The last four College Football Playoff national champions all reside within the SEC. A strong reason for that is the conference’s ability to reel in top talent from across the country.
Not only is the SEC regularly at the top of the high school recruiting rankings, but they have also become a top destination for those in the transfer portal. According to current rankings from 247Sports, there are seven teams from the SEC that make up the transfer portal’s top 25 rankings.
The Auburn Tigers are No. 3 in 247Sports’ rankings, trailing just Colorado and LSU with 21 incoming transfers for this cycle. Out of the 21 signees, 11 of those have a four-star rating.
Out of all of the talented additions to Auburn’s roster, which one has the best chance to make an immediate impact in 2023? CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee says that Auburn fans need to look no further than quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag].
Sallee broke down the SEC’s most impactful transfers recently, where Thorne was mentioned among the five highlighted athletes. Sallee believes Thorne can provide a spark for Auburn’s offense.
First-year Tigers coach Hugh Freeze arrived on the Plains with one goal in mind: kickstart an underperforming offense. The passing game needed the most help, which is why Freeze lured Thorne away from Michigan State. Thorne threw for 6,493 yards and rushed for 270 yards in 29 games for the Spartans. He will have to battle with incumbent starter Robby Ashford during fall camp, but Thorne should have a leg up with Freeze looking to air it out in his return to the SEC.
The Michigan State transfer was listed alongside Alabama quarterback Tyler Buchner (Notre Dame), Georgia wide receiver Dominic Lovett (Missouri), Ole Miss quarterback Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State), and LSU defensive back Denver Harris (Texas A&M).
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