The upcoming 2024 season marks Hugh Freeze’s second year as head coach of Auburn football. Following a 6-7 record in 2023 and a Music City Bowl loss, the Tigers aim to improve their performance and end their streak of four consecutive unranked finishes. Freeze hopes to boost the team’s win total with the help of their transfer portal class.
However, it appears that Freeze’s efforts to rebuild the Auburn football program through the transfer portal might not be as impactful as expected. The Tigers’ 2024 transfer portal winter cycle ranked 39th nationally, with nine incoming commits and 14 outgoing transfers. Among the nine commits, eight are three-star transfers and only one is a four-star.
In comparison to Freeze’s first year as head coach, the 2023 transfer class was far more robust. Despite the challenge of rebuilding the program quickly and facing a coaching change, Freeze secured 20 incoming transfers while seeing 21 players depart. Of those transfers, 11 were four-star recruits, the highest number in the top-50, and eight were three-star recruits.
It’s not uncommon for coaches to decrease their reliance on the transfer portal as they spend more time at a program. However, considering it is only Freeze’s second year, one would expect a greater emphasis on portal players to aid in the rebuilding process. With fewer transfers coming in compared to the previous season, it seems that Freeze is primarily focused on addressing specific positional needs.
Out of the nine transfers, four players will bolster the offense (two wide receivers, one tight end, one offensive tackle), while the remaining five will strengthen the defense (one linebacker, one defensive lineman, one safety, one cornerback). This transfer list earned Auburn football a spot on The Athletic’s Manny Navarro’s SEC transfer portal “winners list,” largely due to players like Robert Lewis, a wide receiver from Georgia State.
Robert Lewis transfers to Auburn football
Robert Lewis, who was Auburn’s first commit of the 2024 cycle, has shown promise as a transfer from Georgia State. Originally a three-star prospect ranked 208th overall in the Class of 2019 and 142nd in the state of Georgia, Lewis maintained his three-star rating as he transitioned to Auburn. According to 247Sports, he was ranked as the 184th overall player and the 35th wide receiver in his new classification.
During his three seasons at Georgia State, Lewis accumulated impressive statistics, recording 102 receptions for 1,323 yards at an average of 13 yards per reception and scoring 14 touchdowns. His standout performance came last season when he showcased his skills against Charlotte by catching six passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
Given Auburn’s need for improvement in their receiver room, especially considering their struggling passing game in the previous season, Lewis has the potential to be a hidden gem among the Tigers’ transfer portal pickups in 2024.
