4.29.23 Football Articles

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SOURCE: Former Nebraska QB Casey Thompson is interested in Auburn

Zac Blackerby

~2 minutes

Per a source, Casey Thompson is looking at Auburn.

On Friday, Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson entered the transfer portal according to multiple reports.

A source close to the situation believes that there are six schools that Thompson is interested in as his final destination during his college career. The source then added that Auburn is in the top three.

"I know he won't be in the portal long," said the source.

Auburn has been in the market for a quarterback. Thompson's experience, athleticism, and poise he could bring to an offense are all things Hugh Freeze has mentioned that he is looking for in a quarterback.

In 2022, Thompson threw for 2,407 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. His completion percentage was 63.1%.

He will transfer as a graduate and will be able to play right away wherever he decides to go.

The Tigers have now had six players depart from the program within the last couple of weeks, including three backup linebackers:

Wide Receiver Tar'Varish Dawson

Defensive lineman Jeffrey M'ba

Defensive lineman Tobechi Okoli

Linebacker Kameron Brown

Linebacker Desmond Tisdol

Linebacker Powell Gordon

Auburn has pulled in an impressive haul thus far during Hugh Freeze's first season on the Plains, currently sitting at No. 3 nationally in 247Sports' transfer portal class rankings.

You can check out our transfer portal tracker here. Stay up to date on all of the Tigers' commitments, departures, and prospects for key positions at auburndaily.com.

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Twitter reacts to the Jaguars selecting Tank Bigsby

Taylor Jones

2–3 minutes

Day two of the NFL draft ended on a high note as running back Tank Bigsby was selected with the 88th overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The consensus surrounding the pick is that Bigsby will pair well with Travis Etienne in the Jaguars’ backfield. The scouting department at Bleacher Report says that Bigsby will bring his aggressive running style to the Jaguars’ offense.

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Bigsby lives up to the “Tank” nickname. At a hair under 6’0″ and 210 pounds, he is a violent downhill runner when he wants to be. He has a thick frame, especially in his lower body, and absorbs contact well. When paired with his aggressive rushing style, ample acceleration and good balance, Bigsby is tough to bring down once he gets a head of steam.

Fans from both Auburn and Jacksonville seem to be excited for the next chapter of Bigsby’s career, as they shared their thoughts on Twitter following the announcement.

Here’s a look at how analysts and fans reacted to the news of Tank Bigsby being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 88th overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft.

So proud of Tank Bigsby, and Jacksonville is an awesome landing spot for him. He was incredible at Callaway, and he did big things at Auburn as well. Tank has worked hard for this, and he's ready for the challenge. Go get 'em Tank pic.twitter.com/PxRjpQdWlU

— Kevin Eckleberry (@kevineckleberry) April 29, 2023

We got ACTION!!!!! Man man man man man…. Congrats my guy…. Yessir… he’s going to be GREAT!!! @tank_bigsby #WDE

— Cadillac Williams (@CoachCaddy24) April 29, 2023

“This is one of our stronger rooms on the team.” – #Jaguars HC Doug Pederson on RB Tank Bigsby, who the team selected in the third round.

— Demetrius Harvey (@Demetrius82) April 29, 2023

Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby is going to be one hell of a backfield.

— Matthew (@iiTzMattimus) April 29, 2023

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Hugh Freeze explains process of finding the perfect transfer portal quarterback

Taylor Jones

2–3 minutes

As the second transfer portal window begins to wind down, many Auburn fans are wondering why there has been a lack of movement regarding Hugh Freeze and the quarterbacks currently occupying the portal.

Don’t worry, he hears your concerns.

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“I get the tweets’ trust me,” Freeze said at a recent “AMBUSH” engagement in Huntsville. 

Freeze went on to say that he is very selective when it comes to finding the perfect quarterback not only for his scheme but for the program as a whole. His reasoning behind it should be reassuring to Auburn fans.

“Truthfully, I haven’t seen one yet that’s just, ‘Bam, that’s the no-brainer, and he’s ahead of the ones we have,’” Freeze said. “Every time a quarterback goes in the portal, (I say) ‘There he is! There he is!’ Then I watch the film, and I’m like, ‘No, that’s really not the one I’m looking for.’”

The current quarterback battle as it stands includes incumbent starter Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley, and redshirt freshman Holden Geriner. True freshman Hank Brown, who has not arrived on campus yet, will also be a contender this summer. If the “no-brainer” never arrives in the portal, Freeze will be content to develop the talent that he already has on his roster.

“I kind of get excited about Holden (Geriner) and Robby (Ashford) and, you know, T.J. (Finley) and Hank Brown, who’s coming in,” Freeze said. “Does that mean we won’t continue to look?… I’m going to be excited to coach the ones we have and improve them. At the same time, I don’t ever want to be perceived as someone who didn’t say exactly what I was thinking.”

The spring transfer portal window closes Sunday, April 30. Several big names that remain uncommitted include Cincinnati’s Ben Bryant and Nebraska‘s Casey Thompson.

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 Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

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Auburn’s Derick Hall selected in the 2nd round of 2023 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks

Published: Apr. 28, 2023, 6:39 p.m.

3–4 minutes

Derick Hall NFL Draft profile, analysis from Cole Cubelic

Derick Hall wasn’t supposed to be here. The odds were stacked against him, ever since birth.

Born four months premature in March 2001, Hall weighed just 2 pounds, 9 ounces at the time and was small enough to hold in the palm of his mother’s hand. The first five months of his life were spent in a hospital incubator. Normalcy appeared unlikely; doctors told his mother that she’d likely have to care for him for the rest of his life.

Those days in the hospital seem distant now, especially Friday night when Hall’s lifelong goal was realized. The former Auburn standout was selected in the 2nd round of the 2023 NFL Draft, going 37th overall to the Seattle Seahawks and becoming the first Auburn player off the board in this year’s draft.

Read more on Derick Hall’s Road to the Pros: Episode 1: Derick Hall’s unlikely journey from premature birth to the pride of Gulfport, Mississippi

Episode 2: Derick Hall’s Auburn career underscored by resolve amid uncertainty

Episode 3: Derick Hall pushes self closer to improbable NFL dream

A native of Gulfport, Miss., Hall spent the last four years at Auburn, including three as a starter off the edge for the Tigers. The former four-star recruit was highly productive during his time on the Plains, even as it overlapped with a period of uncertainty and constant change for the Auburn program.

Hall totaled 147 tackles, with 29.5 for a loss and 19.5 sacks over the last four seasons while twice earning All-SEC recognition. His 29.5 tackles for loss during that span were second most on the team, just behind Colby Wooden’s 30 over the last four years, while Hall’s 19.5 sacks were the most by a Tigers player during those four seasons. Hall managed that production despite playing for two different head coaches, two more interim coaches, three defensive coordinators and three different position coaches during his time at Auburn, which also included the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

RELATED: Derick Hall discusses his best NFL trait: “They pay the guys to get (QBs) on the ground”

In that time, Hall went from a 227-pound early enrollee in the 2019 class to a 256-pound All-SEC selection and team captain as a senior, as well as one of the most productive edge rushers in the SEC. Over his final two seasons at Auburn, when he earned All-SEC honors as a junior and senior, Hall posted 16 total sacks and 25 tackles for loss, leading the Tigers in both categories each of those seasons. He also recorded an interception, eight hurries and four forced fumbles over the last two years.

It was an unlikely trajectory for Hall, considering the prognosis doctors provided after his premature birth. Now he’ll look to make the most of it with the Seahawks in the NFL.

You can follow Derick Hall’s journey to the NFL in AL.com’s Emmy-winning documentary series “Road to the Pros” here:

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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[AUwent 3,837]

2 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

SOURCE: Former Nebraska QB Casey Thompson is interested in Auburn

Zac Blackerby

~2 minutes

Per a source, Casey Thompson is looking at Auburn.

On Friday, Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson entered the transfer portal according to multiple reports.

A source close to the situation believes that there are six schools that Thompson is interested in as his final destination during his college career. The source then added that Auburn is in the top three.

"I know he won't be in the portal long," said the source.

Auburn has been in the market for a quarterback. Thompson's experience, athleticism, and poise he could bring to an offense are all things Hugh Freeze has mentioned that he is looking for in a quarterback.

In 2022, Thompson threw for 2,407 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. His completion percentage was 63.1%.

He will transfer as a graduate and will be able to play right away wherever he decides to go.

The Tigers have now had six players depart from the program within the last couple of weeks, including three backup linebackers:

Wide Receiver Tar'Varish Dawson

Defensive lineman Jeffrey M'ba

Defensive lineman Tobechi Okoli

Linebacker Kameron Brown

Linebacker Desmond Tisdol

Linebacker Powell Gordon

Auburn has pulled in an impressive haul thus far during Hugh Freeze's first season on the Plains, currently sitting at No. 3 nationally in 247Sports' transfer portal class rankings.

You can check out our transfer portal tracker here. Stay up to date on all of the Tigers' commitments, departures, and prospects for key positions at auburndaily.com.

Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!

Join the Discord

Follow Auburn Daily on Twitter

Like Auburn Daily on Facebook

Subscribe to Locked On Auburn on YouTube

Well, the TP thread made it sound like the staff is basically not pursuing him. WTH are they thinking if that's the case?

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1 hour ago, AUwent said:

Well, the TP thread made it sound like the staff is basically not pursuing him. WTH are they thinking if that's the case?

people said Auburn was loaded with money and yet we had to borrow a few million from samford hall i believe i read correctly?