Because the 2025-26 teaching carousel strikes with dizzying pace, a looming actuality approaches groups who made head teaching modifications like a hidden iceberg within the North Atlantic Ocean.
The switch portal is coming.
Faculties that underwent teaching modifications have extra of a chance to maintain their finest gamers than in years previous as a consequence of a rule change that stops gamers from getting into the portal till 5 days after a brand new coach is employed — beforehand gamers have been granted a 30-day window to enter instantly after a training change. However it’ll nonetheless be a tough job for a brand new head coach to persuade his finest belongings to remain in what’s anticipated to be a sturdy switch market.
And no participant on a crew that made a head teaching change this 12 months would have extra suitors than Auburn vast receiver Cam Coleman.
The “different” five-star receiver within the prime 5 of the 2024 class alongside Jeremiah Smith, Coleman is all the pieces you need in a big-play menace. He is 6-foot-3, 201 kilos, runs a sub 4.5-second 40, has the leaping capability of a slam-dunk champion and is laterally fast sufficient to submit a sub 4.2-second brief shuttle.
He is flashed that capability when given the possibility on The Plains. He is caught 74 passes for 1,072 yards and 11 touchdowns as an underclassman, excelling regardless of sub-par quarterback play.
Conserving the Phenix Metropolis, Alabama native on the roster ought to be precedence No. 1 for whoever takes over as Auburn’s subsequent head coach.
However they could encounter a tough promote.
Sure, Auburn is 45 minutes from residence. However Coleman is getting into his cash 12 months. He is in the identical expertise ballpark as fellow 2024 class receivers Smith and Ryan Williams. He may very well be drafted with them. However he must put collectively a powerful 12 months of tape as a junior to solidify that positioning, and the surest technique to do is to pair with an elite, confirmed quarterback.
“The junior season is big,” a supply stated of Coleman. “He wants productiveness.”
Perhaps Auburn’s subsequent coach can persuade Coleman of a plan to place him on that first-round path. It’d require an important offensive coach, or no less than an important coordinator, and a selected goal at quarterback within the portal given a confirmed reply at QB for 2026 doesn’t lie on Auburn’s roster. Although, there may be a number of hope for true freshman Deuce Knight’s future on The Plains.
However that is a number of ifs, and some trade sources take into account it way more seemingly that Coleman takes the cleaner path and explores the portal. He’d have his decide of any play-caller/coach state of affairs he’d need upon entry.
Numerous Coleman’s runner-up highschool choices, like Clemson and LSU, are in unsteady positions. However the former Texas A&M commit has a powerful reference to now Aggies vast receiver coach Holmon Wiggins, who recruited him whereas at Alabama.
Coleman may rethink the Tide and play reverse Williams. Texas may very well be on the lookout for an elite vast receiver for Arch Manning forward of his redshirt junior 12 months. Michigan may use some assist for Bryce Underwood. One trade supply even speculated that Coleman may 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 each different contender can be glad to pay Coleman, too.
It is value noting that Coleman is represented by NFL energy agent David Mulugheta of Athlete’s First, who will simply and aggressively navigate the market.
The actually elite receivers in school soccer push previous $2 million a 12 months. Coleman, even with inconsistent manufacturing, may command that kind of sum.
There’s nonetheless a number of time between now and December. Whoever Auburn hires will make an aggressive push to maintain Coleman. He is the kind of participant who may set the inspiration and lift the ceiling for whoever comes subsequent at Auburn. Cash definitely will not be an element for the Tigers as they attempt to maintain Coleman residence.
However in an period the place the actually elite gamers of the game switch with infrequency – just one first-team all-conference Energy 4 participant transferred through the 2024-25 portal cycle – Coleman is the kind of expertise who may change the outlook of the 2026 playoff race if he have been to change groups.
School soccer is watching the teaching search play out at Auburn for now.
However not too lengthy after that’s resolved, the eyes of the game will flip towards Coleman and his should-I-stay-or-should-I-go choice.
