Auburn's depth officially got a little thinner on both offense and defense this week as two Tigers announced that they plan to enter the transfer portral and continue their collegiate careers elsewhere.
On Monday, defensive tackle Zykeivous Walker announced his decision to enter the transfer portal, while Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin confirmed the junior from Ellaville, Georgia was no longer on the team.
Walker, a four-star recruit in the 2020 class, saw action against Georgia earlier this month, but hasn't seen action in other games this season.
Walker addressed his departure from the team on Twitter on Monday, saying he had to do "what's best for me and my family."
"This decision wasn't easy for me at all. I struggled many days trying to figure out how I wanna go forward with this," he wrote on Twitter, while also acknowledging the "bad timing" of leaving the team mid-season. "My career is important to me. I appreciate Auburn more than anyone knows, there were many highs and lows, I will forever cherish this place and my brothers that I went to war with, but I have put the team first long enough. It’s time I make a decision for me now.
On Tuesday, wide receiver and former tight end Landen King also announced his intent to transfer after appearing in three games this season, with only a 24-yard catch against Penn State on his stat sheet this year. In the 2021 season, King played in eight games and caught five passes for 59 yards.
Earlier this month, King decided to sit out for the remainder of the season and preserve his redshirt. He confirmed his intent to transfer in posts to Twitter and Instagram on Tuesday.
"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. 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 the ups and downs, it just goes to show that you guys are the best in the country,” said King. "To my teammates, thank you for setting the example on what it really means to be an Auburn man, I love all you guys and y'all know that. But sometimes you must do what's best for you, even if you love something with all your heart.
"With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal on December 5th with 3 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."
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