practice, workouts, and in team meetings," Waldrep said. "I’m really enjoying Central so far and everyone here makes me feel like family. Practices are fun with amazing competition levels and I really enjoy working against our defense because they make me better every single day. "I believe we can (win state), we are loaded with lots of talent at just about every position, it’s just up to how hard everyone wants to work."

Elite OT Daniel Calhouts sets official visit to Auburn JD McCarthy ~2 minutes Hugh Freeze and Auburn’s coaching staff have prioritized recruiting the offensive line since they took and now one of the best offensive tackles in the country is set to officially visit. Four-star prospect Daniel Calhoun is set to take an official visit to the Plains on June 12, according to a report from Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports. Calhoun is from Marietta, Georgia, and has already taken multiple visits to Auburn. The 6-foot-7, 355-pounder already will have a busy June with official visits also scheduled to Georgia (June 2), Alabama (June 9), Tennessee (June 16) and Texas (June 23). He is the No. 88 overall player and No. 5 offensive tackle in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 15 player from Georgia. Auburn is still looking for its first commitment along the offensive line in the 2024 recruiting cycle. More Football!

it is a slow day for football but i will check in a couple times with updates if i run across any.

Auburn softball splits Saturday’s action, advances to Championship Sunday Taylor Jones ~4 minutes After earning a convincing 12-2 win over Cal State Fullerton on Friday in the Clemson Regional opener, the Auburn Tigers took part in a challenging second day that saw them go 1-1 on the day. The day began with an anticipated game with regional host, Clemson. The game was tight through the first four innings, but a five-run 5th inning would allow Clemson to pull away from Auburn and earn the 7-0 win. In the nightcap, Shelby Lowe’s stellar outing in the circle lifted the Tigers to a 5-0 win over Cal State Fullerton in an elimination game. Auburn led 1-0 prior to a two-hour rain delay and was able to extend the lead to 5-0 in the middle innings to eliminate the Titans. Here’s a recap of how Saturday’s action unfolded: Game One: Clemson 7 Auburn 0 Grayson Belanger/Auburn Tigers The pitching battle between Auburn’s Maddie Penta and Clemson’s Valerie Cagle got off to an expected start, with both pitchers tossing a shutout through two innings. Clemson scored first on a solo home run by McKenzie Clark in the 3rd inning to take the 1-0 lead. Clemson then broke the game open in the 5th inning by sending home five runs. The host Tigers would add an insurance run in the 6th to secure the 7-0 win. Cagle tossed a one-hit shut out for Clemson, with the lone hit coming from Lindsey Garcia in the 2nd inning. Penta allowed six hits and five runs in 4.2 innings of work. Annabelle Widra finished the game by going 1.1 innings in relief. Game two- Auburn 5 Cal State Fullerton 0 Grayson Belanger/Auburn Tigers After a lengthy rain delay, Auburn finally prevailed over Cal State Fullerton for the second straight day by earning a 5-0 win, elimination the Titans from the Clemson Regional. The game featured a solid pitching battle between Fullerton’s Myka Sutherlin and Auburn’s Shelby Lowe, who combined to strike out seven batters through 3.2 innings before the delay. The difference to that point was a bases loaded walk to Garcia that scored Denver Bryant in the 1st inning to give the Tigers the 1-0 lead. After the two-hour delay, Auburn scored four runs over the 4th and 5th innings to seal the victory. Rose Roach scored two in the 4th inning on a single to right field to score Makayla Packer and Abbey Smith to extend Auburn’s lead to 3-0. Smith would also be involved in Auburn’s final two runs of the game. In the 5th inning, Denver Bryant scored on a throwing error that was instigated by a Smith bunt. Later in the inning, Smith advanced to third base while Icess Tresvik scored on a wild pitch. Shelby Lowe went the distance in the shutout by striking out seven batters and issuing three walks. Championship game broadcast information Grayson Belanger/Auburn Tigers Auburn gets another shot at Clemson on Sunday for a chance to advance to the Super Regional round. In order to advance, Auburn must beat Clemson twice. Sunday’s action gets underway at 11 am CT at McWhorter Stadium in Clemson. Brit Bowen will have the call of the game on the Auburn Sports Network. You can also watch the game by clicking here. What's happening in Norman? The Oklahoman If Auburn knocks off Clemson twice on Sunday, chances are their next stop will be Norman, Oklahoma to face the No. 1 overall seed, Oklahoma. Saturday was business as usual for the Sooners, as they defeated Missouri, 11-0, to advance to Championship Sunday. They will face Cal/Missouri Sunday for a chance to host the Super Regionals next weekend. Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire

si.com Auburn football is revamping their receiving core - and it's starting to look scary Lance Dawe 5–6 minutes Auburn football's passing offense was lacking last season, to say the least. Most of the struggles to put the ball in the air revolved around poor quarterback play and an egregious offensive line. The receiver room wasn't great, but by no means was it bailing out the other two phases of the passing attack. All of this could be somewhat excused by the poor coaching on that side of the ball, but I digress. Since Hugh Freeze entered the picture last November the Tigers' three phases of the passing game have improved on paper. Auburn got their transfer quarterback in Payton Thorne. The offensive line added three portal prospects and a handful through the freshman recruiting class. Those two positions have been the primary focus for the past couple of months. It feels like the actual pass-catchers Auburn has obtained are going unnoticed, with now three players having committed through the portal... and potentially a couple more on the way. The wide receiver core caught some flack online during spring practice from some major outlets, and even head coach Hugh Freeze had voiced his thoughts on how he needed to see more progression from the players. It's not like receivers such as Camden Brown, Ja'Varrius Johnson and Koy Moore aren't talented. It's just taken a while for the unit to adjust to a new scheme that can competently throw the ball. The addition of a few more pass catchers wouldn't hurt the Tigers overall depth. Here's a look at the transfer portal prospects and commits the Tigers have as well as the currently receivers on roster: Transfer Prospects/Commits Jyaire Shorter - North Texas Shorter has played 30 games over the course of five seasons for the Mean Green (three of those seasons he played two games or less), collecting 1,320 yards and 20 touchdowns on just 58 receptions, ending his UNT career with an impressive 22.8 yards per catch. Shorter caught 23 passes for 628 yards, an average of 27.3 yards per reception. Montana Lemonious-Craig - Colorado Lemonious-Craig played in all 12 games last season for Colorado and had an amazing Spring game Saturday. Last year Lemonious-Craig caught 23 balls for 359 yards with 3 touchdowns on a team that lost 11 games. His career totals are 34 for 497 and 5 touchdowns in a very anemic offense. He decided to test the transfer portal waters after he lit up the Spring game for three catches totaling 154 yards and a touchdown. Keon Coleman - Michigan State The former four-star played alongside Auburn portal commit Payton Thorne, was the lead receiver for the Spartans last year. He caught 58 passes for 798 yards and seven touchdowns. He caught seven balls for 50 yards and a touchdown in four games during his freshman season. Caleb Burton - Ohio State (COMMITTED) The former 4-star Austin, Texas native spent one year with the Ohio State Buckeyes and will have four years of eligibility now at Auburn. On last year's roster, Ohio State listed Burton at 5-foot-11, 169 pounds. He was recruited to play both the outside and the slot positions when he was coming out of the high school ranks. This is one of Auburn's biggest gets in the portal thus far. Nick Mardner - Cincinnati (COMMITTED) Mardner spent three seasons with the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors before transferring to play for the Bearcats. In three years, he accumulated 1,270 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He had 218 yards and three touchdowns in his lone season with Luke Fickell and Cinci. He was coached by former Auburn pass-catcher and new receivers coach Marcus Davis. The Tigers have been looking for a strong outside target in the transfer portal and Mardner may be that pickup - standing at 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, he could end up being a versatile pickup. His breakout season included 913 yards and five touchdowns in 2021, a season where he averaged 19.8 yards per catch. Rivaldo Fairweather - FIU (COMMITTED) Fairweather had 838 receiving yards and five touchdowns during his time at FIU and was the third-highest rated TE in the transfer portal. Another valuable get for Hugh Freeze's offense. Fairweather was one of the more consistent pass-catchers during spring. Rest of Receiver Room Koy Moore (562 career receiving yards) Camden Brown (123 career receiving yards) Jay Fair (34 career receiving yards) Ja'Varrius Johnson (767 career receiving yards) Malcolm Johnson Jr (110 career receiving yards) Omari Kelly (56 career receiving yards)

247sports.com Why transfer receiver Jyaire Shorter already has familiarity with Auburn Nathan King 5–7 minutes Though he’s stepping foot into the SEC for the first time, there are several layers of familiarity already at Auburn for new transfer wide receiver Jyaire Shorter. The Tigers’ newest addition on offense after committing to the program Tuesday, Shorter said after visiting the Plains that Auburn’s offense is similar to what he’s been used to at North Texas — the one in which Shorter caught 11 touchdowns and averaged 27.3 yards per reception last year, the highest mark in college football. That’s because Shorter’s offensive coordinator for the past two years at North Texas was Mike Bloesch, who was hired to that role after five seasons serving as the offensive line coach at Tulsa, where new Auburn offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery was the head coach. “It’s the same offense that they ran at Tulsa, so he brought that to North Texas,” Shorter said on a new episode of the Auburn Undercover Podcast. “And it’s the same offense I guess Auburn used to run or was running last year and they’re supposed to be running this year. So it’s really like the same offense, just a lot of choice routes and stuff like that. I feel like I can come in and fit that offense perfectly because I already know what I’m doing and it’s just a little more nicks and techniques that Auburn has that we didn’t run, because they run more stuff over there, but it’s really like the same offense. “I just feel like they want to take shots, throw the ball, I feel like I can come in and be that deep threat they need.” Shorter has good reason to be confident entering Auburn’s receiving corps, looking to become a consistent vertical target. Not only was Shorter’s yards per catch the highest figure in the country last season, but his average depth of target was 22.2 yards, also tops in college football. The 6-foot-2 Shorter’s numbers were hindered by inaccurate quarterback play, but when the ball was launched his way, he was usually coming down with a big play. Among FBS players with at least 10 touchdown receptions last season, Shorter’s 23 receptions were by far the fewest; the next-closest player had 44 catches. “He’s proven he can go get the ball,” Hugh Freeze said of Shorter this week. “He gives us some length and catch radius that we need for what we want to do offensively.” When Shorter entered the portal, he admitted it was a stressful process. Being woken up by 8 a.m. phone calls from coaches started to get old. But when first-year Auburn receivers coach Marcus Davis reached out, there was an instant connection, partially because Davis has a relationship with one of Shorter’s coaches from North Texas. “Last year my receiving (grad assistant), him and Coach Davis are cool friends,” Shorter said. “And I feel like the conversation I had with Coach Davis was basically like the conversation I had with my old GA from last year. They’re just real people, they understand what players go through and how we think. They’re not too much older than me, so I just feel like they’re going to keep it real and make sure we’re straight and take care of me.” Much of Davis’ pitch, according to Shorter, was that Auburn’s receiving corps is still mostly unproven and could use a veteran addition — especially on the outside. “The conversation that me and coach had about the receiver room, I feel like I can come in and make an impact and just lead the other guys and show them what a leader is,” Shorter said. “I know I’ve got a lot of game-time experience, so I can just come in and help them out. We can help each other, really, because I know I’ve got stuff I need to work on myself and they can help me out. Just really help each other out and make it a better wide receiver room.” To top things off, Shorter’s “best friend” is coming to the SEC with him. North Texas linebacker Larry Nixon III committed to Auburn on the same day as Shorter, and the two plan on rooming together again on the Plains. Both came to North Texas as members of the 2018 class and have had a close relationship ever since. Shorter said the fact that Nixon was also interested in Auburn as a transfer destination certainly influenced his decision. “When we both knew that Auburn wanted us and liked us a lot, we were talking a lot,” Shorter said. “We went on other school visits and everything, but we kind of knew where we were going to be at and we knew Auburn was the place just because we’ve lived together, I’ve known him for five years and I feel like we’ve got a good bond. Going to Auburn and knowing that he’s coming with me and I know someone there already and I can be comfortable, I guess you can say that, and I have someone already out there.” Shorter is still at home in Texas but will be bustling over the next week to pack and make his way to Auburn. After all, Michigan State transfer quarterback Payton Thorne is already on campus, and Shorter knows he’ll have some catching up to do before fall camp. “I feel like all the portal guys we got, this summer is going to be pretty big,” Shorter said. “Because we’ve got to all get in the playbook, learn the plays because we’re all new here so we’ve got to get in the playbook, learn the plays and just start running routes, catching. Make sure our timing and everything is right so when fall camp and the season comes, we ain’t have no worries or anything.” Check out the full interview with Shorter below on the Auburn Undercover Podcast.

247sports.com Auburn depth chart impact OLB Stephen Sings V Nathan King 4–5 minutes Auburn’s transfer portal efforts are nearly complete, and one its final additions is a player familiar with much of the coaching staff. Former Liberty defensive end Stephen Sings V has committed to Auburn following a visit this weekend, adding more depth and versatility to a position group slim on both. Sings is now the sixth transfer to be added to Auburn’s defensive front this offseason. The No. 5 highest-rated recruit to ever sign with Liberty, Sings’ was a rotational piece for the Flames each of the past three years. He’s had at least three tackles for loss each season, and 2022 was his best year, posting 3.5 sacks and batting down three passes at the line of scrimmage. Sings played most of his snaps at defensive end with Liberty, but Auburn Undercover is told he was recruited to the Tigers as a "jack" outside linebacker. The Tigers have been thin at their pass-rusher spot for the better part of the past two seasons, and continued to search for depth following spring practice, even after the addition of App State transfer Jalen McLeod. Starters Derick Hall and Eku Leota departed for the NFL, and former top-100 recruit Dylan Brooks entered the transfer portal last week. That left only Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister, along with true freshmen Keldric Faulk, the top-rated signee in Auburn’s 2023 class, and Brenton Williams at the outside linebacker spot. Defensive ends Jeffrey M'ba and Tobechi Okoli also entered the transfer portal this spring, leaving Auburn with a relative deficiency there, too. Sings is the sixth incoming transfer for Auburn in the second portal window — joining North Texas linebacker Larry Nixon III, North Texas receiver Jyaire Shorter, McLeod, Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne, Ohio State receiver Caleb Burton and Tulsa offensive lineman Jaden Muskrat — and the 19th overall for Hugh Freeze’s transfer class, which has been ranked in the top 5 nationally by 247Sports for most of the cycle. With the Tigers not likely to add any more players to the position, let’s take a look at the personnel Auburn is rolling with this season at its edge rusher spot, along with how Sings could impact the lineup. Seniors: Elijah McAllister, Jalen McLeod Juniors: Stephen Sings V (RS) Sophomores: N/A Freshmen: Keldric Faulk, Brenton Williams -- Depth chart projection 1: Elijah McAllister OR Jalen McLeod 2: Keldric Faulk OR Stephen Sings V Auburn’s defensive end spot under coordinator Ron Roberts will be fluid enough to include some of the Tigers’ more physical pass-rushers, along with quick defensive linemen, so the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Sings can likely be utilized in a number of different lineups, depending on opposing personnel. But Sings is, according to a source close to his recruitment, set to be slotted into the jack linebacker room, which is overseen by Roberts. The smaller and quicker McLeod should end up as Auburn’s third-down specialist off the edge, and McAllister and Faulk are jack linebackers first and foremost, but Faulk certainly has the size to play on the D-line, too. Sings’ addition seems comparable to that of Marcus Bragg last offseason, who came over as a rotational piece from Western Kentucky but possessed the size and experience to fill a need on Auburn’s defensive front. If Auburn gets the same kind of production from Sings this season — a versatile backup who allows for a deeper rotation on the edge of the D-line — he’s certainly a worthwhile pickup. Auburn will hope that Sings’ familiarity with names like D-line coach Jeremy Garrett and linebackers coach Josh Aldridge — his defensive coordinator at Liberty last season — will pay some dividends and allow him to make his presence felt on the defensive front, even if it isn’t as consistent as some of the Tigers’ higher-profile transfer additions.