Auburn Podcaster Names New Defender As An Impact Transfer

The transfer portal window has come and gone, with Hugh Freeze bringing in nine new players. 

Coach Freeze didn't bring in as many players in the portal as many expected, but you can see a path to playing time for each one of the players heading to the Plains. Auburn had a few needs in the portal in the secondary, receiver, and defensive line rooms, and the staff made additions in all three. With these portal additions, the talented freshman coming in, and the players back from last season, Auburn could take that next step in 2024. 

One of the transfers to be excited about is former Texas Longhorn safety Jerrin Thompson. Last season for the Longhorns, Thompson had 38 total tackles, seven pass breakups, and three interceptions. One of his three interceptions came when Texas made the trip to Tuscaloosa and took down the Crimson Tide 34-24.

On the Locked On Auburn, host Zac Blackerby asked guest Charlie 5 to talk about some instant impact transfers, and he brought up Thompson. Charlie 5 had this to say about Thompson, " We needed a veteran safety in this room so incredibly bad. You have a ton of really young talent. A ton, okay. You have a ton coming in. You have a really talented recruiting class full of secondary players, and you have a talented freshman class coming in, but you did not have the guy who has multiple starts and experience against older, seasoned SEC college players. You add a guy who has got tons of starts. He has played in probably 30-plus 40-plus football games in his career. Three interceptions last year big interception against Alabama. Not someone who will wow you with his physicality and his overall physical tools but somebody who has just been there. He knows how to practice, play, and read defenses. That puts a veteran back there with all of these young dudes at corner and opposite him at safety. You will have a new face there, so I think it was our biggest need, to be honest. A guy who can play a veteran safety."

Thompson is just what Auburn needed in the secondary to help these young Tigers adjust to college football and playing in the SEC. If Auburn has a dominant defensive backfield in 2024 Thompson will be a big reason why.