Tag: Gunner Britton

The SEC’s most underrated transfer currently resides on Auburn’s roster

A member of Auburn’s top-five transfer portal class is not getting the recognition that he deserves.

Auburn Football currently holds the nation’s No. 4 ranked transfer portal class, trailing only LSU, USC, and Florida State, and leading Colorado, which has had an impressive haul as well.

Out of the 12 commitments that Auburn has received from the transfer portal, Auburn fans are excited about the boost to the offensive line that [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Dillion Wade[/autotag], and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] bring to the table, as well as the added help that [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag], [autotag]Demario Tolan[/autotag], and [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] can provide to their respective positions.

While all six of the aforementioned names are worthy of respect, there is one addition in particular that is not receiving the recognition that he deserves.

[autotag]Mosiah Nasili-Kite[/autotag], the former Maryland defensive lineman who has recorded 43 total tackles and 9.5 sacks over two seasons at Maryland, has been named the SEC’s most underrated transfer according to MikeFarrellSports.com.

Writer Matt Perkins says that Nasili-Kite is like a swiss army knife that can be used in many ways.

Hugh Freeze has done a solid job putting together a strong transfer class, especially on the defensive line. The Maryland transfer isn’t the biggest name that Auburn is bringing in, but he’s a versatile piece that can be used on any down and distance.

The SEC currently has six teams in the top 20 of 247Sports’ transfer rankings. Ole Miss, Florida, Kentucky, and Arkansas join Auburn and LSU as those with impressive transfer portal additions.

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Transfer OL target Micah Mazzccua picks Florida

Auburn has done a great job in the transfer portal but were unable to land the former Baylor Bear.

Auburn has landed several proven offensive tackles from the transfer portal and is looking for help along the interior of the line now.

Former Baylor left guard [autotag]Micah Mazzccua[/autotag] had Auburn in his final three but chose the Florida Gators over the Tigers Tuesday night. The 6-foot-5, 331-pounder started 10 games last season at left guard for Baylor and would have contended for a starting job on the Plains.

While the Tigers missed on Mazzccua, they did land another offensive lineman on Tuesday when four-star center [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] flipped his commitment from Illinois to Auburn. The decision clearly angered Illinois head coach Bret Bielema who took to Twitter to complain.

After first alleging the flip was due to NIL in one tweet, he then acted like Illinois didn’t actually want Jones.

 

Jones started his career at North Carolina before transferring to East Carolina, where he started every game last season. The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder is Auburn’s 10th addition through the portal and third along the offensive lineman. The Tigers have also signed offensive tackles [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag].

Each of the transfers have been highly ranked, Jones was the No. 3 interior offensive lineman in the portal according to 247Sports. Wade and Britton were also four-star recruits and the No. 3 and No. 5 tackles respectively.

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Bret Bielema seems to be upset that Avery Jones flipped from Illinois to Auburn

The former Arkansas head coach is not happy that the former ECU center flipped his commitment from Illinois to Auburn.

Auburn Football snagged its’ 10th athlete from the transfer portal on Tuesday when former ECU center Avery Jones announced that he would be joining the Tigers roster.

Jones’ commitment was the third from the transfer portal since Monday joining former Cincinnati wide receiver [autotag]Nick Mardner[/autotag] and former USF running back [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag]. He also becomes the third top-five-ranked lineman that Auburn has acquired through the transfer portal, joining [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag].

Auburn fans are understandably excited about Jones’ commitment. However, there are fans of another program, and even its head coach, that is disappointed that they missed out.

Jones committed to Illinois on Dec. 12, but changed his mind nearly a month later. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema shared his displeasure with Jones’ change of heart on Twitter.

In his first tweet, the former Arkansas head coach says that Auburn’s success with NIL led to Jones flipping from the Fighting Illini to the Tigers.

He did not stop there. He later quote tweeted Illini Inquirer writer Jeremy Werner’s tweet with a “we did not want him anyway” style comment.

Jones, who has one season of eligibility remaining, spurned the Illini in favor of playing in the SEC to boost his draft stock. With Jones’ commitment, Auburn now ranks No. 3 in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings, behind Florida State and Colorado.

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Auburn adds OL Avery Jones from transfer portal

In what has become a new tradition, another top-five offensive lineman from the transfer portal has committed to Auburn.

Auburn had already added two of the best offensive linemen that the transfer portal has to offer to its’ 2023 signing class.

On Tuesday, Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] added his third.

Former East Carolina center [autotag]Avery Jones[/autotag] announced his commitment to the Tigers on Tuesday afternoon, which brings Auburn’s transfer portal intake to ten players. On Monday, former Cincinnati wide receiver Nick Gardner and former USF running back Brian Battie also signed with Auburn.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jones participated in 852 snaps for the Pirates in 2022 and allowed just one sack and eight QB hurries. His pass-blocking grade was 78.7, which was the eighth-best among Group of Five centers.

As a member of the 2018 recruiting class, Jones was the No. 4 guard in the nation, and the No. 9 best prospect from the state of North Carolina. As a transfer, he was the No. 3 interior offensive lineman in the transfer portal. He joins fellow commits [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] as top-five Auburn offensive line commits from the transfer portal. Wade and Britton are the No. 3 and No. 5 offensive tackles from the transfer portal according to 247Sports.

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Transfer OL target Micah Mazzccua sets commitment date

He will be deciding between Auburn, Florida, and Nebraska.

Auburn has already addressed multiple needs for the 2023 season through the transfer portal. The Tigers have added multiple defensive linemen and offensive tackles but so far have been unable to snag an interior offensive lineman.

That could be changing soon as interior offensive lineman [autotag]Micah Mazzccua[/autotag] will be announcing his commitment on Tuesday at 8 p.m. He played left guard for the Baylor Bears and will be deciding between Auburn, Florida, and Nebraska.

The 6-foot-5 and 351-pound Mazzccua played in 21 games over the past two seasons for the Bears and was will have three seasons of eligibility at his next school.

The Baltimore, Maryland, native visited Auburn on Jan. 4 and has also taken visits to Florida and Nebraska since entering the portal on Dec. 18.

The Tigers have already landed offensive tackles [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] and [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] from the portal. Even if they do add Mazzccua the Tigers could still look to add another interior offensive lineman.

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Auburn lands top offensive line transfer from Western Kentucky

Hugh Freeze continues to target the trenches.

The Tigers’ extensive work in the transfer portal is paying off.

Coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and staff have landed another player from the transfer portal on Thursday — this time, it’s former Western Kentucky offensive lineman [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag]. Britton is the second lineman to commit to the Tigers this offseason, following former Tulsa player Dillon Wade.

Britton’s Western Kentucky team faced Auburn in 2022, losing to the Tigers 41-17 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Now, he’ll join the Tigers to help a line that has seen numerous injuries and departures in recent years. Britton is the No. 5 transfer offensive tackle in the nation, so the addition of another lineman seems to indicate that the offensive line has been a point of emphasis for coach Hugh Freeze to protect whoever will be under center for the Tigers in 2023.

Auburn has hosted other potential lineman transfers as well, bringing in Baylor’s [autotag]Micah Mazzccua[/autotag] for a visit as well. The transfer season is far from over, so whether Freeze will continue to target the trenches after Britton remains to be seen.

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Auburn offers former Michigan WR Andrel Anthony

Auburn is looking to add to their impressive transfer class.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] knows Auburn’s roster needs instant-impact players and the best place for those players is in the transfer portal. The Tigers are looking to add a wide receiver from the portal and on Thursday they extended an offer to former Michigan wide receiver [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag].

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound wideout spent the past two seasons at Michigan and entered the portal on Jan. 4. He has quickly emerged as one of the top portal targets and already has over a dozen scholarship offers.

His best season was in 2021 when he caught 12 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. His production took a step back in 2022, when he caught seven passes for 80 yards and one touchdown.

The Tiger’s top pass catcher last season was [autotag]Ja’Varrius Johnson[/autotag] who caught just 26 passes for 493 yards and three touchdowns.

Anthony isn’t the only transfer receiver Auburn is targeting, former Georgia State wideout [autotag]Jamari Thrash[/autotag] was scheduled to visit Auburn on Thursday.

The Tigers have done a great job addressing their needs in the portal so far, they have landed two of the top offensive tackles in the portal in [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] and [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag]. They have also added former FIU tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] and former Vanderbilt pass-rusher [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag].

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Former Western Kentucky OT Gunner Britton to visit Auburn

Britton has appeared in 51 games over the past five seasons.

Auburn has already landed Tulsa transfer [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] from the transfer portal but they are still looking to add at least one more offensive tackle from the portal.

One of the Tiger’s targets is former Western Kentucky left tackle [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] and the interest is mutual. He is set to take a visit to Auburn from Wednesday to Thursday, according to Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover.

Britton entered the transfer portal on Nov. 29, 2022, as a grad transfer after appearing in 51 games for the Hilltoppers over the past five seasons.

The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team in 2022 and has one season of eligibility left.

Auburn is returning just one true offensive tackle from last year’s team in rising redshirt-sophomore Colby Smith. They have already landed JUCO offensive tackle [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] to go with Wade.

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