Tag: rico walker

Auburn adds LB Fa’Najae Gotay from transfer portal

Gotay recorded a career-best 44 tackles with 2.5 sacks at Maryland last season.

The Maryland to Auburn pipeline became stronger this week, as Auburn has added its third transfer from the Big Ten program in two seasons.

[autotag]Fa’Najee Gotay[/autotag], a linebacker formerly of Maryland, announced Thursday that he will continue his college career at Auburn after spending the last six seasons with the Terrapins.

He joins former Maryland tight end [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag] by moving from College Park to Auburn ahead of the 2024 season. Auburn received contributions from former Maryland defensive tackle [autotag]Mosiah Nasili-Kite[/autotag] last season. In his lone season on the Plains, Nasili-Kite recorded 10 tackles before tearing his bicep in Auburn’s loss to Georgia in early October, prematurely ending his season.

Gotay enjoyed the most successful season of his college career in 2023 by recording 44 tackles with 4.5 registering for a loss with 2.5 sacks. His college career began in 2018 by playing four games for Maryland. He earned another season of eligibility in 2020 due to the COVID-shortended season, and was granted a medical redshirt in 2021 after an upper-body injury cut his season short after just one game.

Gotay comes to Auburn with 133 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and two interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, he averaged 170 snaps per season for Maryland, and participated in 668 snaps over the last two seasons.

Auburn’s linebacker room gains experience by adding Gotay. Gotay joins the group headlined by returners [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] and [autotag]Austin Keys[/autotag]. Former Duke star [autotag]Dorian Mausi Jr.[/autotag] joins the roster this season to provide another block of experience while players such as [autotag]DJ Barber[/autotag], [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag], and [autotag]Robert Woodyard[/autotag] continue to develop.

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KeAndre Lambert-Smith brings ‘consistency’ and ‘experience’ to Auburn football’s receiver room

The Penn State transfer is the final piece to correcting Auburn’s passing woes.

Hugh Freeze and his staff revamped Auburn’s wide receiver room this offseason by adding talented in-state freshmen receivers including [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag].

The transfer portal was kind to Auburn in this regard as they added Georgia State’s [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag], Maryland’s [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag], and former Cal quarterback [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag] in addition to “the Freeze four.” However, there was still a missing piece that Auburn needed to fill, and they were able to fill the void by adding former Penn State wide receiver [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag].

Lambert-Smith hauled in 1,721 yards on 126 catches and 11 touchdowns during his four-year career in Happy Valley, which is understandable that he was one of the most sought-after wide receivers in the spring transfer portal window. ESPN ranked Lambert-Smith as the No. 13 overall available player in the transfer portal before being scooped by Auburn due to his potential role of being a solid No. 2 or No. 3 receiver.

Auburn is getting that in Lambert-Smith says ESPN’s Billy Tucker. Lambert-Smith provides a presence that Auburn desperately needs on offense.

This is a much-needed shot in the arm as Auburn finished 121st in passing offense last year and the returning unit lacks experience and proven game-breakers. While the Tigers are bringing an impressive 2024 receiver class, they will be freshmen and adjusting to the speed of the SEC.

Lambert-Smith might not step in and be the go-to target, but he will bring consistency and experience to a complex offense as a No. 2 or 3 target. He will also bring a veteran presence to young receiver room, and that is important as well.

Auburn finished last in passing offense last season by passing for just 2,109 yards and 18 touchdowns. [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] is expected to return to Auburn’s starting quarterback role, and should be more comfortable heading into the 2024 season with a new-look wide receiver room.

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Auburn football ‘seperates themselves’ with spring transfer portal additions

Auburn’s 2024 transfer portal haul continues to impress the national media, including The Athletic.

Auburn football filled needs by adding several key players during the spring transfer portal window. Most media outlets feel that Auburn took a giant step forward this spring by landing players such as former Indiana defensive lineman [autotag]Philip Blidi[/autotag] and former Penn State wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith to its roster, including Kennington Smith of The Athletic.

Smith released his SEC spring recap over the weekend, which features several interesting aspects such as projected wins, coaching changes, and notable returners. Near the end of his review, he added the SEC’s top five transfer portal winners, including Auburn.

Smith was impressed with two of Auburn’s defensive additions, but adding another talented wide receiver to the mix blew him away.

The Tigers added a few defensive players this spring to bolster the defensive front: Keyron Crawford (Arkansas State) and Isaiah Raikes (USC), but the biggest win was nabbing (KeAndre) Lambert-Smith, one of the most sought-after players in the spring window.

The Athletic joins CBS Sports by tabbing Auburn a ‘transfer portal winner.’ CBS Sports placed Auburn at No. 2 of its national rankings and issued them a “B-” grade.

Auburn ranks No. 28 in 247Sports’ 2024 transfer portal rankings. The Tigers have landed 14 transfers from the portal since the final whistle of the 2023 season. Lambert-Smith is the top transfer, followed by former Maryland tight end [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag], former Mississippi State tackle [autotag]Percy Lewis[/autotag], and ex-Georgia State wide receiver [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] following.

Auburn dubbed a ‘transfer portal winner’ by The Athletic

Auburn has reeled in several notable additions from the transfer portal to fill key areas ahead of the 2024 season.

Auburn’s coaching staff is working hard to fill key areas with transfer portal additions, and are currently succeeding.

The Tigers will have added a talented wide receiver, a sturdy offensive lineman, and several solid defensive additions which should help boost its stock in the upcoming 2024 season. The haul has been impressive so far, and outlets such as The Athletic are taking notice.

Manny Navarro of The Athletic recently revealed his winners and losers from the SEC when it comes to their activity in the transfer portal. At the front of the “winners” list is Auburn. Navarro says the Tigers’ transfer additions have outweighed their departures.

Auburn’s recruiting has been on the uptick since Hugh Freeze took over. The 2024 class ranks No. 8 after the early signing period and the Tigers are also bringing in quality talent in the portal. Among the notable additions are former Georgia State standout receiver [autotag]Robert Lewis[/autotag] (70 catches, 877 yards in 2023), ex-Mississippi State left tackle [autotag]Percy Lewis[/autotag] (seven starts in 2023), former Texas and Minnesota defensive tackle [autotag]Trill Carter[/autotag] (31 career starts), ex-Duke linebacker [autotag]Dorian Mausi[/autotag] (27 starts) and former Texas safety [autotag]Jerrin Thompson[/autotag] (31 starts).

Those pickups outweigh the losses of 2022 starting quarterback [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] (South Carolina) and linebacker [autotag]Cam Riley[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Donovan Kaufman[/autotag], who both ranked in the top 11 on the team in tackles last season and haven’t found new landing spots yet.

[autotag]Antonio Kite[/autotag] (CB-Alabama), Jerrin Thompson (S-Texas), Percy Lewis (OT-Mississippi State), and [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag] (TE-Maryland) are the most notable transfer additions for Auburn so far, as they all join the roster as four-star transfers according to 247Sports.

Joining Auburn as “winners” include Ole Miss, Kentucky, and Missouri. Arkansas and Florida were teams who “broke even”, while Alabama, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt joined the “losers” category.

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Auburn lands Maryland TE transfer Rico Walker

Auburn has landed Maryland tight end Rico Walker.

Auburn has addressed a key need in the tight end room with the addition of [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag], who announced his commitment to the Tigers Monday on social media.

Walker spent one season at Maryland before entering the transfer portal. He appeared in eight games, catching four passes for 28 yards.

Walker’s father Ricardo played defensive line an Auburn in 1990’s but Auburn was never a serious contender for Walker as a high school recruit under the previous staff.

A great athlete at 6-foot-4 and 248 pounds, Walker has three seasons of eligibility left and is a developmental project for tight ends coach [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag].

With [autotag]Ricardo Fairweather[/autotag] and [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag] both out of eligibility after the 2024 season, Walker gives the Tigers another promising young player to go with [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag].

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Maryland transfer TE Rico Walker nearing decision after Auburn visit

Decision time is approaching for Auburn transfer tight end target Rico Walker.

[autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag]’s time in the transfer portal could be coming to a close.

The former Maryland Terrapin visited Auburn on Thursday and after his upcoming visit to USF, it will be decision time, he told On3’s Cole Pinkston. He also revealed what stands out about Auburn.

“Facility for sure,” Walker said. “Coach (Hugh) Freeze, and of course Coach B ([autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag]). They’re good, honest people. I can tell they’re family-oriented too.”

An Auburn legacy, Auburn recruited Walker in the 2023 recruiting cycle but he ultimately signed with Maryland. He appeared in eight games, catching four catches for 27 yards and will have three seasons of eligibility at his next stop.

His youth plus his ability to be a hybrid tight end, serving as both a blocker and pass catcher, make him a perfect fit for Auburn. The Tigers have not signed a high school tight end since [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag] in 2022 and will likely lose [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] and [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag] after this season.

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Maryland TE transfer Rico Walker to officially visit Auburn

Auburn is set to host transfer tight end Rico Walker on an official visit.

Auburn is looking to add a young tight end out of the transfer portal and a new target has emerged in [autotag] Rico Walker[/autotag]. He played in eight games as a freshman for Maryland before deciding to enter the portal and picking up an offer from Auburn.

With three more seasons of eligibility, he has the youth that [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag] is trying to add to a room full of veterans. That interest is mutual as Walker will officially visit Auburn on Jan. 3, according to On3’s Jeffrey Lee.

Auburn recruited Walker out of high school and was a finalist for the Hickory, North Carolina product before he committed to North Carolina but ultimately signed with the Terrapins. His father, Ricardo, played defensive tackle for Auburn in the 1990s.

The 6-foot-4, 248-pounder was a four-star prospect coming out of high school and was recruited as both a tight end and edge rusher before ultimately settling on the offensive side of the ball for the Terrapins. He caught four passes for 27 yards.

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UNC Football lands commitment from four-star edge rusher

The UNC football program has landed four-star edge rusher Rico Walker for their 2023 class.

Mack Brown and the UNC football program have landed another big recruit for their 2023 class.

On Monday, four-star edge rusher [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag] ended his commitment and pledged his verbal commitment to North Carolina. The 6-foot-3, 233-pound edge rusher is a Hickory, North Carolina native and has opted to stay home and play for UNC, picking them over 27 other offers including finalists Auburn, Florida, Maryland, and Tennessee.

Walker took just two official visits as he was on UNC’s campus June 24th and Maryland as well in June.

For the Tar Heels, this is the 15th commitment for UNC’s 2023 class which now ranks No. 20 overall per the 247Sports recruiting rankings.  Walker is ranked No. 193 overall, No. 24 edge rusher, and No. 6 player in the state of North Carolina.

The Tar Heels are likely not done yet with this 2023 class as they have a few more offers out to prospects. When it’s all said and done, this should be a top 20 class for Mack Brown here in the 2023 cycle.

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4-star North Carolina EDGE moving up commitment date naming top 5

Florida lands in another four-star recruit’s top five, but he might be another team’s to lose already.

Florida made four-star edge rusher [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag]’s top five on Friday but it will take a lot for the Gators to land the North Carolina recruit.

After releasing his list, Walker told 247Sports that a commitment was in the works and that he’d be announcing a decision “later in July or August.” He made official visits to UNC and Maryland in June and planned to take the rest in the fall, but now it sounds like those trips will come while he’s committed.

The Gators got on Walker’s radar after Billy Napier brought [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag] on board as an inside linebackers coach. Bateman recruited Walker for the Tarheels before moving to the SEC and kept up the relationship.

“He (Bateman) began coaching at Florida so that raised them on my list,” Walker said. “I just (connect) with him. I just do. He is a cool dude. I enjoy talking to him. Also, me and the tight ends coach (William Peagler), we have a good relationship.”

Are those two relationships enough to get Florida into serious consideration though? It’s unlikely, to say the least. If North Carolina and Maryland don’t land him, Auburn and Tennessee have links to Walker’s father, so Florida could well be in fifth place here.

Napier and Co. can’t do much about it either. The dead period is upon us and Walker’s new timeline suggests that he’ll be committed before he’s able to get to Gainesville again. The staff recently helped flip four-star edge rusher [autotag]Isaiah Nixon[/autotag] from UCF, so there is a chance for UF to make another steal. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Florida fade from this recruitment either.

Walker is ranked No. 178 overall on the 247Sports composite and is also No. 23 among edge rushers in the class of 2023.

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Four-star out of North Carolina drops top five schools

Auburn appeared in his top five, but an ACC team may already have the jump.

A four-star defensive end released his final five schools on Friday, and the Auburn Tigers were among them — chances are looking slim for the Tigers to win his commitment, however.

2023 recruit Rico Walker, an edge-rushing prospect out of Hickory, North Carolina, named Auburn among his top five schools remaining in his recruitment process. The other four schools include the in-state North Carolina Tarheels, Maryland and two fellow SEC schools in the Tennessee Volunteers and the Florida Gators.

Despite Auburn’s appearance in Walker’s final five, the Tarheels are currently slated to win his hand. 247Sports’ Crystal Ball has two predictions both sending Walker to his home-state school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The Tigers haven’t had any success when it’s come to the edge rushing front in recruiting. Auburn has offered 23 different edge rushers for the 2023 class, but none of them have committed to play on The Plains just yet —  four-star Keldric Faulk appears to be the only recruit that [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] and his squad have a decent chance to land at the moment, but it will still be interesting to see what Walker ends up doing come his commitment day despite having an overwhelming favorite at this point in the process.

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