Greg McElroy made a clear statement on who he feels will be the Auburn football offense's top weapon in the receiving corps while discussing the Tigers' prospects for the 2024 season; going with incoming 5-star Central freshman Cam Coleman over Penn State transfer KeAndre Lambert-Smith, but praising both in the process.
“I think KeAndre Lambert-Smith is rock solid,” McElroy said (h/t Saturday Down South). “Will he ultimately be the No. 1 wide receiver? I don’t know if I can go that far. But I do think incoming freshman Cam Coleman could be. That guy could be an immediate difference-maker. They really needed to bolster their personnel at wide receiver.”
For those wondering whether or not a freshman can really step into the shark-infested waters of the SEC -- a conference that is known for producing the best DBs of any -- and be WR1 immediately, refer to Coleman's A-Day tape. Possessing the most impressive physical acumen on the team already, Coleman has both the body and the skillset to immediately tantalize opposing defenses from the jump.
Lambert-Smith is a proven entity from his days in Happy Valley, and figures to be a weapon for Payton Thorne, but Coleman may just be undeniable this coming season.
Greg McElroy predicts Auburn football being better than Oklahoma
The former Crimson Tide quarterback McElroy, when asked to pick between Auburn and Oklahoma, admitted that he sees more winnable games on the Tigers' 2024 schedule than he does on the Sooners'.
“I actually lean Auburn for 2024 as far as the win-loss record is concerned,” McElroy prefaced before saying, “I think their schedule is more manageable and more gettable … I do think Auburn has a slight advantage over Oklahoma heading into the season.”
The two programs will be pitted against each other on September 28 in Week 5, and by the time the Sooners play their first road game as an SEC program, we could have a good idea of the two teams' trajectory; considering OU will have played Tennessee in Norman the week before, and AU will have had tests against Cal and Arkansas in Week 2 and Week 4 themselves.