There is a new No. 1-ranked player in the 2026 college football transfer portal, and his departure directly benefits Tennessee. Auburn star wide receiver Cam Coleman announced his intention to transfer ahead of his junior year. This takes the best player off the Tigers, with Auburn headed to play the Vols in Neyland Stadium next season.
According to On3’s transfer portal rankings, Coleman is instantly the top-ranked transfer in the country. He should get interest from the majority of schools across the power conferences, but will likely demand a significant NIL compensation at his next stop.
Coleman is coming off a sophomore season in which he produced 708 yards and five touchdowns on 56 receptions. As a freshman, he produced 37 catches for 598 yards and eight scores as part of an elite freshman class of wideouts.
As a recruit, Coleman was considered a five-star and the No. 5 overall recruit in the country by 247. He was the No. 2 receiver and No. 1 player from Alabama. He initially picked Auburn over the likes of Texas A&M, LSU and Clemson. He was at one point committed to the Aggies, as well, but decommitted after the firing of Jimbo Fisher.
NEW: Auburn transfer WR Cam Coleman is now the No. 1 overall player in the On3 Transfer Portal Ranking⭐️https://t.co/9d0G5N8bco https://t.co/vDdsjtryr1 pic.twitter.com/if12e0UBXx
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) December 29, 2025
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Coleman’s transfer comes after his head coach, Hugh Freeze, was fired midway during the season. Former Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh has been hired as his replacement.
Tennessee will host Auburn on Oct. 3 in Knoxville, marking the second SEC game of the season for UT. The matchup will feature multiple former coaches under Josh Heupel, including coordinators Golesh and Tim Banks, returning to campus.
Golesh is currently in the process of figuring out what his first roster will look like as an SEC head coach. He has lost 25 players to the portal so far, according to 247. He signed 19 players out of high school, marking the 29th-best class in the country.
