2023 Portal Discussion Thread

[W.E.D 11,070]

28 minutes ago, toddc said:

Excellent EDGE prospect enters transfer portal, is now available to Auburn.

Should Auburn be interested in Sav`ell Smalls?

Matthew JacobsApr 17, 2023 11:22 PM EDT

Sav`ell Smalls, a six-foot-three 265-pound sophomore out of Seattle, Washington, has declared for the portal out of the Washington Huskies. 

Smalls’ talent, he was a five-star recruit out of high school, is thought to have been hampered under the Huskies’ defensive staff. A true pass rusher, he was moved around in the defense in ways that pass understanding. Therefore, his numbers are not a good representation of what type of ability this young man has. Through 29 games he was only able to produce 32 tackles with 1 tackle for a loss. 

There is a ton of ability and talent for an SEC coaching staff to cultivate here. Smalls is a guy that would be a very good fit in Ron Robert’s defensive scheme for Auburn.

Def a "name" guy how has pretty much done nothing in 3 years an can't break the starting rotation.  It's not like we have anything else at the position so sign him up

[dilligas 581]

3 hours ago, ellitor said:

He may be an option for Florida, but not us. I’ve seen their reporters talk about him, but our reporters have still yet to say anything about him in a while.

Oh he would be an option for Auburn without a doubt.  Freeze would have him locked up the minute he hits the portal if he does.

[JerryAU 1,694]

37 minutes ago, ellitor said:

@JerryAUIt all depends on how many & how much people are willing to give.

Over the last year plus, we've been led to believe (by Mods involved with AU NIL) that there's plenty of $$ and AU can compete with our main rivals for talent.

It's been said Freeze has everything he needs to build his roster with backing from the big $$ boosters, some of whom were instrumental in his hiring.  We now have a coaching staff that knows the territory, knows the conference and has support from the Administration and AU financial supporters.  

I don't intend to sound like an arse and I mean no disrespect, but please pardon me for rolling my eyes when "It all depends on how many and how much people are willing to giving" now appears to be some kind of obstacle for bringing in the top-rated talent players. 

After everything this fan base and program have endured over the last 4-5 yrs under multiple HC's + a dysfunctional administrative staff, AU finally has everyone pulling in the same direction.  

[ellitor 33,114]

16 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

I don't intend to sound like an arse and I mean no disrespect, but please pardon me for rolling my eyes when "It all depends on how many and how much people are willing to giving" now appears to be some kind of obstacle for bringing in the top-rated talent players.

I did not say nor imply this. Just pointing out while we have a solid NIL we can't just out bid our top rivals for every recruit/transfer we went. Funds aren't unlimited.

 

[ellitor 33,114]

46 minutes ago, dilligas said:

Oh he would be an option for Auburn without a doubt.  Freeze would have him locked up the minute he hits the portal if he does.

You overlooked having the masters program he wants part of my post.

[ellitor 33,114]

Moved the AU Sources talk discusion to the football forum so we could get this thread back on the transfer portal. You can go here if you want to continue that discussion.

[W.E.D 11,070]

9 minutes ago, ellitor said:

You overlooked having the masters program he wants part of my post.

Assume this is hypothetical?  McCall wants to Master in football.  Take 2-3 classes he'll barely attend and then declare for the NFL in December.

I know they all have to have a "degree", but to quote Cardale Jones "We come here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS."

[AuCivilEng1 11,046]

12 minutes ago, ellitor said:

You overlooked having the masters program he wants part of my post.

I'm surprised Grayson McCall has any interest in a specific masters program. Didn't the kid major in floral management or something?

[W.E.D 11,070]

45 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

I'm surprised Grayson McCall has any interest in a specific masters program. Didn't the kid major in floral management or something?

He's clearly not serious about his academics.  

Source: His current transcripts 

[Lotto 224]

2 hours ago, gr82b4au said:

Can you imagine not having the transfer portal? Goodness our team next year may not win 2 games. 
Without the portal additions just 3 months ago we would be down to 75 scholarship kids and we would be without our starting center, starting left tackle, starting right tackle, starting WR, starting DT, starting linebacker (maybe 2), starting DE… add to that we are desperately still looking for a starting QB, starting guard, and a starting Jack. Can you imagine? We would not be able to fill out a team without them. 
…what HF has done in the short time is frankly amazing, and without the portal we would be worse than Vandy for years.
We still have a long way to go just to compete …that is how bad it is because of the last few years of Gus and then Harsin. 

 

I agree it has been a blessing for our situation.  However we would never be worse than Vandy.  Auburn wasn't Auburn last year but you aren't giving our program the respect it deserves.

[icanthearyou 4,464]

20 hours ago, Lotto said:

I agree it has been a blessing for our situation.  However we would never be worse than Vandy.  Auburn wasn't Auburn last year but you aren't giving our program the respect it deserves.

Disagree.  Vandy wasn't stupid enough to bring Harsin into the SEC.  We currently hold the level of respect we earned/deserve. 

I expect us to be greatly improved and, continue to improve over the course of the season.  We have a top level coach now who understands the conference, understands recruiting, understands the changing nature of the game, has a really good scheme that can offset a disparity in talent (to a degree).

We will be a vastly different team this year.  This year we restore the respect,, not with reputation but,,, by earning it.

Edited April 20, 2023 by icanthearyou

[Gowebb11 9,429]

48 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

He's clearly not serious about his academics.  

Source: His current transcripts 

Bingo. It would be different if he were at Stanford. But I’m pretty sure CC isn’t exactly an elite academic institution. 

[icanthearyou 4,464]

1 minute ago, Gowebb11 said:

Bingo. It would be different if he were at Stanford. But I’m pretty sure CC isn’t exactly an elite academic institution. 

They are the Stanford of the Low Country.

[AuCivilEng1 11,046]

3 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

Bingo. It would be different if he were at Stanford. But I’m pretty sure CC isn’t exactly an elite academic institution. 

Just looked it up on the annual US News ranking. You'd probably be surprised. But, yea its def no Stanford.

[HAPvsOA 339]

4 hours ago, Lotto said:

Auburn football is still looking for their quarterback and on Tuesday, rumors reemerged that Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall could be able to transfer at some point this offseason. If Hugh Freeze would be able to add Grayson McCall to the Auburn football roster in 2023, their outlook on offense looks drastically different.

Looking at the transfer portal, there are several players that could be a good fit with the Auburn Tigers. Offensive linemen like Jaden Muskrat and Emmanuel Pregnon could help the offense. Also, defensive players like Cam'Ron Kelly and Sav`ell Smalls make sense in Ron Roberts' scheme.

 

Anyone know if AU has interest in these two local-bred QBs (Harrison Baily and Bennet Meredith) that have recently entered the portal? Thinking more of depth pieces if TJ leaves and it looks like Harrison was once recruited by Auburn before joining the Vols and losing out in the QB competition to Hendon Hooker. 

Harrison was a 4* Tennessee commit before UNLV.   https://247sports.com/Player/Harrison-Bailey-83301/

Bennett is from Hoover. Not sure how good he is, but was a 3* out of HS.  https://247sports.com/Player/Bennett-Meredith-46103648/

Or this WR from TCU https://247sports.com/Player/Jordan-Hudson-46097244/

Edited April 19, 2023 by HAPvsOA

[AUwent 3,778]

I don't want to resent academic integrity, but yeah, Florida getting him for that reason would do the trick.

(Imagine how GT fans--however many there actually still are--feel...)

Edited April 19, 2023 by AUwent

[ellitor 33,114]

1 hour ago, HAPvsOA said:

Anyone know if AU has interest in these two local-bred QBs (Harrison Baily and Bennet Meredith) that have recently entered the portal? Thinking more of depth pieces if TJ leaves and it looks like Harrison was once recruited by Auburn before joining the Vols and losing out in the QB competition to Hendon Hooker. 

Harrison was a 4* Tennessee commit before UNLV.   https://247sports.com/Player/Harrison-Bailey-83301/

Bennett is from Hoover. Not sure how good he is, but was a 3* out of HS.  https://247sports.com/Player/Bennett-Meredith-46103648/

Or this WR from TCU https://247sports.com/Player/Jordan-Hudson-46097244/

@HAPvsOA No word of AU involvement yet.

[aujohnson 300]

Question regarding SEC transfer eligibility. 
Ethan White entered the portal during the winter window and committed to USC. That has apparently fallen through…so would he be eligible at an SEC school this year if he were to select and enroll in one now?
 

[AUINSY 2,228]

3 hours ago, AUwent said:

I don't want to resent academic integrity, but yeah, Florida getting him for that reason would do the trick.

(Imagine how GT fans--however many there actually still are--feel...)

I’m sure the GTers feel fine, all the way to the bank running their own businesses and living the high life. About football, they may not feel great, but when they’re living like they are, football likely doesn’t mean much. 

[yngwie1995 2,232]

7 hours ago, icanthearyou said:

They are the Stanford of the Low Country.

Wrong. Stanford is the CC of the West.

[ellitor 33,114]

4 hours ago, TeamZero77 said:

Grayson McCall signed an NIL deal with Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, on March 23rd, 2023. He will be a spokesman for the track for the 2023 season which hosts 2 Nascar weekends each year. The first Nascar race weekend is May 12-14, 2023 and the 2nd Nascar race is The Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend, September 2nd and 3rd, 2023. He did the same NIL deal last year as well. The track is only 1 hour from Coastal Carolina's campus and Grayson was recently at the race track shooting commercials for those upcoming Nascar races. 

In this NIL deal, he  is referred to as Coastal Carolina QB for 2023. 

All of that seems VERY self explanatory that he will remain at Coastal Carolina. 

His new HC at Coastal is Tim Beck and he has said that he chose some of his staff based on what McCall was familiar with.

There has been other race track's that have NIL deals with players that are at colleges in the same state as the track. Atlanta Motor Speedway has NIL deals with a few UGA players. Mid Ohio Raceway has NIL deals with Ohio State players. Darlington Raceway and Coastal Carolina are both in South Carolina so that makes perfect sense.

It makes no sense for him promoting the Southern 500 at Darlington on Labor Day weekend Sept. 3rd but playing for Auburn the day before against UMass.

The guy ain't leaving Coastal Carolina.

@TeamZero77 He can still have the NIL and transfer FTR.

[W.E.D 11,070]

1 hour ago, ellitor said:

@TeamZero77 He can still have the NIL and transfer FTR.

That deal is explicitly for him as QB at CC. It would be terminated as soon as he left. Most are structured that way

[AU-24 3,118]

Locked on Auburn saying he may indeed graduate in May (maybe he took a Clep or Dantes test along with his full load of classes?) and the rumors are he’ll go to either Gainesville or to the Plains. I know, just 24 hours ago it was considered so unlikely that this thread was moved to the rival thread.
 
So another one of these don’t shoot the messenger… Just saying what Zac and Mike G are reporting. They are also saying, which is what I heard earlier, that he won’t be able to be here in the summer, but he could be here by the fall. This all from Zac and Mike G. 

[AUnCullman 601]

Maybe Talladega can up the NIL pot a little bit??

[DAG 34,034]

Would not wait on McCall. If dude couldn’t take basic academics a little serious that’s on him. Get a QB NOW.