Checking in on Auburn's Transfer Portal Departures

In the offseason, the Auburn Tigers' transfer portal looked exceedingly busy. While everyone knows what happened to the players who landed on the Plains. Yet, what became of those who left?

The transfer portal can become a program's best friend or worst enemy, depending on your vantage point. Players will leave for various reasons: more playing time, better NIL funds. Yet, when they step away into the metaphorical abyss, what happens to them?

247 Sports lists 28 different former Tigers that landed elsewhere. Here are a few of the most notable.

CB Tyler Scott (Georgia State)

When you are known for something that happened before the game instead of your play, something is wrong. For Scott, that occurred during a game against Ole Miss. Before kickoff, Scott snatched the chain off Mississippi defensive end Da’Shawn Womack, launching it into the stands. Georgia State Dell McGee suspended Scott and his two tackles per game, proving that addition by subtraction is real.

QB Walker White (Baylor)

The redshirt freshman enjoys the perfect situation in Waco. First, he gets to sit behind Sawyer Robertson, learning the offense from the sidelines. Next, when Robertson ultimately heads for the NFL, White will most certainly compete for his starting job. While he did not sniff the field at Jordan-Hare, the former highly touted recruit will probably get time next season for the Bears. This season, he's connected on 40 percent of his passes for 18 yards in limited duty.

DB Antonio Kite (Ole Miss)

After bouncing between Alabama and Auburn, the junior cornerback found his way to Oxford, landing a starting spot. While a defensive holding call negated his only interception this season, Kite plays a large role on a defense that surrenders 172.4 yards through the air, ranking 31st in FBS.

DB Caleb Wooden (Arkansas)

Under former head coach Sam Pittman, Wooden enjoyed extensive snaps in subpackages as a backup safety. His 19 tackles are a career high for the three-year Tiger, who then pulled in two interceptions at Auburn. With interim head coach Bobby Petrino taking the helm and cleaning out the coaching staff, Wooden's continued play remains unknown.

The Other Side

When a player leaves the team, there is no promise of playing time or a better financial situation. In fact, many players on the list who were backups for Auburn are backups at their new school, playing just as many or fewer snaps as they did before. One of the dangers of the transfer portal is the illusion that better days will await a player on the other side. In reality, it remains a roll of the dice.

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