Auburn S Marquise Gilbert enters the NCAA Transfer Portal
AUBURN — Junior safety Marquise Gilbert plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.
The portal officially opens on December 4 and closes on January 3. Players simply have to enter the portal by January 3 to be eligible to transfer elsewhere. They can make their decision whenever they’d like after entering the portal.
Career production: Gilbert played in eight games over the last two seasons after transferring to Auburn from the junior college ranks. He finished with eight tackles in those five games. Gilbert only played in three games during the 2023 season.
Prospect history: Marquise Gilbert is a former JUCO 4-star prospect originally from Palm Coast, Fla. He was ranked the No. 7 JUCO prospect nationally and No. 1 JUCO safety in the 2022 class according to the On3 Sports Consensus prospect rankings.
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What does Gilbert’s departure mean?
Marquise Gilbert barely played during his two seasons. He never reached the potential of his ranking and only served in backup capacity during his two seasons. While Auburn is losing Jaylin Simpson to the NFL and Zion Puckett to graduation, Gilbert wasn’t seen as the answer in the backend. Gilbert will look for a better opportunity elsewhere and Auburn will use his roster spot to upgrade the safety position through the high school or portal ranks, or use his roster spot at another position altogether.
Impact of Gilbert’s departure? Minimal.
Hugh Freeze opines on handling the transfer portal
What will Auburn’s roster look like next season? How many players will Freeze and co. sign in the 2024 class? The transfer portal? Freeze still isn’t sure how it will all play out.
“I don’t think there’s any possible way any coach can sit here and tell you how he’s going to come up with his 85. I’d love to sit here and tell you we’re going to build it with high school kids…I’d love to say that, but this week if I have 10 guys walk in and say they’re going to transfer and I haven’t been recruiting enough high school kids, it’s impossible to say that. I have no idea how the makeup of the 85 will look in what we have to replace. Do we have to replace just 22? Do we have to replace 32? None of us know. I think that’s become the biggest challenge for us coaches is how do we even manage the 85.
Track the latest NCAA Transfer Portal happenings
“It will take you all the way through spring and summer to figure that out because of the way the portal windows are set up. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that this portal window we’re getting ready to have is as long as it is. It makes no sense. We have to go through Christmas worrying about people tampering with players on your team. Either they know they are going or they’re not. Give them December 1 through the 10th, make your decision and move on. This idea of this long portal window, it wasn’t made by anybody having to live it, I can assure you.”
And on the topic of re-recruiting your own roster, how will Freeze handle those conversations?
“Only way I know how to be is totally transparent. Tell them the truth. The truth for some is your chances to play here are probably slim. The truth for others is there’s an element of patience that needs to be involved in your decision. If you could just be patient and not listen to the voices that want immediate gratification or certainly, you have the money aspect that’s involved in all of this now. You should choose the place and the culture and environment that’s going to shape you for the long term, the long haul. I think everything is better when you are in that environment yourself. Some need to have patience and other discussions will be truthful with how we see you fitting into this roster.”
