Auburn Predicted to Land Portal DL

After a mass exit on the defensive line, the Auburn Tigers are predicted to land a transfer at the position.

Auburn Tigers have been predicted to add a defensive lineman from the portal. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers received a prediction from On3 writer Jeffrey Lee to land four-star defensive line transfer Cody Sigler from Arkansas State. Sigler is a redshirt junior and will have a single year of eligibility remaining. 

BREAKING: On3’s @JLeeAUSports has logged an expert prediction for 𝐀𝐮𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 to land 6’3 DT Cody Sigler from Arkansas State.

The junior recorded 35 tackles, 6 pass deflections, and 5 sacks this season.

🦅🦅 pic.twitter.com/6S37EK5K8g

— NCAA Transfer Portal 🌐 (@PortalPredict) January 8, 2026

Sigler committed to Division II West Alabama after his high school playing days at Fair Hope High School in Fair Hope, Ala. He was a zero-star recruit at the time with no Division I offers. However, his three seasons as West Alabama impressed staffs at the FBS level, leading to his transfer to Arkansas State before the 2025 season.

After playing double-digit games in consecutive seasons at West Alabama, Sigler did so again in 2025, appearing in 11 games for Arkansas State. In those games, Sigler racked up 17 solo tackles, 35 total tackles, five sacks, and six pass deflections. 

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He also graded out well via advanced metrics, earning an 84.3 overall defense grade via Pro Football Focus, the ninth-best mark of any FBS interior defender. He racked up 30 pressures and 25 quarterback hurries from his interior alignment spot, both good marks for the position.

The performance got Sigler upgraded to a 3-star prospect in this year’s portal cycle out of Arkansas State. 247 Sports has him ranked as the No. 98 defensive lineman in the portal and the No. 1251 overall player, while Rivals has him ranked as the No. 80 defensive lineman and the No. 754 overall player.

If he does commit to the Tigers, Sigler would be Auburn’s first portal acquisition on the defensive line this season. New head coach Alex Golesh has already seen five players on the defensive line leave in the portal cycle, two on the interior and three off the edge. It has been an offseason of attrition, with players like Malik Blocton, who had become a quality contributor in 2025, surprising many around the program by entering the portal

However, despite the exodus, Auburn does have young talent at the position. Though, adding some experience at the position in Sigler would go a long way to shoring up the room for 2026. All of the Tigers’ starting defensive linemen from 2025 have either graduated or entered the transfer portal, leaving a big opening for both the young talent and potential additions. 

Though Sigler may not have the prospect pedigree or outright recruiting rankings prestige of some other players in the portal, there is something to be said in modern college football for a player that grinds their way over five years to get to the highest level of the sport despite not being highly touted. 

That is exactly what Sigler can offer Auburn, and if he commits I would expect him to become a leading presence for the young talent in the room, mentoring them and helping them develop in addition to providing an impact on the field on Saturdays.