Why Cam Coleman Could Become College Football's WR1 Over Jeremiah Smith

The Texas Longhorns failed to reach their expectations last season. After missing out on their lofty goals of bringing a national championship back to Austin, they made changes to their roster to give them another shot at those promises.

One of those changes included completely revamping their roster, giving quarterback Arch Manning a supporting cast with some of the top talent around the country, including electric wide receiver Cam Coleman.

While much of the country focuses on Jeremiah Smith, could Coleman be in line for a better seasn as finish the year as the wide receiver No. 1?

How Coleman Could Be the Best Receiver in the Country

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman speaking with the media. | Zach Dimmitt, Texas Longhorns on SI

When the Longhorns entered the offseason after a rollercoaster 2025 season, surrounding Manning with elite pass-catchers was one of their top priorities. As they reshaped the receiver room, Coleman quickly became a priority for the staff, as he was widely viewed as the top player available in the portal.

It was easy to see why Coleman was one of the top targets, despite having lower production numbers than one might think. He spent two seasons with the Auburn Tigers and finished with 93 receptions for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 14-yards per reception.

In comparison with Smith, who has 2,558 yards, 27 touchdowns, and an average of 15.7 yards per reception on 163 receptions during his two seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Coleman's numbers look rather pedestrian. However, those were different circumstances, as Coleman was on a struggling team, while Smith was on a perennial contender.

The last time the Longhorns had a receiver with above 70 receptions was 2023, when Xavier Worthy finished with 75 and 1,014 yards. Coleman, who is more athletic and a bigger-framed receiver, could earn those numbers, as his relationship with Manning has quickly developed and the duo has a great connection through spring camp.

Manning, who has also proved himself to be a more-than-capable passer, finishing 27th in the country in passing yards last season and 17th in touchdowns. With better protection up front and more offensive weapons that defenses have to game plan for, he should be in for an even bigger season, bringing Coleman along with him.

While it's impossible to predict what the future numbers will look like for Coleman and the rest of the Longhorns, it seems like his production numbers should increase on offense. If that happens, it's not out of the realm of possibilities that he ends up as wide receiver No. 1 at the season's end.

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