Former Auburn Tigers star Cam Coleman was one of the most recruited players in the January transfer portal. He finally ended the intense race for his commitment by joining coach Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns, over offers from SEC rival, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Coleman is expected to offer Texas quarterback Arch Manning an extra offensive weapon next season as the Longhorns chase a return to the College Football Playoff.
Cam Coleman Gets a Jump on Steve Sarkisian’s Playbook
According to On3, Coleman, who has a mammoth $2.9 million NIL valuation, was the No. 1 player in the transfer portal, and his commitment was a coup by Sarkisian’s Longhorns, who barely missed out on a berth in the College Football Playoff last season.
On Thursday, Yahoo Sports reporter Anwar Richardson revealed on X that Coleman had immersed himself in life in Austin and had already gotten a jump on Sarkisian’s offensive playbook ahead of spring training, impressing the Texas staff.
“What’s impressed coaches most is how quickly he’s immersed himself in Steve Sarkisian’s playbook,” Richardson wrote. Coleman earned a PFSN College WR Impact score of 75.2 after tallying 708 receiving yards, resulting in five touchdowns for a dysfunctional Auburn offense last season.
During Monday’s segment of the “Andy & Ari” podcast, On3 analyst Ari Wasserman labeled Coleman’s Texas transfer the best business in the January transfer portal window and set a high ceiling for Sarkisian’s team next season.
“If I could pick one player who was available to build my team around, of all the transfers, I think I would pick [Cam] Coleman,” Wasserman said. “Combining who the best player in the portal is with what Texas was missing last year and what Texas is bringing back next year, they just added a killer of a receiver to a QB who showed signs of growth.
MORE: Texas Legend Makes Strong Demand From Cam Coleman, Hollywood Smothers to Aid Arch Manning
“An offensive line that should be better and a team that should be in the conversation for the national championship. Factoring in both talent from the player and the situation that he is going into, I think it’s hard to argue against this being the No. 1 portal acquisition. The offense Texas runs needs dynamic receivers, and can really pop when it has them.”
Next season, Coleman will headline a stacked playmaker group for the Longhorns, including wide receivers Ryan Wingo, Daylan McCutcheon, Kaliq Lockett, and Emmett Mosley, running back Hollywood Smothers, and Raleek Brown.
