AUBURN: As of right now, Auburn football’s transfer portal is silent.
Although it is early in the process and things can change quickly, the Tigers have lost two players since the portal opened on Tuesday: cornerback JD Rhym and buck linebacker Brenton Williams. They have not added any players.
There will undoubtedly be a few new players signed by Auburn. Similar to all other Division I teams, the Tigers are given 85 scholarships. With fewer than 80 at the moment, they have room to acquire at least a few transfers that catch their eye.
Throughout spring training, Coach Hugh Freeze made it clear that wide receivers and defensive linemen were on his staff’s wish list. That corresponds with the people the Tigers have supposedly spoken with thus far.
Three goals to watch out for with plenty of time left before the deadline to add new players are as follows:Veteran defensive lineman Philip Blidi is looking for a third and final program to finish his collegiate career. He has one more year of eligibility. He had just been to Auburn, and not long afterward, he had called off a trip to Oklahoma. Three-star 2020 recruit Blidi attended Texas Tech for three seasons before transferring to Indiana in January 2023.
This is the moment for Freeze to make an impression.
One of the top receivers on the portal is KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who will shortly be a fifth-year senior who led Penn State in receiving yards in 2023 with 673 on 53 receptions. In addition, he caught four touchdowns while playing for the Nittany Lions in all 13 games.
Adding Lambert-Smith would elevate Auburn’s receiving group, which includes veterans like Roberts Lewis and Camden Brown in addition to freshmen like Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson, from intriguing to a possible advantage. Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover reported that Lambert-Smith will be visiting AU this coming weekend.
It’s clear that Freeze and edge defender are connected. Crawford is scheduled to depart from Arkansas State, where Freeze served as head coach in 2011 after serving as offensive coordinator in 2010. In Memphis, Tennessee, Crawford also attended Briarcrest Christian High School. Freeze was the coach at that same school prior to being given a chance to play in the college game.
With two years of eligibility left, Crawford finished the previous season with 44 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. Those stats include a pass rush grade of 74.7 from PFF and 10.5 tackles for loss. In addition, he was responsible for a pass deflection, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Crawford is anticipated to make an appearance this weekend, according to Auburn Live’s Cole Pinkston.
