Auburn Set to Lose Key Linebacker to Transfer Portal

The Auburn Tigers are set to lose a second linebacker to the transfer portal when it opens

Another linebacker has chosen to leave the Plains | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Things seem to be going from bad to worse for new Auburn Tigers head coach Alex Golesh, as on Tuesday, Auburn linebacker Robert Woodyard, Jr. announced that he’d be entering the transfer portal. 

He’s the second linebacker who has planned to depart from the Plains, joining Caleb Wheatland.

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Auburn all-SEC LB Robert Woodyard plans to enter the portal, a source tells @mzenitz and me.

He posted 67 tackles, 7 TFLs and 2 sacks this year. 2nd-highest graded LB in the SEC, per PFF. Will be repped by Brandon Wassel at Legacy Trust Sports Group. https://t.co/YR6Fl92s1l pic.twitter.com/gxJgTjAg5q

— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) December 23, 2025

The NCAA Transfer Portal opens on Jan. 2 and closes on Jan. 16. After recent NCAA portal rule changes, this is the lone portal window after the spring window was eliminated.

Woodyard is perhaps the most significant loss the Tigers have had this offseason defensively, as he was second on the team in total tackles in 2025, only trailing Xavier Atkins. The junior recorded 47 solo tackles, 67 total tackles and two sacks throughout his 2025 campaign.

His departure continues the trend of holes being poked in Auburn’s defense, as Jay Crawford and Raion Strader, both cornerbacks, defensive lineman Antonio Coleman and the aforementioned Caleb Wheatland, a linebacker, have all announced intent to depart from Auburn ahead of the 2026 season.

Thankfully for the Tigers, Golesh has two top linebackers on their way to the Plains as recruits. The Tigers’ top recruit, Jaquez Wilkes, is a four-star linebacker ranked as the 67th-best player in the country and the fifth-best in his home state of Alabama.

Additionally, Shadarius Toodle, another four-star linebacker, is headed to the Plains in 2026. He’s the 22nd-best linebacker in the country and the 14th-best in the state of Alabama.

Despite the loss of such a significant piece, the future of DJ Durkin’s defense is likely safe, at least at the linebacker position. They’ll certainly miss Woodyard’s veteran presence and top-tier playmaking as they begin the development of these new linebacker recruits, though.