2023 Portal Discussion Thread

[Win4AU 4,201]

Another possible maybe QB target.  

[gr82b4au 5,583]

7 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

Another possible maybe QB target.  

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

8 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

Another possible maybe QB target.  

[toddc 13,197]

Auburn football transfer portal tracker: Running list of transfers in and out, real-time thoughts

Justin Hokanson

Photo by Matt Rudolph/Auburn Live

AUBURN — The spring transfer portal window is open from April 15-30. Auburn Live expects a number of current football players to enter into the portal following the completion of spring camp. The Tigers also plan to add another quality haul of transfers coming into the program in the next two weeks.

Bookmark this page as we’ll link relevant stories, provide thoughts and track Auburn’s transfer situation during this spring window.

RELATED

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Spring transfers out

Craig McDonald

Tobechi Okoli

Powell Gordon

Tar’Varish Dawson

Jeffrey M’Ba

Kameron Brown

Desmond Tisdol

Running thoughts on Auburn’s spring transfers out

— Like the Okoli news, the news of McDonald leaving isn’t all that surprising. McDonald has already transferred once, so unless he receives a waiver by the NCAA, he’ll have to sit out one year. But with the prospects of playing at Auburn slim, McDonald decided that was his best option. Auburn needs more depth at safety and cornerback. Two freshmen will arrive this summer.

— The news of Okoli entering the draft, respectfully, is likely of little concern to Auburn’s coaching staff. Okoli played in one game during his freshman season in 2021 and didn’t play in 2022. He committed in August of 2020 and remained a part of Bryan Harsin’s first class in 2021.

— The decision for Gordon to leave the program isn’t a shocker. He was a Bryan Harsin recruit, a local kid, and his addition made sense at the time, both adding a player for depth and adding a local player to make inroads. Gordon told Auburn Live he’s leaving the door open for a return to the program, although that seems unlikely. Gordon hasn’t found his true position yet, bouncing between linebacker and jack, remaining undersized for either position exiting the spring.

— Dawson, like M’Ba, had thought about entering the portal in the past. Following a spring where he wasn’t able to make a push into the starting rotation, Dawson entering the portal wasn’t a shocker. Auburn has Ja’Varrius Johnson and Jay Fair in the slot, both players who Hugh Freeze singled out for consistent spring efforts.

— M’Ba thought about entering the portal after last season, but stayed. He seemed to be happy about how things were going and his position change to defensive end when he spoke to the media during spring camp. Then again, M’Ba is a generally happy person. M’Ba was poised to play significant snaps this fall and provided important depth to the defensive line.

— Tisdol and Brown both announced their departures in the middle of spring camp. Neither contributed much and don’t really impact Auburn’s roster in a meaningful way.

How many transfers might Auburn target this spring?

Auburn is looking at 6-8 spring transfer portal additions, plus or minus some on either side. Of course, this number is fluid based on two things: Auburn actually finding the right fits at the right positions (meaning not taking a player just to take a player), and current players leaving the program matching up with what Hugh Freeze and Co. expect.

Quarterback, safety, cornerback, jack/defensive end/rush end, and a “few” offensive linemen are all positions Freeze has specifically mentioned as positions of need during the spring window.

Spring transfers in

Players and links will be provided as Auburn adds players in the spring transfer window.

Running thoughts on Auburn’s spring transfers in

Thoughts will be provided as Auburn adds players in the spring transfer window.

Transfer portal background information

The NCAA Transfer Portal, which covers every NCAA sport at the Division I, II and III levels, is a private database with names of student-athletes who wish to transfer. It is not accessible to the public.

The process of entering the portal is done through a school’s compliance office. Once a player provides written notification of an intent to transfer, the office enters the player’s name in the database and everything is off and running. The compliance office has 48 hours to comply with the player’s request and that request cannot be refused.

Once a player’s name shows up in the portal, other schools can contact the player. Players can change their minds at any point and withdraw from the portal. However, once a player enters the portal, the current scholarship no longer has to be honored. In other words, if a player enters the portal but decides to stay, the school is not obligated to provide a scholarship anymore.

The database is a normal database, sortable by a variety of topics, including (of course) sport and name. A player’s individual entry includes basic details such as contact info, whether the player was on scholarship and whether the player is transferring as a graduate student.

A player can ask that a “do not contact” tag be placed on the report. In those instances, the players don’t want to be contacted by schools unless they’ve initiated the communication.

The portal has been around since Oct. 15, 2018 and the new calendar cycle within the portal begins each August. For example, the 2021-22 cycle started Aug. 1. During the 2020-21 cycle, 2,626 FBS football players entered the transfer portal (including walk-ons). That comes after 1,681 entered during the 2019-20 cycle and 1,709 during the abbreviated 2018-19 cycle. In comparison, 1,833 Division I basketball players entered the portal during the 2020-21 cycle after totals of 1,020 in 2019-20 and 1,063 in 2018-19.

[gr82b4au 5,583]

Now this Thompson guy makes sense. Other than McCall, this is the only QB I have seen that really makes a lot of sense. 

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

3 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Now this Thompson guy makes sense. Other than McCall, this is the only QB I have seen that really makes a lot of sense. 

Yea I want either this guy or Baby Tua real bad. 

[gr82b4au 5,583]

7 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Yea I want either this guy or Baby Tua real bad. 

Yeah, but the baby tua has not entered the portal yet. 

what is the saying, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

[toddc 13,197]

 

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

15 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Yeah, but the baby tua has not entered the portal yet. 

what is the saying, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Ahh I believe the saying you're thinking of is "When in Rome".

[Cardin Drake 2,085]

I watched Casey Thompson play when he was at Texas.  That's a quality QB there. Definitely better than what we have on our roster, but a tad short of elite. Unless McCall is a lock, I'd go after him hard.

[gr82b4au 5,583]

Our TEs are begging for a good QB

 

[Potatooooooes!! 1,400]

10 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Our TEs are begging for a good QB

 

He must not have much confidence in our current quarterbacks

[AUStew87 342]

18 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

Our TEs are begging for a good QB

 

Depends on how his shoulder is progressing, which I’m sure the coaches will  explore before offering. I would still bring in two QBs as insurance either way. 

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

35 minutes ago, Cardin Drake said:

I watched Casey Thompson play when he was at Texas.  That's a quality QB there. Definitely better than what we have on our roster, but a tad short of elite. Unless McCall is a lock, I'd go after him hard.

I say take him now and take McCall if we can later. Time to start playing the aggressive game so we don't end up in this situation again. 

[W.E.D 11,071]

24 minutes ago, AUStew87 said:

Depends on how his shoulder is progressing, which I’m sure the coaches will  explore before offering. I would still bring in two QBs as insurance either way. 

Gonna be funny wheh we take a QB who couldn't participate in Spring due to an injury after passing on numerous other guys whom participated in Sping but limited bc of injuries 

[gr82b4au 5,583]

Now we need him to visit 

[ellitor 33,884]

2 hours ago, Win4AU said:

Another possible maybe QB target.  

I can see Hugh now...

[aucanucktiger 1,896]

63% completion rate off 274 attempts(!) last season with elbow nerve damage, coming off throwing hand thumb surgery last summer and with a pre-surgery shredded shoulder. That's a man.

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

Just saw that we apparently just offered this guy. Holy hell. Look at this mammoth! Giving me King Dunlap vibes.

https://www.holmesathletics.com/sports/fball/2022-23/bios/bell_markel_xlyx

 

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by AuCivilEng1

[AUINSY 2,273]

On 4/28/2023 at 10:34 AM, toddc said:

 

the literal Bo Nix at LSU play…only Bo’s was for a TD
 

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by AUINSY

[AUINSY 2,273]

16 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Just saw that we apparently just offered this guy. Holy hell. Look at this mammoth! Giving me King Dunlap vibes.

https://www.holmesathletics.com/sports/fball/2022-23/bios/bell_markel_xlyx

 

 

Dunlap was a mountain. I remember my friends and I would dress up at games as kings for him in my college days. I'd seen him walking around on campus and it seemed like he was a normal person wearing a costume he was so big. 

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

1 minute ago, AUINSY said:

Dunlap was a mountain. I remember my friends and I would dress up at games as kings for him in my college days. I'd seen him walking around on campus and it seemed like he was a normal person wearing a costume he was so big. 

Yea guys that big are so intimidating looking, but its gotta be hard for a QB to see over them. 

 

[toddc 13,197]

20 minutes ago, AUINSY said:

the literal Bo Nix at LSU play

My first thought as well.

[au701948 1,067]

2 hours ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

I say take him now and take McCall if we can later. Time to start playing the aggressive game so we don't end up in this situation again. 

I totally agree. 

[alabastertiger 637]

7 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

Maybe so maybe no