Assessing Auburn football's biggest roster needs ahead of spring transfer portal window

[ASFN Admin]

AUBURN — Spring practices may be over for Auburn football, but the 2025 offseason is still in full swing — and it's set to ramp up Wednesday. That's when the spring transfer portal window for college football opens.

It'll remain open until April 25, giving players a chance to head elsewhere. Following Auburn's A-Day practice Saturday, coach Hugh Freeze discussed what's to come, and he didn't shut the door on the Tigers adding a few more players.

REQUIRED READING: What positions will Auburn football target in the transfer portal? Hugh Freeze explains.

"Positions you never will turn down, interior D-Linemen, or pass rusher, or some guys with experience," Freeze said. "I really like our young linebackers. Could we use one that has some experience? If one's available, probably so. And never turn down a great cover guy, either. I think offensively, we're pretty set — provided, obviously, we've got to retain our roster, too."

Ahead of the portal's opening, here's a look at the positions Freeze highlighted and what Auburn has already lost.

Defensive line​

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• Players rostered: 15
  • Defensive line (11): Senior Bobby Jamison-Travis, Dallas Walker IV and Zeke Walker; Junior Keldric Faulk; Sophomores Amaris Williams and Malik Blocton; Freshmen Antonio Coleman, Darrion Smith, Jared Smith, Jourdin Crawford and Malik Autry
  • Edge rusher (4): Seniors Chris Murray and Keyron Crawford; Sophomores Jamonta Waller and Joseph Phillips
• Newcomers: 7
  • Transfers (2): Chris Murray (Sam Houston) and Dallas Walker IV (WKU)
  • Freshmen signees (5): Antonio Coleman, Darrion Smith, Jared Smith, Jourdin Crawford and Malik Autry

Linebacker​

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• Players rostered: 7
  • Junior Robert Woodyard Jr.; Sophomores Demarcus Riddick and Xavier Atkins; Redshirt freshman DJ Barber; Freshmen Bryce Deas, Elijah Melendez and JJ Faulk
• Newcomers: 4
  • Transfers (1): Xavier Atkins (LSU)
  • Freshmen signees (3): Bryce Deas, Elijah Melendez and JJ Faulk

Secondary​

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• Players rostered: 16
  • Cornerbacks (8): Juniors Champ Anthony, Kayin Lee and Raion Strader; Sophomores Jay Crawford and Tyler Scott; Freshmen Blake Woodby, Devin Williams and Donovan Starr
  • Safeties (8): Senior Jahquez Robinson; Junior Taye Seymore; Sophomores Kaleb Harris, Kensley Louidor-Faustin and Sylvester Smith; Redshirt freshman A'mon Lane-Ganus; Freshmen AnQuon "Newboy" Fegans and Eric Winters
• Newcomers: 7
  • Transfers (2): Raion Strader (Miami-Ohio) and Taye Seymore (Georgia Tech)
  • Freshmen signees (5): AnQuon Fegans, Blake Woodby, Devin Williams, Donovan Starr and Eric Winters

What has Auburn football already lost to the transfer portal?​

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• Auburn football: Outgoing transfers (spring window)
  • Junior safety Terrance Love
  • Sophomore safety CJ Johnson

In terms of the entire offseason, Auburn's at a six-man deficit for transfer portal retention. It signed 16 players during the winter portal window while seeing 20 depart. Three Tigers, cornerback JC Hart and safeties CJ Johnson and Terrance Love, have announced their intentions to go portaling in the upcoming window.

Love, who announced his plans Saturday, played 102 combined snaps in two seasons. He registered six tackles and a pass breakup in 2023, but he had just one tackle last season. Johnson, who announced his intentions Monday, had yet to see the field in two seasons on the Plains. Hart was largely a special-teamer, playing in 15 games the past two seasons.

Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: What does Auburn football need from spring transfer portal window?

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