Auburn adds second spring DL transfer in Isaiah Raikes

The former Texas A&M DL who spent a semester at USC now ends up at Auburn.

Auburn went into the spring transfer portal with a huge focus on the defensive line. And for the second day in a row, Auburn has beefed up the interior with a transfer addition.

Isaiah Raikes, who spent the spring semester at USC after transferring from Texas A&M, has announced his commitment to Auburn. Raikes heavily considered Auburn and visited the Plains in the first portal window, but opted to instead head to USC. Now with his former defensive coordinator in D.J. Durkin running the show in Auburn, Raikes reunites with him and helps shore up a big position of need.

Defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams landed former Indiana fifth-year senior transfer Philip Blidi on Sunday, with Blidi expected to play the 3-tech. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 320 pounds, Raikes split his snaps almost 50-50 between nose tackle and 3-tech defensive tackle.

A rising fifth-year senior from New Jersey, Raikes has appeared in 38 games over the last four seasons, with four starts. He’s tallied 43 career tackles, with three tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble this season. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Auburn went into the spring transfer portal window focused on the defensive line as the biggest need. Now King-Williams and Hugh Freeze shore that up, getting two big bodies on the inside to add to the room. Auburn brought former Arkansas State edge rusher Keyron Crawford on campus for a visit starting Sunday as they also push for another buck linebacker or two through the portal this window.