Auburn WR Forgoes Draft, Predicted to Join SEC Rival

The former Auburn Tigers wide receiver was set to head to the NFL, but an SEC could be swooping in last second for his services

The former Auburn WR could be re-joining his old coach at a new school | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn Tigers wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr announced on New Year’s Day that he would be entering the 2026 NFL Draft after his one season with the team. However, today Singleton chose to come back to college and enter the transfer portal, with On3’s Pete Nakos logging a prediction for the wideout to join the Florida Gators for 2026.

NEW: On3's @PeteNakos has logged an expert prediction for Florida to land Auburn transfer WR Eric Singleton Jr.🐊https://t.co/ybbH7fulrW https://t.co/Q9rCVxQf1U pic.twitter.com/JDCX2f3EnF

— On3 (@On3sports) January 9, 2026

Singleton was a highly-rated portal acquisition for Auburn before the 2025 season, the former Georgia Tech wideout ranking as the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 5 overall player in the portal via 247Sports. On3’s Rivals felt similarly, ranking him the No. 1 receiver and No. 4 overall player. 

Singleton had a solid year with the Tigers in 2025, catching 58 passes for 534 yards and 3 touchdowns. Though not quite the electric threat that many predicted him to be, arriving from Atlanta, he was a reliable option for most of the season. And, frankly, a lot of Singleton’s lack of production was due to quarterbacks who seemed unable to get him the football on the vast majority of Auburn’s drives. 

Auburn saw most of its receivers leave the program following the 2025 season, including three of the “Freeze Four” in superstar sophomore Cam Coleman, Malcolm Simmons, and Perry Thompson. Though Singleton was also leaving, many of the Auburn faithful appreciated that at least one of their receivers was searching for new opportunities at the next level rather than next door in the SEC. 

However, Singleton’s former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator, Buster Faulkner, was hired by Florida and new head coach Jon Sumrall, creating a tempting draw for the former Yellow Jacket. Singleton would be the third receiver in the Gators’ portal class, joining fellow former Jacket Bailey Stockton and Wake Forest’s Micah Mays Jr. Singleton would be the premier addition among that trio and would join an outstanding rising sophomore duo of Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III in Gainesville. 

Unfortunately for the Tigers, it’s becoming extremely commonplace to see players on their 2025 roster move to SEC rivals. Just in the last few days, Auburn has seen Jay Crawford depart for Ole Miss, Kayin Lee commit to Tennessee, Malik Blocton go to LSU, and Amaris Williams head to Georgia. 

Even in the current landscape of the portal, that is quite a list of hits heading to conference foes. Add today’s prediction for star freshman Deuce Knight to head to Ole Miss and now the prediction for Singleton to join the Gators, and it feels like other SEC teams are picking the Auburn roster clean.