Tracking Auburn football transfers in 2022: Week Zero

Auburn had significant roster turnover after the 2021 season, with seventeen players leaving Bryan Harsin's Auburn program for greener pastures. The headline was Auburn legacy and three-year starter Bo Nix, who transferred to Oregon. This season, Auburn Daily is going to track the transfers and their production at their new schools.

OFFENSE

QB Dee Davis Alabama State:

17-24 for 187 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 9 carries for 34 yards

Davis was named the starter and led the Hornets to victory over Howard in Week Zero action. He used his legs to evade defenders and extend plays, and spread the ball around on offense. Eight different receivers caught passes on the day, most notably a 34-yd reception to La'Vontae Shenault down the sideline that set up Alabama State's 2nd touchdown of the day, an 11-yd pass from Davis to WR Isaiah Scott.

QB Bo Nix, Oregon:

The first true freshman to start a season opener for Auburn since 1946, the Auburn legacy graduated after his junior season and transferred to Oregon. Heading into a week one showdown with reigning national champions Georgia, new head coach Dan Lanning has "kept his cards close to the vest" by declaring that he is not announcing the starter to the media - "When you guys see that first snap, we'll see who's out there on the field. [...] The only reason I'm not really talking about it with you guys is I don't know why that's an advantage for us," said Lanning. "If I felt like it was an advantage I would tell you guys. I don't." Nix is competing with former five-star recruit Ty Thompson, a redshirt freshman who would utilize short passes and lean heavier on the running game than Bo Nix, who presumably would air it out down the field and scramble to pick up yards if the protection breaks down.

RB Shaun Shivers, Indiana:

The diminutive Shivers (5-7, 186) is an incredibly physical running back, despite his stature, and was announced as the starter for Indiana at the beginning of fall camp. Best known for his run in the 2019 Iron Bowl where he took on (and de-helmeted) Alabama safety Xavier McKinney on his way to the endzone for what would be the game-winning 11-yd touchdown, Shivers is primed to be the lead back in the fast-paced, NFL-style offense of offensive coordinator Walt Bell before (presumably) entering the NFL Draft.

WR Kobe Hudson, UCF:

Hudson, the leading wide receiver for Auburn in 2021 with 44 receptions for 580 yards and 4 TDs, decided to take his talents to Orlando and rejoin former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, now in his 2nd season at UCF. While it is not official, Hudson is projected to be starting at slot receiver, catching passes from Ole Miss transfer QB (and centerfielder) John Rhys Plumlee.

WR Elijah Canion, Purdue:

The 6'3, 190lb Canion struggled to get on the field for Bryan Harsin's Tigers in 2021, accumulating only 4 catches for 46 yards in his sophomore season. No official depth chart has been released, but he is projected to be competing for backup snaps at the X position behind redshirt junior Mershawn Rice and grad transfer Charlie Jones.

OL Tashawn Manning, Kentucky:

The grad transfer, after starting 14 games at Auburn and appearing in 30, appears poised to be a key player up front for the Wildcats. Penciled in as the starting right guard, he's seen as an integral piece of the "Big Blue Wall" Kentucky is trying to build across the interior of the offensive line.

DEFENSE

DL/TE JJ Pegues, Ole Miss:

The incredibly versatile Pegues, an Oxford, Miss native, is projected to enter the season as the backup defensive tackle to senior K.D. Hill and a pass-rushing option from the interior. The 6'2, 315 junior began his Auburn career as a TE before moving to defense during 2021 spring practice, and views his experience as a tight end at Auburn a "competitive advantage", as he better understands collegiate blocking schemes and terminology that he can translate to his linemates.

DL Lee Hunter, UCF:

The former five-star recruit from Mobile who did not record any stats in his freshman season for Auburn entered the portal and followed Kobe Hudson to UCF to rejoin the coach that recruited him out of high school, Gus Malzahn. He is projected to be the primary backup to fifth-year senior DR Anthony Montalvo, a former walk-on with 86 career tackles and 4 sacks (and a nomination for the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded for the best player in the nation to start their career as a walk-on)

DL Dre Butler, Liberty:

The 6'5, 304lb junior from Covington, GA accumulated 20 tackles and one sack over 13 games at Auburn after transferring in for the 2020 season from Independence CC. He's shown flashes of dominance at the nose guard position during spring and fall practices and appears to be one of the primary options to replace departed nose guard Henry Chibueze, who transferred to Maryland.

DL Daniel Foster-Allen, South Alabama:

A three-star recruit in the 2020 class, Foster-Allen was unable to get on the field during his two seasons at Auburn. Believed to be the first Auburn player to transfer to South Alabama in the 13-year history of the Jaguars program, according to AL.com, Foster-Allen joins seven other D1 transfers (including six Power 5 transfers) on South Alabama's 2022 roster.

DL Ian Matthews, Missouri:

The 6'4, 290lb former three-star recruit redshirted his freshman year on The Plains, and joins a Missouri program with four years of eligibility remaining. He is not listed in the two-deep depth chart released by head coach Eli Drinkwitz prior to week one.

LB Romello Height, USC:

The redshirt sophomore, listed as a "rush end" for USC, had 19 tackles (3 TFL) in ten games over his two-year career at Auburn. The former three-star recruit from Dublin, GA is reportedly battling with former five-star recruit Korey Foreman, a 6-5, 265lb true sophomore, for the starting job at rush end after the departure of veteran Eli'jah Winston to Nevada.

CB Ro Torrence, Arizona State:

The junior college transfer saw his first game action for Auburn against Akron, but was mostly a depth option, finishing the season with three appearances and accumulating 5 tackles and one forced fumble. The Bessemer, AL native is behind the eight-ball in the competition, arriving after spring practice, but is competing for a role as a depth role at #2 CB with former four-star recruit Isaiah Johnson and fellow transfer Tarik Luckett.

CB Dreshun Miller, NC State:

Miller, who was a grad transfer to Auburn after a successful career at West Virginia, couldn't get on the field for Bryan Harsin's Tigers squad and entered the transfer portal after the season. He reportedly chose to walk-on at NC State and has one year left to play, with immediate eligibility. He is not listed on local media's projected two-deep entering a week one matchup with the Eastern Carolina Pirates .

DB Eric Reed, Georgia Tech:

The 6 foot, 196lb redshirt freshman from Shrevport, LA transferred to the Yellow Jackets after only getting on the field for two games in his Auburn career, the 2020 Cirtus Bowl vs Northwestern and the 2021 Birmingham Bowl vs Houston. The former four-star recruit has four years of eligibility and was not projected to be in the two-deep by local media before fall camp.

S Ladarius Tennison, Ole Miss:

The 5'9, 200lb safety from Rockledge, FL was a key contributor on special teams for Auburn over his two seasons as a member of the Tigers. He appeared in 21 games and recorded 43 total tackles and 4.5 TFL, including a career-best 9 tackles and 2.5 TFL against Mississippi State. He projects to be a key reserve in the defensive backfield by local media heading into week one action.

S Ahmari Harvey, Georgia Tech:

A former 4-star prospect from Tallahassee, FL, Harvey did not see the field his true freshman season and took a redshirt. A ballhawk in college, he was seen as a potential future impact player for Auburn but chose to commit to Georgia Tech after several off-season departures from their defensive backfield. He was not projected to be in the two-deep by local media before fall camp.

Engage with Auburn Daily on Socials!

Join the Discord

Follow Auburn Daily on Twitter

Like Auburn Daily on Facebook

Subscribe to Locked On Auburn on YouTube

Buy Auburn Daily Merch