Auburn WR Cam Coleman shaping up as the big prize of the 2025-26 transfer portal cycle

As the 2025-26 coaching carousel moves with dizzying speed, a looming reality approaches teams who made head coaching changes like a hidden iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The transfer portal is coming.

Schools that underwent coaching changes have more of an opportunity to keep their best players than in years past due to a rule change that prevents players from entering the portal until five days after a new coach is hired -- previously players were granted a 30-day window to enter immediately after a coaching change. But it will still be a difficult task for a new head coach to convince his best assets to stay in what's expected to be a robust transfer market.  

And no player on a team that made a head coaching change this year would have more suitors than Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman.

The "other" five-star receiver in the top five of the 2024 class alongside Jeremiah Smith, Coleman is everything you want in a big-play threat. He's 6-foot-3, 201 pounds, runs a sub 4.5-second 40, has the leaping ability of a slam-dunk champion and is laterally quick enough to post a sub 4.2-second short shuttle.

He's flashed that ability when given the chance on The Plains. He's caught 74 passes for 1,072 yards and 11 touchdowns as an underclassman, excelling despite sub-par quarterback play.

Keeping the Phenix City, Alabama native on the roster should be priority No. 1 for whoever takes over as Auburn's next head coach. 

But they might encounter a difficult sell.

Yes, Auburn is 45 minutes from home. But Coleman is entering his money year. He's in the same talent ballpark as fellow 2024 class receivers Smith and Ryan Williams. He could be drafted with them. But he needs to put together a strong year of tape as a junior to solidify that positioning, and the surest way to do is to pair with an elite, proven quarterback.

"The junior season is huge," a source said of Coleman. "He needs productivity."

Maybe Auburn's next coach can convince Coleman of a plan to put him on that first-round path. It'd require a great offensive coach, or at least a great coordinator, and a specific target at quarterback in the portal given the answer at QB does not lie on Auburn's roster.

But that's a lot of ifs, and a few industry sources consider it far more likely that Coleman takes the cleaner path and explores the portal. He'd have his pick of any play-caller/coach situation he'd want upon entry. 

A lot of Coleman's runner-up high school options, like Clemson and LSU, are in unsteady positions. But the former Texas A&M commit has a strong connection with now Aggies wide receiver coach Holmon Wiggins, who recruited him while at Alabama.

Coleman could reconsider the Tide and play opposite Williams. Texas is looking for an elite wide receiver for Arch Manning ahead of his redshirt junior year. Michigan could use some help for Bryce Underwood. One industry source even speculated that Coleman could play with Smith at Ohio State if Carnell Tate leaves for the NFL or pair up with DJ Lagway and Dallas Wilson at Florida. Oregon, Ole Miss, Georgia, Notre Dame and every other contender would be happy to pay Coleman, too. 

It's worth noting that Coleman is represented by NFL power agent David Mulugheta of Athlete's First, who will easily and aggressively navigate the market.

The truly elite receivers in college football push past $2 million a year. Coleman, even with inconsistent production, could command that type of sum.

There's still a lot of time between now and December. Whoever Auburn hires will make an aggressive push to keep Coleman. He's the type of player who could set the foundation and raise the ceiling for whoever comes next at Auburn. Money certainly won't be a factor for the Tigers as they try to keep Coleman home.

But in an era where the truly elite players of the sport transfer with infrequency – only one first-team all-conference Power Four player transferred during the 2024-25 portal cycle – Coleman is the type of talent who could change the outlook of the 2026 playoff race if he were to switch teams.

College football is watching the coaching search play out at Auburn for now.

But not too long after that is resolved, the eyes of the sport will turn toward Coleman and his should-I-stay-or-should-I-go decision.