Jackson Arnold had options when he entered the transfer portal in December 2024.

He was coming off a shaky season at Oklahoma, but with SEC experience and as a former five-star recruit, Arnold still had plenty of suitors looking to give him a second chance.

Arnold eventually chose Auburn, joining a quarterback room in the midst of a rebuild after losing all four scholarship QBs from the year before. Now, he’s embracing the role of the Tigers’ starter and one of the program’s leaders.

He represented the Tigers at SEC Media Days on Tuesday, and gave some insight into his recruitment out of the portal and how he landed at Auburn. Arnold said Auburn’s staff was the first to contact him after he entered the portal and he quickly developed a relationship with the offensive coaches.

“Almost all the offensive coaches texted me early on,” Arnold said. “Not only that, a day later I hopped on a zoom call with them all. They kind of laid everything out for me, showed me my fit in their offense.”

When it came time to make a decision, Arnold said Auburn’s depth and his fit in the offensive scheme put the Tigers across the line for him.

Now at Auburn, he’ll be the face of a team looking to win more than six games in a season for the first time since 2019. Head coach Hugh Freeze said Arnold quickly became a leader after arriving in January, becoming one of the leading vote getters in the team’s summer leadership council elections.

Arnold’s first action with the Tigers will come against Baylor on Aug. 29, game that will be somewhat of a homecoming for the Denton, Texas, native.

“I’m excited about playing in Texas on a Friday night,” Arnold said. “Just like high school.”

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m