Auburn Transfer Robby Ashford Takes Official Visit to Utah

On Jan. 5th, the University of Utah hosted Auburn transfer Robby Ashford on an official visit. Ashford’s visit comes about a week after Utes’ tight end Landen King hinted that the school might land a transfer out of Auburn.

Videos and pictures posted on Ashford’s Instagram account showed the former Auburn Tiger quarterback posing in the snow, while wearing Utah’s whiteout uniform.

Ashford would be a big pickup for a Utah team in need of quarterback depth after the departures of Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson.

A 6 '3 dual-threat quarterback from Hoover, Alabama, Ashford began his collegiate journey as a four-star prospect (247Sports Composite) in the 2020 recruiting class. Out of high school, he would make an initial commitment to the Oregon Ducks and spend two seasons in Eugene.

After seeing little to no playing time with the Ducks, Ashford transferred to Auburn before the 2022 season and subsequently took over the starting job. In 2022, as a freshman starter for the Tigers, Ashford threw for 1,613 yards and 7 touchdowns, while rushing for another 710 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Ashford saw a decreased amount of snaps in 2023 after losing the starting position to Payton Thorne, but still managed to make his mark. As Auburn’s backup quarterback, Ashford rushed for a total of 217 yards and five touchdowns.

If Ashford does make an official commitment to Utah following his visit, he might be able to operate in a similar role to how Utah used Nate Johnson in 2023. With a 4.5-second 40m-dash speed, the former Tiger would be a great compliment to Cam Rising and open up a world of possibilities for the Utes’ offense in 2024.

While he mostly operated as a rushing threat in 2023, Ashford's ability to pass the ball should not be understated. He not only threw for over 1,600 yards with the Tigers in 2022, but also has a baseball pedigree that includes 20 games in the outfield with the Oregon Ducks baseball team in 2021.

In a Utes quarterback room that includes faces like Rising, Brandon Rose, and newcomer Isaac Wilson, Ashford would bring another great veteran presence. Moreover, he would be a fantastic mentor for Wilson, who is undoubtedly Utah’s future and also plays as a fearsome dual-threat.