The transfer portal is one of the most important aspects of college football and a coach’s ability to effectively use the portal can make or break a team’s season.
[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has yet to coach a game as Auburn’s head coach but he has done a great job addressing the holes on the roster through the portal. The Tigers have added 12 players this offseason and Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports has taken notice. He included the Tigers in his top 10 transfer classes..
Myerberg thinks former USF running back [autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] is the Tiger’s top transfer but made sure to recognize the multiple SEC defenders they are bringing in.
Auburn’s transfer group has an SEC flair, with additions coming in from Mississippi (linebacker Austin Keys), Kentucky (defensive lineman Justin Rogers), LSU (linebacker DeMario Tolan), and Vanderbilt (edge rusher Elijah McCallister). Most of the remaining transfers come on the offensive side of the ball, including three Group of Five linemen with starting experience. Battie checks in after finishing third in the American in rushing yards and fourth in yards per carry in 2022.
Myerberg isn’t the only one high on Battie’s value, Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire ranked Battie as one of the most impactful transfers from this offseason.
Battie rushed for 1,176 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He is also a weapon in the return game, having returned three kickoffs for touchdowns and averaging 24.2 yards per return over the past two seasons.
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