Auburn TE Preston Howard Transfer Signs with Big Ten Program

The former Auburn Tigers tight end is heading back to a program he began his career with in the Big Ten

Auburn's Preston Howard has found a new home | John Reed-Imagn Images

It’s been a hectic start to Alex Golesh’s tenure as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, with over 30 formerly Hugh Freeze-coached players departing from the program and over 20 new players finding their way to the Plains. One such departee, tight end Preston Howard, will be headed to the Big Ten in 2026.

Maryland has signed Auburn TE transfer Preston Howard, @mzenitz and I have learned for @CBSSports.

It's a return to Maryland for Howard, who transferred from there following the 2024 season. He's caught 47 passes for 433 yards in his career. https://t.co/bbUI71hv7N pic.twitter.com/wGkSKZ3YPt

— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) January 14, 2026

Howard, who’ll be a senior in his final year of eligibility, had a bit of a tumultuous season with the Tigers. He managed to put up 10 receptions for 84 yards throughout the season, but he struggled immensely with drops while on the Plains.

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Maryland is far from unfamiliar to Howard, as he played with the Terrapins for both his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Auburn for his junior season. Now, he’ll be returning to Maryland for his senior season, effectively painting his time at Auburn as a bit of a hiatus.

He’s not the only tight end the Tigers have lost, either; Alex Golesh’s squad will also be without Hollis Davidson, who was a true freshman in 2025 and has yet to announce the next destination of his college career as well as Brandon Frazier, who completed his final year of eligibility in 2025.

Despite the losses of Frazier, Davidson and Howard, Golesh will be far from without a tight end in the 2026 season. In fact, he’s already signed a trio of three-star tight ends in the transfer portal, namely Jake Johnson, Jonathan Echols and Xavier Newsom. Golesh also has three-star DJ Broughton waiting in the wings as part of the Tigers’ 2026 recruiting class, so the Tigers appear to be set for 2026 and beyond.