5 transfers who could break out for Auburn football during spring practice

Auburn football didn’t give its fans much to be excited about on the field last season. The Tigers finished 5-7 and blew a number of close games.

The offseason, however, provided some intrigue and promise, adding another top 10 recruiting class and a talented group of incoming transfers.

Hugh Freeze and the staff made additions to a number of key areas and supplemented other positions that were already strong last season. With the start of spring practice just under two weeks away, a number of those transfers will have an opportunity to create significant roles form themselves on the field.

Here are five transfers with potential to have a breakout spring:

Jackson Arnold, QB

There was no bigger addition to the Auburn football team this offseason than Arnold.

Quarterback was undoubtedly Auburn’s biggest need when the winter portal window began, and Arnold was the marquee addition at that position. He wasn’t the only one — the Tigers added Ashton Daniels from Stanford and got former South Carolina signal caller, Tanner Bailey out of retirement — but Arnold is the most likely starter going into the 2025 season.

With that said, you can argue it’s hard to be a breakout player when you’re already that well-known. However, while Arnold’s name is known by all, plenty of questions remain surrounding how effective he can be.

His one season at Oklahoma was up and down to say the least. He threw for just 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns and was briefly benched during the season.

Freeze seems to have a vision for him, though, and Arnold’s five-star recruiting ranking would suggest he has the talent to be a good Southeastern Conference quarterback.

Spring practice will be the first chance for Freeze and Arnold to really work together and if the fit is there like the staff hopes, the next month could be a promising preview of the season.

Durell Robinson, RB

Robinson was a relatively under the radar addition for Auburn last December, but his production at UConn creates reason to be optimistic.

Not only that, running back is a relatively open battle going into spring after the departure of Jarquez Hunter. Robinson rushed for 731 yards with the Huskies last season, scoring eight touchdowns and averaging 6.8 yards per carry.

He joins a running back room with talented returners Damari Alston and Jeremiah Cobb, along with promising freshmen Alvin Henderson and Omar Mabson.

Alston and Cobb are seemingly in the best position to get the bulk of the carries next season given their familiarity, but a solid spring from Robinson will likely put his name right in the mix as a player to watch going into the 2025 season.

Raion Strader, CB

Strader was an intriguing pickup for Auburn in the winter portal window, joining a position group that is already pretty loaded.

Auburn returned starting corners Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford, along with veteran Champ Anthony who impressed at both corner and nickel before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 4.

Despite the competition, Strader’s accomplishments at Miami (OH) speak for themselves. He was named the Mid-American Conference Cornerback of the Year in 2024 and a Freshman All-American in 2023. Strader has already had a decorated college career, albeit against lesser competition.

It will be hard to break into an Auburn secondary that is already pretty established, but Strader has the pedigree to make the competition interesting. He’ll be someone to watch during spring practice, especially as he gets to face the challenge of lining up against Auburn’s wide receivers.

Xavier Atkins, LB

Linebacker is one of the most intriguing positions to watch for Auburn in the spring. The Tigers lost three seniors who were contributors last season, but didn’t add much experience during the winter portal window.

Atkins was the lone linebacker transfer, coming to Auburn after playing one season at LSU. He didn’t play much during his time in Baton Rouge, but was a four-star recruit known most for his speed.

He’s one of many young players in the linebacker room, but his physical tools make him someone to watch. Returners Demarcus Riddick and Robert Woodyard Jr. seem to have the edge to start, but how Atkins looks during the spring could determine what other potential changes Auburn makes before the season starts.

Horatio Fields, WR

Fields was one of two receivers that Auburn added during the winter portal window, joining highly touted Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton Jr.

Given Singleton’s body of work and hype coming out of the portal, a good spring wouldn’t necessarily be him breaking out. For Fields, though, spring practice is a chance to cement a role for himself.

He comes to Auburn with experience and success while at Wake Forest, but joins a room already filled with young talent. At 6-foot-2, 201 pounds, he brings size and an extra redzone threat to Auburn’s offense.

He made 12 contested catches on 24 targets in 2024, five more than any Auburn player, according to Pro Football Focus. Fields and Cam Coleman have the potential to emerge as a one-two punch as jump ball threats, with Singleton and Malcolm Simmons balancing the room with their speed and elusiveness.

Spring practice will be the first chance to see how it all fits together.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m