Experts predict Auburn football to suffer a devastating blow in the upcoming transfer portal

Is Cam Coleman going to be on the transfer market this offseason?

The Auburn wide receiver would be one of the top offensive skill players in the portal should he decide to leave. Coleman, a big-bodied pass catcher, has shown big-play ability and great consistency despite having less-than-ideal situations at quarterback. The next Auburn coach, whomever that may be, will definitely pull out all the stops to retain Coleman, but the sophomore might decide to chase greener pastures elsewhere. 

​Would a big-time transfer QB be enough to keep Coleman?

Payton Thorne was not bad for the Tigers in 2024. He and Coleman had a pretty solid rapport and had Thorne had an additional year of eligibility remaining, Coleman would've likely reached or surpassed the numbers that Keandre Lambert-Smith put up last year. 

But Thorne had to move on, and Hugh Freeze picked Jackson Arnold to be his successor. That move has not worked out at all and is a big reason why Freeze got fired. Coleman is getting a lot of volume, but the opportunities to make the big plays aren't there like they were last season under Thorne.

​Chris Hummer from CBS Sports goes on to speculate that Coleman could be a very high draft pick if he simply had a quarterback that could showcase his skills. 

"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."

Chris Hummer

If the next Auburn coach, whomever that may be, can come in with the promise of bringing in a top transfer quarterback, that could be a reason for Coleman to opt out of testing the transfer market.

What will Coleman's next move be?

Coleman's value will be at it's highest after this season. A player of his magnitude changes an offense, and it's almost a guarantee that he's already being contracted through third parties (even though we know that NEVER happens). If Coleman decides to go into the transfer portal, he's probably already made his decision on the next stop and, at that point, there won't be much Auburn can do

Best-case scenario is Auburn finds their next guy quickly, and he is able to convince the money guys to give Coleman whatever it takes to retain him. That coach also has to live up to his word to bring in a quarterback that can best help Coleman showcase his talents. This is not going to be easy to pull off, but one can hope that Coleman still has enough trust that Auburn will take care of him.