The Texas Longhorns were one of several big spenders in the transfer portal during the January window. Still, they stand above the rest because they gave their top weapon, the leading Heisman Trophy favorite for two straight offseasons, quarterback Arch Manning, someone who can further elevate his ceiling: Auburn Tigers transfer receiver Cam Coleman.
Even with the Longhorns passing on Colorado Buffaloes LT transfer Jordan Seaton, Texas looks like the most improved program at the top of the SEC scrap heap. Hook'em Headlines' Josh Yourish believes Texas will be ranked No. 1 because of their portal haul, saying, "With that influx of talent joining an impressive group of returners, Texas may enter next season as the No. 1 team in the country for the second straight year. Sarkisian has built a great team, and though on Thursday he seemingly passed on putting together a Transfer Portal superteam around his star quarterback, the Longhorns should still be considered the early favorites heading into 2026."
Saturday Down South's Spenser Davis hammered that point home, reiterating that Coleman is just one part of the Longhorns' improvement.
"Texas is gearing up for a make-or-break season under Steve Sarkisian. The 2026 campaign is expected to be the final college season for Arch Manning, who had a strong close to his first year as a starter in 2025," Davis wrote.
"Texas’s powerbrokers have rewarded Manning with an excellent supporting cast of incoming transfers in addition to the stars the Longhorns have returning in 2026. The big name on the board is Cam Coleman, the former 5-star recruit who was Auburn’s top receiver over the past couple of seasons amid very shaky quarterback play. Manning will certainly be an upgrade for him — both players are likely to be preseason all-SEC heading into next fall.
"But it’s not just Coleman. Texas also upgraded at running back, bringing in Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers. The Longhorns have also signed several other 4-star transfers, including former Pitt linebacker Rasheem Biles and ex-Rutgers cornerback Bo Mascoe."
Seaton may not be Austin-bound, but it's clear Texas is already better after missing the CFP because of one measly eight-point loss to the Florida Gators in October. By the end of the 2025 season, the Longhorns looked like one of the nation's 12 best teams. Having three losses, one of them a pretty brutal one-sided beatdown to the Georgia Bulldogs, undid their resume before they could expose the Texas A&M Aggies in Week 14, though.
In the end, the 2025 season unfolding the way it did might've been ideal for Texas. Urgency was shown to make sure 2026 wasn't the same, and now Manning has more talent around him than he might've had after a CFP appearance.
Cam Coleman made decision Auburn fans should respect
The way things ended with Coleman on the Plains could've empowered some to be haters. Truthfully, some are set to do that anyway, because it's fair to say Coleman didn't live up to his monetary rev-share/NIL value by being less than bought in to the locker room culture. That's more on Hugh Freeze than anyone, though.
Coleman was the highest-rated offensive recruit in program history and is a Phenix City, Alabama, product. Alienating him, after he wore Auburn gear to his Alabama Crimson Tide visit, is probably not the best idea. That man clearly knows which side of the Iron Bowl rivalry he'll always be on. Not to mention, recruits and their agents are on social media, watching which fanbases act right and which don't.
No one is clamoring for Tiger fans to be Longhorn fans. At the end of the day, the way Texas does business figures to threaten smaller schools like Auburn. In fact, Coleman meeting his potential with the Horns will provide troll ammunition because of how mundane he looked with Payton Thorne and Jackson Arnold tossing him the pigskin.
With that said, Coleman is no villain. Can you blame him for wanting better for his career? Sometimes, staying home just to make certain people happy does more damage in the long run. Coleman has a pro football future to take care of, and the NFL will notice him more with the Manning spotlight and in a much bigger market.
It is what it is. One of the great 2027 NFL draft prospects was an Auburn Tiger until he wasn't. Coleman is almost certain to reach new heights elsewhere, but that doesn't make him a bad guy by any stretch.