Spring football is over, and the spring transfer portal window has closed. It is now time for “talking season.”
Auburn has made plenty of improvements this offseason from the transfer portal, from quarterback to defensive line. Now, we will wait to see if the new additions will propel Auburn to bowl eligibility in 2025, or maybe even SEC Championship contention.
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Brad Crawford of 247Sports recently shared his SEC Football power rankings following the transfer portal window and a strange spring period in which many teams, like Auburn, changed their spring game format. Crawford has placed the Tigers at No. 12 in front of Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Mississippi State, and one spot behind Missouri. Crawford is a fan of Auburn’s wide receiver unit, but he feels that quarterback play will make or break the Tigers’ season.
Hugh Freeze has the finest collection of talent at the wide receiver position in the SEC, but Auburn needs elite production out of former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold and a rebuilt offensive line to improve during the 2025 season.
The odds favor Auburn improving on its 5-7 campaign last season, thanks to a revamped quarterback room that features three new athletes in transfer Jackson Arnold and Ashton Daniels, as well as true freshman Deuce Knight. The Tigers also return a bulk of their offensive line, including Dillon Wade, Connor Lew, and Jeremiah Wright. USC transfer Mason Murphy and Virginia Tech transfer Xavier Chaplin join the team from the transfer portal to boost Auburn’s tackle positions. Mixing in the likes of Cam Coleman, Malcolm Simmons, and Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton at wide receiver, Auburn could become a true contender for the College Football Playoff.
Should Arnold not work out, Auburn has two great options to step in and assume the role, which has not been the case in previous years. Knight has the tools to play well in Auburn’s offense, but lacks experience. Daniels, like Arnold, is fresh off a situation where offensive line play at his previous program hindered his ability to reach his full potential, but he does have 20 games of Power Conference starting experience to his name, which could come in handy should Auburn need it.
The Texas Longhorns top Crawford’s rankings, followed by LSU at No. 2, Alabama at No. 3, and Georgia at No. 4.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn football in lower-tier of 247Sports SEC Power Rankings
