The Alex Golesh era at Auburn is off to a rocky start - and things might get bumpier before they get better.
First, Auburn is bracing to lose wide receiver Malcolm Simmons to the transfer portal. Simmons, who posted 25 catches for 457 yards and two touchdowns in 2025, is expected to move on once the portal officially opens on January 2. Kentucky has already surfaced as a potential landing spot for the dynamic wideout.
But Simmons might not be the only Auburn receiver on the move - and the next name is a big one.
Cam Coleman, the Tigers’ top wide receiver and one of the most electric young playmakers in the SEC, is also planning to enter the transfer portal. The news broke Monday and sent a ripple through the college football world.
Coleman instantly vaulted to the top of On3’s Big Board of available transfer targets, and it’s easy to see why. At 6-foot-3 with elite athleticism and strong hands, Coleman turned in a stellar sophomore campaign in 2025, finishing with 56 receptions, 708 yards, and five touchdowns.
This isn’t just a talented receiver hitting the market - this is a game-changer. The kind of player who can tilt the field and shift the trajectory of an offense. When offensive coordinator Will Stein talks about needing “studs” to elevate his system, Coleman is exactly the prototype.
And here’s where things get interesting: there’s history between Coleman and Kentucky.
Rewind to his high school days at Central in Phenix City, Alabama. Kentucky was in the mix early, thanks to then-assistant coaches Zach Yenser and Scott Woodward.
They got Coleman on campus for a Junior Day visit back in January 2023 and followed that up with an offer in April. By the summer, Kentucky had made his top eight - a list that also included Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, and Texas A&M.
Coleman was a top-five national recruit by the time he wrapped up high school. He initially committed to Texas A&M in July 2023 but flipped to Auburn that December. As a true freshman in 2024, he wasted no time making an impact, notching 37 catches for 598 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns.
Now, with Auburn in transition and the portal door swinging wide open, Coleman’s past ties to Kentucky could come back into play. The coaching staff in Lexington may have changed, but the opportunity hasn’t.
If anything, it’s more enticing now. Stein is expected to bring an aggressive, high-octane offense to the Wildcats, and that’s the kind of system that could showcase Coleman’s skill set on a national stage.
For Kentucky, this is the kind of player you circle, underline, and go all-in on. A proven SEC playmaker with elite upside, familiarity with the program, and the potential to be a difference-maker from day one? That’s not just a fit - that’s a priority.
Now the question becomes: will the Wildcats make the move? And if they do, will Coleman be ready to pick up where the relationship left off?
Stay tuned. The portal is about to get loud.