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Biggest changes for Mizzou opponents: Auburn

We’re onto Week 8 in my look into the biggest changes on each roster the Tigers will go up against this football season.

We started with a look at Central Arkansas, which you can find here, and last week we looked at the other side of the Border War, which you can find here.

We looked at the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, which you can find here and we got into conference play with a look at South Carolina, which you can find here. Last week, I took a look at UMass and Week 5, which you can find here.

Last week we looked at Alabama as the Tigers returned from a bye week. You can find that here. Now we're onto Auburn, a team looking at some possible vast improvements after a disappointing 5-7 season.

Let’s get started with the most important losses from last year’s roster.

Payton Thorne, QB

Thorne was brought in through the portal going into 2023 and won the starting quarterback job, then last year he came in as the expected starter to bridge Auburn to its QB of the future.

He played 11 games in 2024, completing 199-of-317 attempts for 2,713 yards with 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was also second on the team in rushing with 112 attempts for 283 yards and two touchdowns. The other Tigers will have a new man under center after Thorne was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals

Hank Brown, QB

Brown was who Thorne was expected to bridge to, even playing in four games last year as a redshirt freshman, starting against New Mexico and Arkansas as questions arose around Thorne’s interceptions.

Brown didn’t fare much better, completing 27-of-43 passes for 403 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, leading to Thorne retaking the job.

But apparently Brown didn’t like the treatment much, or that he was recruited over in the portal, so he hit the portal himself and transferred to Iowa.

Jarquez Hunter, RB

A staple of the Auburn backfield the past four years is now gone Hunter had more than 590 rushing yards his first two seasons, then piled up 909 his junior year and 1,201 as a senior with 25 career rushing scores. He also added 68 catches for 558 yards and four touchdowns in his four years. No one came close to Hunter’s production in the Auburn backfield last year as Thorn was second in yards with 283 and Damari Alston was third at 276.

The Tigers will have a new face at running back for the first time in a long time after Hunter was drafted in the fourth round with pick No. 117 by the Los Angeles Rams.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR

Lambert-Smith was only with the Tigers for one season, but he jumped right in and was an impact receiver, catching 50 passes for 981 yards and eight touchdowns, earning a second-team All-SEC selection. Lambert-Smith helped bridge the Tigers into a young group of receivers, who will now have to step up after he was drafted in the fifth round with pick No. 158 by the Los Angeles Chargers.

Dorian Mausi, LB

Mausi was only with Auburn for one season, but once again, another transfer made an instant impact. He led the Tiger defense with 81 total tackles last year to go with 8.5 for loss and two sacks.

There will be another new face at the position after Mausi was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings.

Jalen McLeod, LB

McLeod was a two-year starter after transferring in before the 2023 season. Last year, he was third on the team with 57 tackles, while leading the team with 13.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks to go with two forced fumbles.

There will be a lot of new linebackers at Auburn after McLeod was drafted in the sixth round at pick No. 194 by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jackson Arnold, QB

With two quarterbacks headed out the door, Auburn brought in one of the better young options available in Arnold.

Missouri fans know last year wasn’t exactly what Arnold wanted at Oklahoma, playing in 10 games and completing 154-of-246 attempts for 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.

With Oklahoma bringing in one of the other top quarterbacks in the portal, Arnold headed out and joined the Tigers as the expected starter for the next couple of seasons.

Eric Singleton Jr., WR

With their top receiver out the door, the Tigers brought in Singleton after two successful seasons at Georgia Tech.

Last season, he amassed 56 catches for 754 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing 21 times for 131 yards and a score in an offense more focused on the run game.

Singleton should help continue the growth of Auburn’s young receivers led by Cam Coleman.

Xavier Chaplin, OT

The Tigers turned to the portal for an offensive lineman and came out of it with Chaplin, a redshirt junior who spent the past two seasons at Virginia Tech and was one of the best offensive linemen available in the portal.

Last season, Chaplin earned honorable mention All-ACC honors, while in 2023 he was a third-team Freshman All-American.

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