Auburn needs an offensive tackle out of the portal.

One massive candidate was in town this week.

Virginia Tech offensive line transfer Xavier Chaplin visited Auburn Friday and Saturday, his only planned visit as of now. Overall, the 6-foot-7, 323-pound tackle enjoyed his time on campus.

"I had a great time, you know," Chaplin said. "I really like the people here, the environment. Like, I feel like it's a nice place to be...I just wanted to see what, you know, what the SEC is like. You know, I'm always in the ACC, stuff like that. So, you know, I'm trying to get on the bigger stage a little bit. See how I do there."

Auburn's need for an offensive tackle is a huge draw for the lineman — who's started every game for Virginia Tech at left tackle over the last two seasons.

"I feel like it's very important," Chaplin said. "Because, you know, they show me that they need me. They show me how they can take care of me. And how they can develop me into the player I want to be."

Sitting in meetings and talking ball with offensive line coach Jake Thornton was one of the highlights of the visit. What was Thornton's message to him?

"He was just telling me, you know, that I could be a great player," Chaplin said. "He was showing me how he coached. Showing me some of his drills and stuff like that. And showing me what it means to be an Auburn Tiger."

Following his visit, it was hard to pinpoint the thing that sticks out about Auburn for him.

"It's not just one thing," Chaplin said. "It's a lot in Auburn, you know. They got a lot to offer. It's a big history here."

When it comes down to decision time, one of the most important factors for him will be not only how a program treats Chaplin, but his family, too.

"It's just me and my mom and my sister," Chaplin said. "So, they're important to me. If they care about them, how they care about me, that's very important to me."

Chaplin does not have any future visits planned and is looking to take in all the information, process it and make the best decision for him and his family. It's a decision he'll take day-by-day, but not one he wants to draw out.

"I take it day by day right now, you know," Chaplin said. "I’m not going to take it too many days."