BREAKING: Virginia Tech transfer LT Xavier Chaplin signs with Auburn

Virginia Tech transfer left tackle Xavier Chaplin has signed with Auburn, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

Chaplin has two years of eligibility remaining.

“It’s the people, I feel like I’m at home here,” Chaplin said. “I don’t have to not be myself. I can be Xavier.”

Chaplin’s decision comes after a two-day official visit to the Plains.

“I had a great time,” he said following the visit. “I really liked the people here and the environment.”

The Tigers’ need at left tackle was a factor in his decision.

“I feel like it is very important because they showed me that they need me, how they can take care of me and how they can develop me into the player I want to be,” he said. “(Coach Jake Thornton) was just telling me that I can be a great player.

“He was showing me how he coached, his drills and things like that. And showing me what it means to be an Auburn Tiger.”

And now he’ll know.

“Everything,” he said of what he likes about Auburn. “It’s not just one thing. There’s a lot at Auburn. They’ve got a lot to offer. They have a big history here.”

Chaplin was the No. 665 overall player in the class of 2022, the No. 43 offensive tackle, and the No. 8 player in the state of South Carolina according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

Transfer portal background information

The NCAA Transfer Portal, which covers every NCAA sport at the Division I, II and III levels, is a private database with names of student-athletes who wish to transfer. It is not accessible to the public.

The process of entering the portal is done through a school’s compliance office. Once a player provides written notification of an intent to transfer, the office enters the player’s name in the database and everything is off and running. The compliance office has 48 hours to comply with the player’s request and that request cannot be refused.

Once a player’s name shows up in the portal, other schools can contact the player. Players can change their minds at any point and withdraw from the portal. However, once a player enters the portal, the current scholarship no longer has to be honored. In other words, if a player enters the portal but decides to stay, the school is not obligated to provide a scholarship anymore.

The database is a normal database, sortable by a variety of topics, including (of course) sport and name. A player’s individual entry includes basic details such as contact info, whether the player was on scholarship and whether the player is transferring as a graduate student.

A player can ask that a “do not contact” tag be placed on the report. In those instances, the players don’t want to be contacted by schools unless they’ve initiated the communication.

The portal has been around since Oct. 15, 2018 and the new calendar cycle within the portal begins each August. For example, the 2021-22 cycle started Aug. 1. During the 2020-21 cycle, 2,626 FBS football players entered the transfer portal (including walk-ons). That comes after 1,681 entered during the 2019-20 cycle and 1,709 during the abbreviated 2018-19 cycle. In comparison, 1,833 Division I basketball players entered the portal during the 2020-21 cycle after totals of 1,020 in 2019-20 and 1,063 in 2018-19.