Three major college football programs miss on No. 1 transfer player

Less than a week remains for college football players to enter the transfer portal in the 2026 offseason. The portal's two-week window opened on Jan. 2 and will close on Friday.

Over 4,000 players from every layer of the college football landscape made the decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal after the 2025 regular season. Many players who have decided to transfer have already found a new program to compete in next season.

One coveted prospect to commit since the portal opened was former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, who decided on Sunday to play for Texas in 2026. He will have two seasons of eligibility with the Longhorns.

BREAKING: Auburn transfer WR Cam Coleman has committed to Texas, he announced🤘https://t.co/HDFEybJEdF pic.twitter.com/QKynNc88Wl
— On3 (@On3sports) January 11, 2026

The 6-foot-3, 201-pounder was recruited as a five-star prospect to Auburn by Hugh Freeze in the Tigers' 2024 signing class. He was Auburn's second-most productive wide receiver in the 2024 season, making 37 catches for 598 yards and eight touchdowns over the course of 10 games. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team that season.

Coleman was Auburn's leading wide receiver in 2025. He grabbed 56 receptions for a team-high 708 yards and five touchdowns. He had more than 100 receiving yards in Auburn's games against Missouri and Vanderbilt.

Auburn finished 5-7 in 2025, and Freeze was fired after nine games. Coleman is among a group of wide receivers that includes Eric Singleton Jr., Malcolm Simmons, Perry Thompson and Horatio Fields who have decided to transfer out of Auburn since the Tigers named Alex Golesh as their next head coach.

Since Coleman was rated as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 transfer portal cycle, he was sought after by multiple Power Four programs. Three other programs will have to redirect their course to add new wide receivers from the portal.

Alabama

Kalen DeBoer at the 2025 Rose Bowl. — Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Much to the relief of Auburn fans, the Phenix City, Alabama native will not be joining the Crimson Tide in 2026. Ryan Williams is the only remnant of Alabama's three most productive wide receivers from the 2025 roster since Germie Bernard is out of eligibility, and Isaiah Horton has transferred out.

Lotzeir Brooks will return to Alabama having logged 32 receptions for 441 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. The Crimson Tide has a four-star prospect, Cederian Morgan, in its 2026 recruiting class, but it likely needs to make another addition via the portal.

Texas A&M

Jimbo Fisher had Coleman committed to Texas A&M as a part of the Aggies' 2024 recruiting class for several months. Fisher was fired in November of 2023, and Coleman flipped to Auburn on Early Signing Day.

Mike Elko's staff was unable to resell Coleman on the Aggies in the 2026 portal cycle. Interestingly, Texas A&M is trending for Isaiah Horton, an acquisition from the portal. KC Concepcion is the only significant loss from the Aggies' 2025 receiving core.

Texas Tech

Joey McGuire during the 2025 Orange Bowl. — Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire on the sidelines against the Oregon Ducks during the 2025 Orange Bowl | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Despite hosting Coleman on a visit, the Red Raiders came up empty-handed on him in the 2026 transfer portal cycle. Coy Eakin is the only productive wide receiver from the 2025 receiving corps to return to Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders are losing their two best receivers from 2025 in Caleb Douglas and Reggie Virgil. The good news for Texas Tech is it has already landed Donte Lee Jr. (Liberty), Kenny Johnson (Pittsburgh) and Jalen Jones (Alabama State) out of the portal to add to its 2026 receiving core.