Texas fans got their first real reason to lean in on Aug. 10, when Steve Sarkisian was asked whether he had a player comparison for transfer receiver Cam Coleman. The Texas coach didn’t hesitate. He reached for a name that lands with real weight: Julio Jones.
Coleman, who spoke to Sports Illustrated on Monday, said that comparison meant something - but not enough to change his approach.
“Growing up, I did watch Julio Jones a little bit,” Coleman told Sports Illustrated Monday. “But no, it feels good to be compared with how much I keep working. I really just gotta keep working for real.”
Coleman was speaking on behalf of Celsius, where he is one of four NIL representatives for the 2026 season. The group also includes Ohio State wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, and Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood. Coleman may be the least recognizable name in that mix, but he could wind up carrying the biggest load for Texas.
That kind of opportunity hasn’t made him forget where he came from.
“My dad and my mom always [said] stay humble and stay hungry, because just as easy as God gave it to you, he could take it away,” Coleman said.
Until this season, Coleman’s football path stayed close to home on the Alabama side of the Columbus, Ga., metro area. He played high school ball in Phenix City, Ala., then committed to Auburn after a short look at Texas A&M. Auburn was only a 45-minute drive away.
He made the most of that stop. In two seasons with the Tigers, Coleman piled up 1,306 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns before transferring to Texas on Jan. 11, as Auburn moved from Hugh Freeze’s regime to Alex Golesh’s.
Life in Austin has brought one major adjustment, and it has nothing to do with route concepts or playbooks.
The biggest difference from Auburn, Coleman said, was “[having to leave] a little earlier, because of traffic.”
Everything else has been about football, and specifically about building something with Arch Manning. Coleman said the two have spent plenty of time together this offseason.
“Me and [quarterback] Arch [Manning], we’ve been throwing a lot together this offseason, trying to build a chemistry. Just him telling me where he wants me to be on certain plays, then telling him where I want the ball on certain routes,” Coleman said.
Manning enters this season under a heavy spotlight after a 2025 campaign that didn’t fully match the buzz around him. The nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning threw 12 touchdowns and five interceptions through seven games before finishing strong in the second half of the season.
Coleman sees their pairing as something that can grow naturally, on and off the field.
“We’ve been hanging out with each other more, getting to know each other’s history, how everybody grew up and stuff like that,” Coleman said of both him and Manning specifically and Texas more broadly. “Really just becoming closer off the field.”
Away from football, Coleman had a couple of recommendations. For food in Austin, he pointed to Eat Wit Yo Eyez, a Cajun ghost kitchen off I-35.
His review came with a grin: “It’s an interesting name, but it’s very good, though”. When he’s kicking back, he’s watching Stranger Things.
But Coleman’s focus with NIL money isn’t just personal comfort.
“Really just being able to help others and the ability to give back,” Coleman said. “That’s really been meaningful to this point.”
He already put that mindset into action at Auburn, where he held a free youth football camp in his hometown of Phenix City in July 2025.
“Growing up, I always liked to help others,” Coleman said. “But now I’m able to help others more.
The homeless, whoever’s in need. Really just helping others.”
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