CBS Sports Names Auburn Backup Quarterback One of Nation’s Best

CBS Sports’ Will Backus published his list of the best backup quarterbacks in the nation on Saturday, and among those listed was Ashton Daniels. The Stanford transfer will begin his first season as a member of the Auburn Tigers in 2025 and could offer the Tigers a valuable safety blanket in case of injury.

Though head coach Hugh Freeze hasn’t officially named a starter for 2025, most expect the job to go to Oklahoma transfer and former 5-star prospect Jackson Arnold. Daniels is the next-most experienced quarterback on the Tigers’ roster and would logically fill the backup role.

Daniels started as Stanford’s quarterback for two years before transferring to The Plains, and offered the Cardinal dynamic playmaking ability from that spot. Daniels had his best season in the Pac-12 in 2023, throwing for 2,247 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. 

The jump to the ACC in 2024 saw Daniels take a step back, falling short of all three of his previous marks. He threw for just 1,700 yards and 10 touchdowns, which, combined with his 12 interceptions, showed a marked regression from the junior.

However, what Daniels lost in passing yards he made up for with his legs. The 2023 season saw the Stanford signal caller rush for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns, a mark he more than doubled in 2024 with 669 yards and three more scores.

The expanded rushing attack was reminiscent of his early days at Stanford, when Daniels was used as a wildcat quarterback in the 2022 season. He rushed for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.

The Cardinal starter at the time was current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee. Though McKee had many talents, running was not one of them, as he had a shocking -82 rushing yards over his full collegiate career.

In the portal, Daniels was ranked No. 502 in the country and the No. 57 quarterback by 247 Sports, a solid 3-Star transfer to bring in for depth behind Arnold. Should Arnold get injured in 2025, the Tigers should be able to get solid production from Daniels, whose athleticism will be able to at least keep defenses on their toes.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if Freeze has a couple of formations in his extensive playbook for Daniels as a wildcat quarterback, like he was in 2022. Having a second athletic quarterback can be a key asset for an offense, whether as a gadget player or a change of pace and decoy to distract a defense. Either way, the Tiger faithful should be confident that any injury to Arnold wouldn’t mean the instant death of Auburn’s 2025 campaign.

More From Auburn Tigers on SI