Eric Winters staying at Auburn, won’t enter transfer portal

Freshman safety Eric Winters is expected to return to Auburn and will not enter the transfer portal. He announced his intentions via social media.

Winters gives the Tigers another important young piece back in the secondary heading into next season.

Winters appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman and finished the year with 33 tackles and two tackles for loss. His availability and early production helped Auburn build depth at safety, and he continued to carve out a role as the season progressed.

“We played (Blake) Woodby, (AnQuon Fegans) and (Eric) Winters a lot more (at Oklahoma), so you have three true freshman that are playing in some of the toughest environments in America against some of the best talent in America, and I thought they got better,” former head coach Hugh Freeze said in September.

Winters was graded Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded freshman safety this season.

Auburn signed Winters as part of the 2025 class, where he was rated a four-star prospect and the No. 95 player nationally. Keeping Winters in the fold adds continuity and upside to a defensive backfield that leaned on several young players last fall.

“Auburn is home,” Winters said when he originally committed. “I sat down and talked it over with my mom and Auburn is the place for me. I was feeling Georgia not too long ago, but Auburn is where I want to be.”