Former Blue-Chip Safety Intends to Transfer From Auburn

The Auburn Tigers safety was previously a top recruit at his position, and he'll likely have his suitors in the portal

Another defensive talent has decided to leave the Plains | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers are set to lose another defensive back in the Transfer Portal, this time sophomore safety Kensley Louidor-Faustin. Faustin is a former 4-star recruit and was a top 500 player via the 247 Sports Composite out of high school.

Faustin is the sixth Auburn defensive back to enter the portal this offseason, joining fellow safety A’Mon Lane-Ganus and corners Jay Crawford, Kayin Lee, Donovan Starr, and Raion Strader. However, the Tigers still have a good young talent at the position for 2026 and beyond.

Despite being listed as a safety, Faustin saw the majority of his action in 2025 as a slot corner, where he took 188 of his 257 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Though Faustin didn’t stuff the stat sheet, he did record an interception in Auburn’s win at Arkansas in late October. He also recorded 14 solo tackles, 2 pass deflections, and a sack. 

PFF graded the sophomore as a subpar player in coverage, earning just a 50.2 grade in such situations. However, he did grade out well as a tackler, earning a 75.4 run defense grade from the slot. He allowed 15 catches on 24 targets for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The safety position for Auburn shouldn’t be a question, even with the newest departure at the position. Freshman Eric Winters and sophomore Kaleb Harris both have been solid on the back end, with Winters playing primarily free safety and Harris filling the strong safety role. Each player was among the top six tackles for the Tigers in 2025.

As far as the role of slot corner, sophomore Sylvester Smith should be expected to step in. The hard-hitting defensive back flashed a solid ability to diagnose, read, and react in 2025. Like Faustin, Smith played the majority of his snaps at slot corner (209 of 290) despite being listed as a safety. He earned a run defense grade of 81.6 and a coverage grade of 66.7 via PFF.

So, despite the number of players leaving at the position in the portal window, Auburn should still have a solid young core of players on the back end. Additionally, there are talented, experienced players at the position who could be available to the Tigers in the portal. Tennessee’s Boo Carter, Florida State’s Edwin Joseph, JMU’s Tyler Brown, and Colorado’s Tawfiq Byard could all be solid options if head coach Alex Golesh and his staff decide to move in that direction.