Auburn football transfer portal tracker | Latest news, developments

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Auburn football transfer portal tracker | Latest news, developments

AUBURN — Alex Golesh‘s first eight months as Auburn football‘s head coach will be imperative to the success of his first season at the helm — but his first month hasn’t done him may favors.

Before the former South Florida head coach even gets his first opportunity to coach a game on the Plains, he’s being tasked with wading through one of the more talented rosters in the sport and carving out his group of guys for the 2026 campaign.

The returns to this point have been, understandably, disheartening. The Tigers were slated to have nearly 30 players in the transfer portal when it opened Friday, Jan. 2, and two-thirds of them were former blue-chip signees, helping comprise the 13th-most-talented roster in the nation last season.

While the likes of Cam Coleman and Deuce Knight will be looking at their options elsewhere, it’ll be up to Golesh and his newly hired staff to do the hard part: build a roster that can compete in the SEC while pushing to retain some of that outgoing talent.

As the offseason ensues, stay tuned here for a full rundown of the latest changes on Auburn‘s roster.

Live updates on Auburn football’s roster: Who’s in, out on the Plains?

Auburn football hosting James Madison offensive line transfer

Jan. 3 (8 p.m.): James Madison offensive tackle Joseph Simmons is visiting Auburn, according to multiple reports. Simmons started every game at left tackle for the Dukes in 2025, and he was voted an All-Sun Belt honorable mention.

Auburn football’s Jared Smith, Ryan Ghea announce 2026 returns

COLLEGE STATION, TX - SEPTEMBER 27 - Auburn defensive end Jared Smith (41) - Auburn Tigers vs. #9 Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field in College Station, TX on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025.Photo by David Gray/Auburn Tigers

Jan. 3 (7:08 p.m.): A pair of underclassmen will be back in the fold for Auburn next season, as tight end Ryan Ghea and former five-star prospect Jared Smith announced they’ll return for 2026.

Ghea played in five games as a freshman, catching two passes for 20 yards. Smith played in 11 games and a notable contributor to Auburn’s pass rush ahead of SEC play. He finished the year with five tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.

Auburn football to host Michigan State running back transfer

Jan. 3 (4:21 p.m.): Auburn’s set to host Makhi Frazier on Sunday, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. Rated as the 23rd-best running back in the portal, Frazier picked up a considerable role for the Spartans as a sophomore, rushing for 520 yards and two touchdowns on 116 carries.

Auburn football loses second running back to transfer portal

Jan. 3 (3:57 p.m.): Running back Durell Robinson Jr. entered the portal after one season with Auburn, according to multiple reports.

Robinson played in just four games and registered three carries for 57 yards and one touchdown. He was sparsely used after suffering what Hugh Freeze described as a “freak” injury in Week 2 against Ball State, undergoing a procedure on his leg in September that sidelined him for much of the year.

South Florida safety Fred Gaskin plans to visit Auburn football

Jan. 3 (3:11 p.m.): South Florida safety Fred Gaskin plans to visit Auburn, according to multiple reports, following a pair of productive seasons at Golesh’s previous program.

In 26 games, Gaskin recorded a combined 65 tackles, 3 interceptions 3 tackles for loss, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 sack.

Auburn football among 6 schools Kansas State WR Jayce Brown visiting

Jan. 3 (2:32 p.m.): Jayce Brown, a consensus top-100 player in the transfer portal, will visit six schools, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, and Auburn’s among them, as well as Georgia, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, and Ole Miss.

In three seasons at Kansas State, Brown caught 115 passes for 2,133 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Auburn football’s first transfer commit is USF QB Locklan Hewlett

Jan. 3 (1:03 p.m.): Auburn’s first transfer addition is a South Florida passer, just not the one known by many.

Locklan Hewlett, a rising sophomore, committed to the Tigers on Saturday, after playing in two games his true freshman season.

Auburn football expecting visit from LSU offensive lineman

Jan. 3 (10:09 a.m.): LSU’s Ory Williams will visit Auburn, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, bringing the program up to 10 reported visitors, three of which are offensive linemen.

Williams played in four games in 2025, two of which he started. A rising redshirt sophomore, Williams will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

South Florida QB Byrum Brown visiting Auburn football this weekend | Reports

TAMPA, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 06: Byrum Brown #17 of the the South Florida Bulls warms up during a game against the UTSA Roadrunners at Raymond James Stadium on November 06, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.

Jan. 3 (6:52 a.m.): As of Saturday morning, Brown is officially in the transfer portal, according to multiple reports, which also link him to an Auburn visit this weekend.

Brown has one season of eligibility remaining, and he’s coming off the best season of his four-year career, in which he registered 3,158 passing yards and 1,008 yards rushing. It was the 13th season in the sport’s history in which a quarterback threw for 3,000 yards and rushed for 1,000, putting Brown on a list that includes Vince Young, Johnny Manziel, Deshaun Watson, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels.

Golesh inherited Brown when he arrived at South Florida in 2023, after Brown saw the field for just four games as a true freshman. Brown started every game of his sophomore season, in which he threw for a career-best 3,292 yards. Injuries plagued his junior year, and he saw the field for just six games, but he returned to full strength for his stellar senior season.

Cam Coleman planning at least 5 visits, including Alabama

Jan. 2 (6:03 p.m.): The former Auburn receiver reportedly visited Texas on Friday, but he’ll follow that up with four more visits, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, including Texas A&M, Texas Tech, USC and Alabama.

Texas A&M DB Bryce Anderson schedules visit to Auburn football | Report

Aug 30, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies safety Bryce Anderson (1) pregame against the UTSA Roadrunners at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

Jan. 2 (12:37 p.m.): Anderson, a former consensus blue-chip prospect, will visit Auburn on Saturday, Jan. 3, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. Anderson’s considered the 11th-best safety in the portal by 247Sports, and he’s considered the 15th-best player at his position by On3.

A signee during Texas A&M’s recruiting frenzy under Jimbo Fisher, Anderson was heavily utilized by the Aggies from the onset, playing in 11 games as a true freshman. His best season came as a sophomore, in 2023, with career-high totals in tackles (54), tackles for loss (7), sacks (1.5) and pass deflections (4).

Which transfers are Auburn football, Alex Golesh targeting?

Which transfers have committed to Auburn football? Full list

  1. QB Locklan Hewlett (South Florida)
    • 247: N/A
    • On3: N/A

What Auburn football players are going into the transfer portal? Full list

  • Quarterback: Ashton Daniels; Deuce Knight; Jackson Arnold
  • Running back: Damari Alston; Durell Robinson Jr.
  • Wide receiver: Cam Coleman; Cam’Ron King; Horatio Fields; Malcolm Simmons; Perry Thompson; Sam Turner
  • Tight end: Hollis Davidson; Preston Howard
  • Offensive line: DeAndre Carter; Dylan Senda; Favour Ebuka Edwin; Seth Wilfred; Xavier Chaplin
  • Defensive line: Amaris Williams; Antonio Coleman; James Ash; Malik Blocton
  • Edge rusher: Jamonta Waller
  • Linebacker: Caleb Wheatland; Robert Woodyard Jr.
  • Cornerback: A’Mon Lane-Ganus; Donovan Starr; Jay Crawford (Ole Miss); Kayin Lee; Raion Strader
  • Safety: Kensley Louidor-Faustin; Taye Seymore
  • Specialists: K Towns McGough

Which Auburn football players are returning? Full list

What’s the latest with transfer portal calendar? Here’s what to know

After having two portal windows last offseason, including a 30-day span for the majority of December, the NCAA consolidated chances for football players to transfer this year, eliminating a spring transfer window and moving the lone period to a two-week span — from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16 — following the College Football Playoff.

Players who wish to enter the portal must do so in that window, but they’re not required to enroll at a new school before the entry deadline.

Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam’s work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football transfer portal tracker | Latest news, developments

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