Three weeks after requesting a redshirt and shutting things down for the remainder of the season, Auburn wide receiver Landen King announced his intent to enter the transfer portal.
King took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to announce plans to enter the portal in December when the fall transfer window opens. The NCAA adopted new transfer portal windows in August, giving players 45 days to inform their school of intent to transfer after the sport’s championship selections are made. For football this year, that window begins Dec. 4 after the College Football Playoff field is set.
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“First off, I want to say thank you to Coach (Gus) Malzahn for believing in a kid from Texas during COVID, and giving me the opportunity to come play for one of the best universities in the country,” King posted in a graphic on Twitter. “Auburn will always hold a very, very special place in my heart, and I am so glad I chose Auburn. I love this place so much and it really hurts me inside that I have to make this decision. To the Auburn family, thank you guys for supporting this team and myself throughout all of the ups and downs. It just goes to show that you guys are the best in the country. To my teammates, thank you for setting the example on what it really means to be an Auburn man. I love all of you guys and y’all know that. But sometimes you must do what’s best for you, even if you love something with all of your heart.
“With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal on December 5th with three years of eligibility. Again, thank you to the Auburn family, and I will make sure wherever I go, I’ll show them what it really means to be an Auburn man.”
King is the second Auburn player to announce intent to transfer in as many days. Defensive lineman Zykeivous Walker, who left the team earlier this month, announced Monday that he plans to transfer at season’s end.
King signed with Auburn’s 2021 class as a three-star tight end prospect out of Beaumont, Texas. He was rated as the No. 29 tight end in the country coming out of high school. He appeared in eight games as a true freshman last season, finishing the year with five receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. His only career touchdown reception came during last season’s epic quadruple-overtime Iron Bowl against Alabama, as he caught a touchdown from T.J. Finley during the first overtime period.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder made the move from tight end to wide receiver in the offseason, and while he showed promise at the new position, he did not crack Auburn’s season-opening two-deep depth chart. Still, King appeared in three of Auburn’s first four games and made one catch for 24 yards during the team’s loss to Penn State.
After not seeing the field in Auburn’s loss to LSU on Oct. 1, King opted to sit out the remainder of the season and requested a redshirt to preserve a year of eligibility, since he was within the four-game threshold for a redshirt.
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.
