In what may go down as the biggest offseason blow to newly-hired Auburn coach Alex Golesh, the Tigers’ top receiver, Cam Coleman, is set to enter the transfer portal, according to a source briefed on the decision.

Coleman finished his sophomore season with 56 catches for 708 yards and five touchdowns after a breakout freshman season in which he tallied 37 catches for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. On3 was the first to report the transfer portal news.

A native of Phenix City, Ala., Coleman was a huge pickup for the Tigers this time two years ago, when he flipped from Texas A&M to Auburn to play for Hugh Freeze and his staff. A former five-star prospect, Coleman was the nation’s No. 3 player and No. 2 wide receiver, only behind Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith. Freeze was fired in November after opening the season 4-5 and finished his tenure with the program with a 15-19 record.

Auburn hired Golesh in late November, and as an offensive-minded coach, he almost surely wanted to hold onto Coleman. Coleman is expected to be among the most coveted prospects in the portal.

What Coleman’s departure means

Although Coleman hitting the portal is a disappointment for Auburn, rumors of the receiver’s potential departure have been circulating for nearly two months, dating back to the firing of Freeze. Even before Freeze’s ouster in early November, opposing programs had their eye on Coleman as a potential portal entrant after the Tigers struggled to get the star receiver the football in the first half of the season, as quarterback Jackson Arnold worked through myriad struggles. Coleman’s production went up with the QB change to Ashton Daniels, but as recently as last week, interested programs were still anticipating Coleman entering the portal.

The Tigers have freshman Deuce Knight, a former five-star quarterback recruit, and have offered Byrum Brown, the former USF quarterback who was responsible for an FBS-best 42 touchdowns in 2025 under Golesh and is the No. 5 quarterback in The Athletic’s Transfer QB rankings. Having Coleman as a weapon in Golesh’s offense would have been a big boost to the passing game, but with the quarterback situation not yet set in stone, it’s understandable why Coleman wants to test the market. — Sam Khan Jr., senior writer

What will the transfer market look like for Coleman?

Coleman will be one of the best players available when the portal opens, regardless of position, and certainly the top receiver. His 2025 production isn’t close to emblematic of his ability and is more a reflection of Auburn’s QB play. When someone can get him the ball, he’s one of the most electric receivers in the country and a future pro.

Starting receivers typically get in the mid-six figures in the transfer portal, but Coleman is the type of talent that will easily draw seven-figure offers from interested programs. —