No. 1 transfer portal player linked to four major college football programs

A group of Power Four college football programs are heavily connected with the top-rated entry in the NCAA transfer portal.

Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) celebrates his touchdown as Auburn Tigers take on South Alabama Jaguars at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NCAA transfer portal officially opened for all college football players looking to compete for different programs on Friday. The transfer portal will remain open until Jan. 16.

A myriad of players from all different levels decided to enter the portal in the weeks after the end of the 2025 regular season. Power Four quarterback transfers have been a major talking point, but plenty of other coveted offensive skill players are entering the portal.

One skill player that is sought after by multiple major college football programs is former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his second school.

The 6-foot-3, 201-pounder arrived at Auburn as a freshman in 2024. He appeared in 10 of 12 games for the Tigers in his freshman season, catching 37 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team for the strong start to his college career.

Coleman was Auburn's most productive wide receiver in 2025. He grabbed 56 receptions for a team-high 708 yards and five touchdowns in his final season at Auburn. Head coach Hugh Freeze was fired following Auburn's loss to Kentucky, and Coleman officially decided to transfer on Dec. 29, 2025.

Every recruiting service ranks Coleman as the No. 1 overall prospect in the transfer portal, something that will have some of the top programs in the country interested in him. Pete Nakos of On3 reported that four different schools are jockeying for Coleman in the portal.

USC

The Trojans have positioned themselves well enough to receive a visit from Coleman on Thursday. Quarterback play was an inhibitor for Coleman's production at Auburn the last two seasons, but that would not figure to be an issue with Jayden Maiava set to return for USC next year.

2025 Trojans wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane have both declared for the 2026 NFL draft, so Coleman could slide in to fill a need for USC. CeeDee Lamb, Hollywood Brown and Jordan Addison are among the wide receivers to play for Lincoln Riley and find success in the NFL.

Texas A&M

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts to a call during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Coleman has a visit to Texas A&M scheduled for Sunday. The Aggies had Coleman committed to their 2024 signing class for four months before he flipped to the Tigers on Early Signing Day.

Texas A&M will return starting quarterback Marcel Reed for at least one more season. Reed has experience working with transfer wide receivers in KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, the former of which has declared for the 2026 NFL draft.

Texas

Steve Sarkisian has helped multiple high profile wide receiver prospects make their way to the NFL as an offensive play caller. 2020 Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, Xavier Worthy and Matthew Golden are among the wide receivers taken in the first round of the NFL draft and play for Sarkisian.

The return of an improving quarterback in Arch Manning figures to be a draw for high-profile portal receivers to Texas. Ryan Wingo will return for the Longhorns in 2026, but the second and third most productive receivers, DeAndre Moore Jr. and Parker Livingstone, are both heading for the transfer portal.

Livingstone issued a statement that said "some things are out of my control," potentially implying he was asked to leave in favor of a transfer.

Alabama

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer walks on field before the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

If proximity to home matters, and Auburn was not going to be a good fit with Alex Golesh, Alabama is the only other option for Coleman in his home state. Of course, Coleman transferring to Alabama would add an extra level of intrigue to the 2026 Iron Bowl.

The quarterback situation in Tuscaloosa is less certain than the prior three schools competing for Coleman, as it is unclear what Ty Simpson will do in 2026. The Crimson Tide will lose its lead receiver from 2025 in Germie Bernard, but neither Ryan Williams nor Isaiah Horton appears to be going anywhere.