Projecting Auburn football's starters ahead of 2023 season after major roster shuffle

AUBURN — The dust may finally be settled.

Auburn football has had one of the busiest offseasons in the country. With new coach Hugh Freeze resetting his roster, the Tigers brought in 20 players from the transfer portal since he took over in November, tied with BYU for the ninth most among Division I programs.

And with about 22 freshmen and former junior college players also coming in − a couple newcomers are still working to qualify − nearly half of Auburn's roster will be made up of new faces. Here's a look at who we think will start for the Tigers in 2023, with the offense projected in "11" personnel (one running back, one tight end) and the defense in what'll likely be its base formation.

BY THE NUMBERS: Breaking down what Auburn football gained, lost in the transfer portal this offseason

GETTING RECOGNIZED: Takeo Spikes, Antonio Langham headline Alabama icons on College Football Hall of Fame ballot

Quarterback: Payton Thorne

Freeze and his staff were patient at this position. The Tigers had their chances to add a portal QB throughout the offseason, but held off before landing on Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne last month. If Thorne can tap back into what he did in 2021 (3,232 passing yards and 27 TDs), Auburn's ceiling will rise considerably.

Incumbent starter Robby Ashford is still in the mix, along with redshirt freshman Holden Geriner, but Thorne is the projected starter due to the fact that Freeze went out and sought him specifically.

Running back: Jarquez Hunter

Thorne's best season came when he had a strong running game to lean on − Kenneth Walker rushed for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns two seasons ago − which makes Jarquez Hunter's job even more important. He collected 668 rushing yards behind Tank Bigsby in 2022, but it's to be seen how he'll perform as the featured back.

Wide receiver: Jyaire Shorter, Shane Hooks, Ja'Varrius Johnson

This position saw the most churn this offseason. Auburn lost four receivers to the portal, namely Tar'Varish Dawson (Colorado) and Landen King (Utah), but added four players to replace them. Two of those newcomers − Jyaire Shorter and Shane Hooks − have a good chance to start, but expect a heavy rotation of at least seven receivers.

Tight end: Rivaldo Fairweather

Florida International transfer Rivaldo Fairweather has the chance to be one of Auburn's most impactful pickups. His 6-foot-4, 251-pound frame is exactly what Freeze looks for in pass catchers, and his 426 receiving yards last season prove he's capable of making an impact in the passing game. The offense adds another dimension if Fairweather levels up on that production.

Offensive line: LT Dillon Wade, LG Jeremiah Wright, C Avery Jones, RG Jaden Muskrat, RT Gunner Britton

Bringing in four transfers and all of them starting on the offensive line is either a recipe for disaster or exactly what the Tigers needed. We won't know until the fall, though the staff didn't have much of a choice but to retool the unit.

Jeremiah Wright at left guard is the only returning player likely to be with the first group. Gunner Britton (right tackle), Avery Jones (center) and Dillon Wade (left tackle) all settled in nicely to their roles during spring practice, and Jaden Muskrat, who committed to Auburn on May 8, is someone with the versatility to play both tackle and guard, according to Freeze.

Defensive line: NT Jayson Jones, DT Justin Rogers, DE Marcus Harris

A unit of Jayson Jones, Justin Rogers and Marcus Harris started at A-Day in April, and there's no reason to believe that group won't be the starters come September. Jeffrey M'ba could've challenged Harris, but he entered the portal and transferred to Purdue following spring practice.

Jack: Jalen McLeod

Appalachian State transfer Jalen McLeod only played against an SEC team once during his three seasons with the Mountaineers, but he made it count. The 6-foot-1, 237-pound pass rusher logged three tackles, two sacks and forced two fumbles in an upset win at Texas A&M last September. Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister and true freshman Keldric Faulk should see time here, too.

Off-ball linebackers: Austin Keys, Larry Nixon III

"Just his passion," Freeze said May 17 when asked what he liked in North Texas transfer Larry Nixon III. "The way he ran to the football and the way he's a solid tackler. You just can't have enough of those guys. And I think he's going to come in and compete for a starting position. I really do."

Slotting Nixon, who tallied over 100 tackles last season, next to Ole Miss transfer Austin Keys gives Auburn a new-look linebacker corps after four-year starter Owen Pappoe left for the NFL.

Cornerbacks: DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett

The secondary saw little movement this offseason; that's due in large part because of what DJ James and Nehemiah Pritchett are expected to do in 2023. The duo started together last season and decided to come back for another year on the Plains, re-forming what could be one of the SEC's best tandems at the position this upcoming season.

Star: Keionte Scott

Keionte Scott quickly played his way onto the field and made an impact last season after transferring to Auburn from Snow College, a junior college in Utah. With a season of experience, he's likely to start at the star, which is a position similar to slot cornerback. Donovan Kaufman could also be a name to watch at this spot.

Safeties: Jaylin Simpson, Zion Puckett

Craig McDonald, a sophomore safety from Minnesota, was the only player in the secondary to transfer out of Auburn this offseason. With little movement, expect Jaylin Simpson and Zion Puckett to start on the back end.

Kicker/Punter: Alex McPherson, Oscar Chapman

Auburn didn't bring in a transfer kicker or punter, nor did it see one go out the door. Alex McPherson, who was ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 1 kicker in the Class of 2022, is primed to start. Oscar Chapman is back following a season that saw him as a Ray Guy Award semifinalist.

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football: Predicting who starts for Hugh Freeze in 2023