JD PicKell discusses what Auburn's search for a portal quarterback says

Auburn actively looked for a quarterback in the transfer portal and On3’s J.D. PicKell said it was for good reason. With Hugh Freeze set to take over in 2023 in his first year as head coach, it was no surprise to see the new leader look for transfer talent.

PicKell broke down what the search said about Auburn on The Hard Count. Since Auburn could not land Grayson McCall, the Tigers have Robby Ashford and TJ Finley as the top two on the depth chart.

But is that enough for the Tigers this coming fall?

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“Auburn went in the portal as well,” PicKell said. “There was a feel there for a while that it was gonna be Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina, that he was going to be the guy at Auburn and he was going to be your quarterback this coming year. And Auburn’s already told us how they feel about their quarterback room. For those of y’all that know what I’m talking about, going into the portal for a transfer quarterback is a lot like shopping for a fridge man. You don’t just go shop for a fridge for fun. If you see me at Home Depot, you see me at Lowe’s, and I’m looking at the fridges, I’m not just looking at the fridges for my own health or because I enjoy just perusing.

“Same thing with transfer quarterbacks. If you are in the portal there is smoke around you taking a transfer quarterback, you are there to buy. You are there to take a transfer quarterback because you believe that at home within your program, your fridge you have questions about. Now I don’t know that you have any broken fridges at Auburn. I mean Robby Ashford I think is serviceable. I told you I think he’d be an eight-game winner, maybe nine-game winner with the right system around him and the playmakers are kind of a question mark but you hear what I’m saying? “

Both quarterbacks saw time last year and could be serviceable options for Freeze. But maybe a transfer emerges later this year, perhaps after spring practice.

“Auburn was looking for a quarterback,” PicKell said. “When you are looking for a quarterback, when you’re looking for a fridge you are there to buy … I believe that they will take a quarterback post-spring. To what degree to what level of talent do they bring in? We’ll see. We’ll see. I have a hard time believing they have anybody that they’re going to find post spring that could be their starter game one, but you add some security, you add some depth and at the very least you add someone that can push the room from a competition standpoint. 

“Because that’s what it’s going to be if TJ Finley does indeed transfer out, you have one individual with real game experience in Robby Ashford. They’ve done a lot through the portal has Auburn, they’ve done a lot to retool that roster and help that defense and I think they’re going to do more post spring as well. But if you’re going to retool the roster to the degree you have, I think you want somebody more established driving the car. If you hear what I’m saying here.”