Auburn just added another key name to its 2026 roster, and this one comes with upside, versatility, and two years of eligibility still on the table.
Linebacker Michael Matthews-Canty, a transfer from Hampton, is officially headed to the Plains. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he's the first linebacker Auburn has pulled from the portal this cycle-and he brings more than just depth. He brings production.
Originally recruited as a safety, Matthews-Canty made the transition to linebacker after bulking up, and that positional flexibility shows in his game. He’s got the frame to hold up in the box and the range to cover in space-an increasingly valuable combo in today’s college defenses.
In his true freshman season, he appeared in five games and made the most of his opportunities: 24 tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. That’s not just flashing potential-that’s impacting games.
This past season, he took another leap. Matthews-Canty racked up 78 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
Those numbers speak to a player who’s not just around the ball-he’s affecting plays behind the line and getting after the quarterback. Auburn’s linebacker room has been looking for more punch, and this addition gives them just that.
With two years of eligibility left, plus a redshirt season in his back pocket, Matthews-Canty isn’t just a short-term fix. He’s someone Auburn’s staff can develop and build around, especially as they continue to retool their defense under the current regime.
His arrival also comes during a newly restructured transfer portal window. The NCAA’s updated rules, enacted in October, have changed the landscape for both FBS and FCS athletes.
The winter portal now runs from January 2 to January 16-shorter and more focused than in previous years. The spring window has been eliminated entirely, and even graduate transfers are now required to move within that same January timeframe.
Another big shift: players affected by coaching changes used to have a 30-day window to transfer immediately. Now, they have to wait five days after a new coach is hired, triggering a 15-day window-but only if that change occurs after January 2.
All of that makes Matthews-Canty’s decision to move now even more significant. He’s not just a product of the portal era-he’s a player Auburn targeted and landed under tighter timelines and more restrictive movement rules. And with his skillset and production, he could be one of the more impactful under-the-radar pickups of this cycle.
Auburn’s linebacker group just got deeper, faster, and more dynamic. Matthews-Canty is in, and he’s bringing some serious juice to the Tigers’ defense.