All of Auburn's quarterbacks and most of its wide receivers enter the transfer portal

December 30, 2025 - AUBURN. - The Alex Golesh era at Auburn is off to a really shaky start as dozens of players from across the depth chart have announced that they intend to enter the transfer portal when it open on Friday.

The combination of a coaching change, shifting offensive and defensive philosophies, and the broader volatility of modern college football has led to an exodus of players from the troubled program.

Auburn has had four head coaches and two interim coaches since 2020 when the administration made the bewildering decision to fire popular head Coach Gus Malzone so transfer portal chaos is nothing new for the Tigers – but this year appears to be particularly brutal.

On Monday, star wide receiver Cam Coleman announced that he was entering the transfer portal.

On Tuesday, five-star freshman quarterback Deuce Knight joined fellow Auburn QBs Jackson Arnold and Ashton Daniels in his announced intent to enter the portal.

The exodus of the quarterbacks appears to be in response to widespread speculation that Golesh will be bringing Senior Quarterback Byrum Brown with him from South Florida via the portal. Brown was at USF's bowl game recently but as a sideline coach cheering on his teammates not as a participant. It is widely believed that Brown will enter the portal. Golesh could be planning on bringing in the veteran who understands his offensive system in as Auburn's 2026 starter.

Rather than competing for playing time and NIL money with Brown, Knight, Arnold, and Daniels apparently are leaving for greener pastures elsewhere. All three started at points this year, but none showed any great aptitude at the position. Auburn managed only five wins this season – only one of them over an SEC opponent – Arkansas which had already fired its coach.

If Brown does come to Auburn, it is an open question as to who he will be throwing the ball to.

Coleman departed despite reports that Auburn had offered the Phenix City product $2 million in NIL and direct compensation to stay. Coleman was part of former head Coach Hugh Freeze's highly touted group of freshmen wide receivers two years ago. As a group, they never lived up to any of the hype, but Coleman was the best of the bunch and is arguably the best receiver available in the portal at this point. He should have many suitors in the portal.

Based on the recent reporting he won't be alone. WR Malcolm Simmons is expected to enter the transfer portal. Simmons had a big game in the Iron Bowl for Auburn. Auburn Wire also reports that WR Perry Thompson is expected to enter the portal when the window. Horatio Fields is another receiver listed among those expected to enter the portal.

Junior WR Eric Singleton Jr. is expected to remain with the Tigers for his senior season.

Your search results show that Eric Singleton Jr. remains an active Auburn wide receiver, listed on the official 2025 Auburn roster and documented as having played all 12 games this past season.

Keshaun Singleton, the USF wide receiver who played under Alex Golesh, is entering the portal. Golesh may bring in the USF veteran to reunite with Brown.

It was hoped that the retention of defensive coordinator DJ Durkin would mean that most of the Auburn defense would remain. That has not been the case thus far.

Defensive tackle Malik Blocton is expected to enter the transfer portal Blocton started eight games in 2025 and was Auburn's most productive interior lineman.

Cornerback Jay Crawford is expected to enter the transfer portal. The Tennessean reports that the two‑year impact starter is leaving.

USA Today is reporting that Cornerback Kayin Lee is expected to transfer. His departure, combined with Crawford's, means Auburn is losing both starting corners.

Freshman Donovan Starr got a lot of playing time for Auburn this year. He is also expected to leave. This means that DJ Durkin will have to reconstruct almost the entire back end of the defense heading into 2026.

Auburn also has to replace the entire offensive line. Xavier Chaplin, the starting left tackle, is entering the transfer portal. Four Auburn starting offensive linemen are graduating (out of eligibility).

Auburn needs to supplement its returning players with portal targets that fit Golesh's system. The portal losses and the coaching change have created a natural moment of reassessment for players across the depth chart.

Auburn has not had a winning season since 2019 (under Malzahn). In 2025 Auburn was the ninth spending team on players and talent; but none of those blue chip recruits and transfer portal signings led to success on the field. Auburn at 1-7 finished 14th in the SEC. Only Arkansas (which Auburn beat in a come from behind win) was worse at 0 – 8.

Golesh and his staff have emphasized that they want players who are fully committed to the new vision - a fast, aggressive, detail‑oriented brand of football that requires buy‑in from every position group. The portal, in that sense, becomes a sorting mechanism. Players who don't see a fit move on, and the staff gains flexibility to reshape the roster.

It is still possible that Auburn could re-sign some of their portal players if they find that they aren't being promised the money and playing time they thought they were worth when they hit the open market. Whatever happens, it looks like there will be a largely new roster at Auburn next season.

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