The dust has settled on the NCAA’s first fall transfer window, a 45-day period that began Dec. 5 and concluded Wednesday night.

There was a flurry of personnel movement across the college football landscape, and Auburn was no exception. In fact, the Tigers were one of the busiest teams during the fall transfer window, and their bountiful haul of transfer signees certainly backs that up as first-year coach Hugh Freeze cleaned up on the transfer market after settling in on the Plains.

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Auburn signed a dozen transfers, with six on each side of the ball, and retained another player who previously intended to transfer in the fall. In all, Auburn’s transfer class ranks second in the country — behind only Florida State — according to the 247Sports transfer team rankings. All that while losing only nine players during the process, which is a staunch difference from a year ago when the program saw 19 players leave the program in the offseason.

With the transfer activity paused, at least until May’s 15-day transfer window, let’s take stock of what Auburn lost and gained through the portal, as well as what needs still stand to be addressed after spring.

What Auburn lost in the portal

Auburn’s attrition on the transfer market wasn’t nearly as steep as it was a year ago, both in the sheer number of players leaving the program and in the production lost. Of Auburn’s nine transfers out of the program, only one of them was a former starter — offensive guard Keiondre Jones, who was a fixture along the line in 2020 and 2021 but started just two games last fall.

Keiondre Jones, offensive lineman: Jones, a former four-star recruit out of LaGrange, Ga., appeared in 36 games during his Auburn career. That included 22 starts along the offensive line, though only two of them came last season. Jones transferred to Florida State as part of its top-ranked portal class and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Zach Calzada, quarterback: Calzada arrived at Auburn last January as the perceived favorite to take over as the Tigers’ starting quarterback following the departure of Bo Nix to Oregon. After starting 10 games at Texas A&M in 2021, Calzada was one of three quarterback additions for Auburn last offseason, along with Oregon transfer Robby Ashford and freshman signee Holden Geriner. Calzada was limited throughout the spring while recovering from a shoulder injury (which he sustained against Auburn the season prior) and had a setback in the summer that put him further behind in the quarterback competition. He didn’t see the field in any of Auburn’s first three games before opting for season-ending shoulder surgery and then entering the portal for a second consecutive offseason. He transferred to Incarnate Word, one of the nation’s top FCS teams, earlier this month.

Dazalin Worsham, wide receiver: Worsham spent just one season at Auburn after transferring in from Miami. The Birmingham native and former Hewitt-Trussville standout appeared in 11 games at receiver and made one start, against Western Kentucky, but finished his only season with four catches for 25 yards before he reentered the portal. He has yet to sign with another program.

Ze’Vian Capers, wide receiver: A former four-star receiver in the 2020 class who was a top-130 prospect coming out of high school, Capers appeared in just 14 games over his three seasons at Auburn. He finished his Auburn career with 14 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown, including just one 16-yard reception while playing in three games last season. He transferred to Western Kentucky earlier this month.

J.J. Evans, wide receiver: Another former four-star prospect and top-200 recruit in the 2020 class, Evans did not see the field in two-plus seasons at Auburn before leaving the team early last fall. He has yet to sign with another program.

Marquis Robinson, defensive lineman: Robinson is a former four-star recruit who signed with Auburn as part of its 2021 class. He appeared in just three games during his two seasons with the program and totaled three tackles. He previously entered the portal last offseason before returning to the team. Robinson has yet to sign with another program.

Joko Willis, linebacker: A former three-star junior college addition for Auburn, Willis spent two seasons on the Plains and appeared in nine games. He totaled four tackles, including one for a loss, while seeing time mostly on special teams. He also played some linebacker and dabbled in a hybrid role at the edge position. Willis has yet to sign with another program.

A.D. Diamond, cornerback: Diamond is a former three-star corner who signed with Auburn as part of its 2021 class. The Tigers flipped him from Louisiana Tech during the transition from Gus Malzahn to Bryan Harsin in December 2020, and he was viewed as a developmental prospect in the secondary. Diamond redshirted in 2021, and he did not see the field in two seasons at Auburn. He recently transferred to UAB.

Jordon Ingram, running back: Ingram is a former three-star prospect from Mobile who started his career at Central Michigan before transferring closer to home at Auburn. He spent two seasons at Auburn, appearing in just one game while recording two carries for 8 yards. He sustained a knee injury in late October that sidelined him the remainder of the season before he entered the portal. He has yet to sign with another program.

What Auburn gained through the transfer portal

When Freeze was introduced as Auburn’s new coach on Nov. 29, he made it pretty clear that addressing needs through the transfer portal would be “a big priority” for him and his staff, with the Tigers expected to lean heavily on the portal to supplement the roster in Year 1.

That won’t always be the case in ensuing years, as Freeze restocks the cupboards primarily through the high school ranks, but it was certainly the case the last 45 days. Auburn added a dozen new players through the transfer portal and retained defensive lineman Zykeivous Walker, who previously left the team in October with intent to transfer. While being active in the portal during this first transfer window, Freeze and his staff addressed various needs for 2023, with a heavy emphasis on both lines of scrimmage. The Tigers added three experienced offensive linemen, all of which are rated as four-star transfer prospects, as well as four players on the line of scrimmage on the defensive side.

Zykeivous Walker, defensive line: Let’s start with Walker, a former four-star prospect who was rated the No. 79 overall recruit in the 2020 class and who drew early comparisons to former Auburn standout Marlon Davidson. The 6-foot-4, 304-pounder left the program in October after seeing the field in just one game last season but Freeze and Co. got him to reconsider his decision, and now he’s back with the team. Walker has appeared in 11 games over the last three seasons, with 20 total tackles, including 2.5 for a loss and one sack.

Gunner Britton, offensive tackle: Britton joins Auburn after spending five seasons at Western Kentucky, where he started 18 games, including all 14 for the Hilltoppers last season. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, the Conway, S.C., native was rated as the No. 6 offensive tackle available in the transfer portal this offseason. He should have one year of eligibility on the Plains as a redshirt senior.

Dillon Wade, offensive tackle: One of the biggest transfer pickups for Auburn this offseason, Wade comes to the Plains from Tulsa, where he previously played under new Auburn offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery. Wade redshirted during the 2020 season but started 16 games over the last two years, including every game at left tackle for Tulsa last fall. The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder was rated as the No. 3 offensive tackle in the transfer portal, and he will have two years of eligibility remaining at Auburn.

Avery Jones, center: Rounding out Auburn’s haul along the offensive line is Jones, the former Eastern Carolina standout. Jones was a four-star prospect out of high school who started his career at North Carolina before transferring to ECU. He spent the last three seasons with the Pirates, becoming a fixture along their offensive line, starting 32 games during that span — including all 13 at center last fall. The 6-foot-4, 288-pounder was rated as the No. 3 interior lineman available in the transfer portal and the top available center on the market.

Justin Rogers, defensive tackle: A transfer from Kentucky, Rogers was one of the top available defensive linemen in the portal during the initial transfer window. The 6-foot-3, 332-pound defensive tackle started 12 games for the Wildcats last season and has 18 career starts (and 33 overall appearances) under his belt. He recorded 35 total tackles last season and has 60 career stops, including five for a loss and three sacks.

Mosiah Nasili-Kite, defensive lineman: Nasili-Kite spent the last two seasons at Maryland, where he appeared in 23 games for the Terps and totaled 63 tackles, with 9.5 for a loss and five sacks. The 6-foot-2, 310-pounder was rated as a four-star transfer prospect by 247Sports and will join Auburn as a grad transfer.

Lawrence Johnson, defensive tackle: A 6-foot-3, 310-pounder from Purdue, Johnson spent five seasons with the Boilermakers before hitting the portal as a grad transfer. Rated as a three-star transfer by 247Sports, Johnson appeared in 46 games during his time at Purdue and has 88 career tackles, with 7.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks. Last season, he played in all 14 games for the Boilermakers and finished with 29 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Elijah McAllister, edge: One of a trio of SEC transfer pickups for Auburn, McAllister comes to the Tigers after spending five seasons at Vanderbilt. A three-star transfer prospect, McAllister was a two-time captain for the Commodores and appeared in 36 games with 12 starts for the program. The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder has 63 career tackles, three forced fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries, an interception and a touchdown on his resume. He’s a key pickup at a position lacking depth for Auburn.

DeMario Tolan, linebacker: The second of three SEC transfers to join the fold for Auburn, Tolan comes to the Plains after spending his freshman season at LSU. He played in 12 games for LSU last fall and finished with 10 tackles before hitting the portal earlier this month. Tolan was a former four-star recruit out of high school and was still rated as a four-star prospect in the transfer portal, per 247Sports, which ranked him as the fifth-best available linebacker on the market.

Austin Keys, linebacker: Rounding out Auburn’s threesome of SEC pickups, as well as its haul on the defensive side, is Keys, who spent his first three seasons at Ole Miss. A former three-star prospect, Keys appeared in 23 games during his time with the Rebels, including all 13 games last fall. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder has 51 career tackles, including a career-high 39 last season that included 3.5 for a loss and a pair of sacks

Brian Battie, running back: Auburn’s biggest need on offense was along the offensive line, but the addition of Battie could be the most eyebrow-raising one for the Tigers on paper. The 5-foot-8, 165-pounder was a consensus All-American as a return specialist at South Florida in 2021 while averaging 32.5 yards per kick return, and he enjoyed a breakthrough season at running back this past fall. Battie ran for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 6.74 yards per carry last season, which was the 20th-best mark nationally among running backs. For his career, Battie has run for 1,842 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 6.6 yards per carry.

Nick Mardner, wide receiver: A transfer from Cincinnati who began his career at Hawaii, Mardner comes to Auburn where he will reunite with Tigers wide receivers coach Marcus Davis, who was his position coach at Hawaii in 2021. While Mardner caught just 19 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns at Cincinnati, he enjoyed his best season while playing under Davis in 2021, when he caught 46 passes for 913 yards and five scores while averaging 19.85 yards per reception. At 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, Mardner provides Auburn with the kind of big-bodied downfield receiver it has lacked the last couple years.

Rivaldo Fairweather, tight end: Fairweather, who was among Auburn’s first transfer pickups, is a four-star transfer who spent the last three seasons at FIU. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder was rated as the sixth-best tight end available in the portal this offseason after he caught 28 passes for 426 yards and three touchdowns last season as the Panthers’ second-leading receiver. For his career, Fairweather has 54 catches for 838 yards and five touchdowns.

What could put Auburn’s transfer haul over the top

After Auburn’s haul of pickups during the first transfer window, paired with its other 2023 signees during December’s early signing period, the Tigers are currently projected at 87 scholarship players for 2023. The NCAA limit is 85, but that number doesn’t need to be firmed up until the fall.

Between now and then, the roster will continue to take shape. There will surely be some more attrition and turnover after the spring, while other needs will be addressed. Chief among those is a portal quarterback to add to the room for Freeze and Montgomery to develop. Freeze said during the early signing period that he would like to bring in an additional quarterback to compete with returning starter Robby Ashford in a room that currently includes redshirt junior T.J. Finley, redshirt freshman Holden Geriner and incoming freshman Hank Brown.

“If it’s the right one, that we believe we can win games with,” Freeze said about the prospect of bringing in a transfer quarterback. “And we’ve gone back and forth on our rankings of them and we’re kind of looking at that list right now and in conversations with the next man up and hopefully we’ll get the right one.”

Whether that quarterback surfaces remains to be seen. There was reportedly mutual interest between Auburn and Grayson McCall before he chose to return to Coastal Carolina, and the Tigers hosted former NC State quarterback Devin Leary before he committed to Kentucky.

If Auburn can find the right quarterback to round add to its already-impressive transfer haul, it could put Freeze’s rapid roster retool over the top. Until then, this is where things stand for Auburn at the end of the fall transfer window.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.