The Auburn Tigers made another move in the transfer portal, adding former Maryland tight end Preston Howard to their roster. This marks the second transfer portal commitment for Auburn on the same day, with Howard joining kicker Connor Gibbs as a new addition to the Tigers. The announcement was made by Caleb Jones on X, adding to the excitement around Auburn’s roster reshaping efforts for the upcoming season.
Howard, a 6-foot-4, 231-pound redshirt sophomore, spent two seasons at Maryland, where he played in 22 games and tallied 37 receptions for 349 yards and one touchdown. Despite being a young player, Howard showed solid potential at Maryland and will now join an Auburn program looking to strengthen its tight end position for the 2025 season.
According to On3, Howard is a three-star transfer and currently ranks as the No. 20 tight end available in the portal. This makes him a valuable addition to Auburn’s roster as they look to shore up their depth at the position. Howard’s recruitment coming out of high school was highly regarded, with ESPN ranking him as a four-star athlete, showcasing his potential and skillset at a young age.
The tight end position for Auburn is expected to look much different in 2025. Rivaldo Fairweather, who has been the team’s top contributor at the tight end position since joining the Tigers in 2023, made a significant impact in 2024. Fairweather caught 31 passes for 372 yards and two touchdowns, and his departure will leave a void for Auburn to fill. Additionally, Auburn saw the departure of two tight ends in this transfer cycle—Grant Hidalgo and Micah Riley—further highlighting the need for new faces to step up in the position group.
Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class has already added two players to the tight end position in four-star Hollis Davidson and three-star Ryan Ghea. These new additions, along with Howard, give the Tigers an opportunity to rebuild and strengthen their tight end corps for the upcoming season.
With Howard’s commitment, Auburn’s 2025 roster is starting to take shape, and the Tigers have made a splash in the transfer portal. Auburn has now landed a total of 12 players through the portal, earning them the No. 5 spot in the rankings according to On3. The only teams ahead of Auburn in the portal rankings are Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Michigan, and Oregon. This influx of talent is a testament to the Tigers’ efforts to revamp their roster for the future.
In addition to the players Auburn has added, the Tigers have also seen significant player movement out of the program. With 14 players entering the transfer portal this cycle, Auburn ranks second among the top 10 teams in terms of player departures, tied with Houston. Only Michigan, with 21 players entering the portal, has seen more departures from their roster.
Howard’s transfer is part of a larger trend of players leaving Maryland, as he is one of 19 Terrapins who have entered the transfer portal this cycle. It reflects the growing trend of college football players looking for new opportunities and playing time elsewhere, and Howard’s decision to join Auburn gives the Tigers another talented player to add to their lineup.
As Auburn continues to build for the future, the additions of Howard and other transfer players should help solidify the team’s roster and fill critical gaps. The Tigers will continue to look for ways to build on this momentum as they prepare for the 2025 season.
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