Auburn keeps getting reminded losing Cam Coleman is going to hurt like no other

Even if there is optimism in the air, it could still be a challenging season for the Auburn Tigers. While Alex Golesh is bringing nothing but positive energy with him up from South Florida, he did allow for Auburn's best player from last year leave in the transfer portal for another SEC team. Leave it up to CBS Sports' Brad Crawford to remind us all that the Phenix City native no longer plays on The Plains.

During his discussion with Brandon Baylor on CBS Sports HQ, Crawford offered this on Coleman.

"They've typically walked into the showroom this portal cycle, and picked out the hottest car on the market. Cam Coleman, five-star wideout, top player outside the quarterback spot in this portal cycle. And you see why. Two years at Auburn, he had double-digit touchdowns, despite really bad quarterback play on The Plains."

Crawford continued by saying there is a non-zero chance Coleman is WR1 in the 2027 NFL Draft...

"Now he has a guy in Arch Manning, whose projected by most, including myself, to go No. 1 in next year's NFL Draft. I think Cam Coleman's a guy on the 40 Acres who's going to have a 70-catch, 1,000-yard season and really challenge Jeremiah Smith to be that top pass-catcher taken next April."

Here is everything Crawford had to say about Coleman at Texas, while appearing on CBS Sports HQ.

For a program that has struggled to even get to a bowl game, Auburn is really going to miss Coleman.

Auburn must prepare for Cam Coleman to be an All-American at Texas

Let's be honest with ourselves. For as much favor as Golesh has curried with this fanbase since coming over from South Florida, that can all change with one bad loss in conference play. Golesh took this job at Auburn because he is firmly of the belief that national championships can still be won here. He had other suitors, but Golesh opted to take over this program that has lost its way of late.

While he did bring everyone and their brother with him up from Tampa, how sure are we that Group of Five players are going to be better than whatever Hugh Freeze had on the roster during his final season with Auburn? There is nobody on the Auburn roster today who can hold a candle to what Coleman has shown he can do on the football field. By going to Texas, it signifies something greater.

Until proven otherwise, players who grew up in and around Greater Columbus can now choose to play their college football elsewhere away from Auburn. This is a traditional power we are talking about, folks. It should not be this painfully hard for Auburn to get back into good graces in the SEC, but here we are. For now, one team will be vying for a national championship, while the other hopes for a bowl.

In the end, Auburn fans have to accept that Coleman is likely going to have a season for the ages at Texas. Arch Manning will be throwing him the football, within the context of Steve Sarkisian's multi-faceted offensive attack. Golesh may favor the offensive side of the ball, but there are levels to this. In time, he may get on Sarkisian's level, but for now, Golesh will have to get to work with his kind of guys.

Auburn may very well had a future First-Team All-American on its roster in Coleman, but blew it.

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