Five Players Auburn Football Needs To Fight to Hang Onto

Hugh Freeze was adamant on Monday that the Tigers don't just recruit high school and portal players.

Freeze believes that in today's college football, coaches also have to recruit their roster to return.

"We’ve got a lot of great commitments that hopefully we can hold onto, we’ve got to recruit our current roster I’m sure, that’s the new world we’re in," Freeze said in a press conference on Monday. "We’ve got to get all of our NFL information [...] and at the same time go recruit high school kids, portal kids, whatever it takes to enhance our roster so that we are better able to have depth and compete with more consistency next season."

There are a number of players the Tigers are going to see walk or let walk over these next several months. However, there are also plenty of players Freeze and Auburn need to make sure they hang onto.

Here are five Auburn players that the Tigers shouldn't let got of this offseason.

Eugene Asante

Asante has been a machine this season for the Tigers, racking up a team-leading 84 total tackles. The second closest player on roster is Larry Nixon III with 49 (!). Asante has blossomed into one of the best linebackers in the SEC and should be one of Auburn's biggest priorities over these next few weeks.

Make sure Asante stays on the Plains.

Keionte Scott

The former JUCO prospect has also developed into a solid SEC player, currently ranking fifth among Tigers in defensive PFF grade (77.1).

Scott is also one of the best punt returners in the conference. Getting him back as a veteran piece of the defense and special teams next season will be important.

Jalen McLeod

McLeod didn't put up the most impressive stats early on in the year due to injury, but once he finally healed up, he became a monster for Auburn off of the edge. In his last five games, McLeod has 25 of his 45 total tackles this season and four of his 5.5 sacks.

His PFF grade (80.7) is third-best on the Tigers' defense. He's a solid player that has only gotten better at the SEC level.

Dillon Wade

Auburn won't have much depth across their line next season unless they really shore things up through the transfer portal. Getting Wade back, a seasoned offensive lineman with solid pass-blocking to boot, would be nice.

Ja'Varrius Johnson

Johnson is the highest-graded WR Auburn has according to PFF (78.1) and has once again been one of the Tigers' best receiving threats, having caught 19 passes for 347 yards (second-best on the team) and three touchdowns, one of which came this past weekend in the Iron Bowl.

If Auburn can hang onto Johnson, it will add some more shine to next season's already promising receiving core.

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