Payton Thorne‘s been getting déjà vu his preseason — and it isn’t simply due to the identify on the again of his 5-star freshman receiver’s jersey.
Final week after an Auburn preseason observe, Thorne went house and referred to as one his closest associates: Jayden Reed, a former high-school and Michigan State teammate of Thorne’s who was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2021 and was a second-round draft choose the next yr.
Thorne needed to point out him his new NFL-caliber weapon at receiver. They watched some movie of freshman Cam Coleman at Auburn observe. Seeing Coleman’s spectacular performs and chatting with Reed reminded Thorne of one other former Spartans teammate.
“I informed him, ‘Man, this man, I feel, he can leap greater than Keon Coleman can,'” Thorne mentioned this week. “And he was like, ‘No, he cannot.’ I mentioned, ‘Man I feel he can.'”
The large reward for Coleman, this system’s top-rated offensive signee within the trendy period, is nearly elementary following Auburn practices at this level. There isn’t any longer a query of whether or not the 5-star recruit will play this fall, solely how a lot he can show his immense expertise immediately as a real freshman.
How excessive Coleman can climb in his upcoming Auburn profession will most likely turn out to be a defining angle of the early Hugh Freeze period on the Plains. However how excessive he is climbing, actually, wows his teammates every day.
“It most likely wasn’t observe — it was most likely throwing it in the summertime a few instances,” Thorne mentioned of the perfect catch he is seen Coleman make. “And simply watching the best way he jumps. … I’ve by no means seen anyone leap as excessive as he jumps in soccer. It is actually majestic, as unusual as that will sound. There’s not many guys that may do what he does.”
Thorne’s comparisons of Cam to Keon Coleman — who caught 18 touchdowns between the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Michigan State and Florida State, and have become a second-round choose himself — stem largely from that uncommon leaping potential. Thorne mentioned, after a number of practices with Cam again within the spring, that he realized he was higher suited throwing leap balls than, say, at Cam’s helmet. The 6-foot-3 freshman is solely extra snug going up excessive.
Thorne mentioned Cam is quicker than Keon, however Keon was a bit greater at that age. What he noticed from Keon in turning into an NFL receiver is one thing Thorne has mentioned with Cam this offseason.
“I feel Cam has checked out Keon at instances — I’ve talked to him about it — and he is type of studied him a bit bit and issues that he is carried out,” Thorne mentioned. “However they’re each related receivers of their stature and the best way they play. Keon had an elite mindset and I feel Cam does too. It’ll be enjoyable enjoying with Cam and see what he is bought.”
The offseason hype for Cam Coleman will quickly materialize into probably the most anticipated seasons for a newcomer not solely at Auburn, however within the SEC. Freeze has tried to watch out about placing an excessive amount of strain on his star-studded 2024 class to contribute immediately, however the early returns on Coleman particularly have been too constant to disregard.
“When he first got here in, I did not know he was going to be that good, I am not going to lie,” tight finish Rivaldo Fairweather mentioned. “As a result of some freshmen are available in and so they type of slow-play their method in and construct their method up. However Cam, he got here in prepared and he got here in able to play.”
And maybe probably the most mind-boggling truth about Coleman’s fast impression on Auburn’s offense — settling right into a beginning position early in spring observe, and being worthwhile to the purpose the place he barely performed within the crew’s first scrimmage — is that he went by way of 25 practices courting again to the spring as a 17-year-old. He turned 18 on Wednesday — 5 days earlier than his first fall semester as a school pupil.
Place coach Marcus Davis, who’s identified Coleman since he started recruiting him when he was 16, nonetheless sees the identical enthusiastic child at observe. All he can do is shake his head when his recruiting gem goes out and makes eye-popping catches every single day.
“Man, he could make all of the acrobatic catches,” Davis mentioned. “His catch radius is out of this world. You assume a ball is overthrown or too excessive or regardless of the case could also be, and also you simply see his size taking up. He positively has bought some God-given stuff.”
Coleman’s athletic antics have turn out to be an anticipated a part of each Auburn observe. Cal switch quarterback-turned-receiver Sam Jackson V remembers his jaw dropping when watching Coleman when he first arrived within the spring. Now he is seen it so many instances.
“The loopy factor about Cam is every single day it is a new play,” Jackson mentioned. “We simply had a play at this time that he completed off — we type of began off sluggish as an offense, however we bought to the move-the-ball interval, and Cam simply makes an important catch and he scores. Within the spring, I used to be getting tremendous hyped for it. However now, he makes a catch like that and I am like, ‘That is Cam.’ He is going to try this each single day. He is 17 years outdated. The man hasn’t even turned 18 but. … I am excited in my head however it’s virtually like a pure reflex to only be like, ‘Let’s go.’ It is one thing slight for him as a result of he’ll do it once more subsequent play.
“I can not consider any specific play with Cam as a result of he is making a play each single observe, each single interval.”
Auburn Undercover requested a number of of Coleman’s teammates and coaches this preseason that very query: What’s the most absurd catch you have seen him make since arriving on the Plains?
Davis referenced a shot of Coleman from Auburn athletics photographer Austin Perryman, exhibiting the freshman making a one-handed seize — along with his reverse hand — a few foot over his head. Davis mentioned that wasn’t throughout drills, both; Coleman caught it like that and walked into the tip zone.
“In all probability that dang image that was on the web,” Davis mentioned. “Someone despatched it to me. That most likely was the one. However he is been doing that since he is been right here. He is simply bought a knack for it.”
Offensive coordinator Derrick Nix — who coached a number of All-SEC wideouts at Ole Miss — recalled Coleman adjusting to a fade ball in the long run zone and skying for a catch with a defensive again draped throughout him.
“He is a man that may mainly nonetheless be open even when he is lined,” Nix mentioned. “However doing that persistently is the problem — and he is been exhibiting up and doing that to date.”
Tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua added his enter: “There’s quite a bit. … The opposite day when he caught the fade ball within the indoor (area) was one of many high catches I’ve seen a freshman make.”
Fairweather recalled an identical play as Nix: “It was like a fade ball on the 10-yard line. It was like an RPO, Payton simply put it up there, and the DB was throughout him and he simply was in a position to make the catch. And that is what we want.”
Linebacker Austin Keys pointed to the primary finish zone when strolling onto Auburn’s out of doors observe fields, recalling a back-shoulder landing Coleman hauled in with one hand.
“The dude’s bought bunnies,” Keys mentioned. “It is one thing I’ve by no means seen in my life, it is only a totally different technology of stuff. Cam is loopy.”
Auburn’s defensive backs clearly have an accelerated appreciation for Coleman’s skills. Security Sylvester Smith mentioned at Monday’s observe, he thought he was in good place to let an overthrown go fall into his arms for an interception. As a substitute, Coleman appeared and all of the sudden gave the offense an opportunity. He shot into Smith’s sight view, however “good factor” cornerback Kayin Lee was trailing Coleman and broke up the go as soon as Coleman bought his arms on it.
Earlier in camp, Smith remembers seeing Coleman by some means leap even greater than he normally does behind the tip zone within the indoor facility.
“I watched him virtually climb a ladder — (that) was how excessive he jumped,” Smith mentioned. “Each play he makes is loopy. It is a new one every week.”
With Auburn desperately craving enhancements within the passing sport after final season’s debacle, having somebody like Coleman who can win persistently on the high of his route — plus the opposite enhancements Auburn has made at receiver, with skilled transfers and different blue-chip freshmen — provides numerous confidence to Thorne in an offensive scheme that depends so closely on execution within the receiving corps.
After all, it is all the time a cube roll to position such duties on a freshman who simply turned 18. Primarily based on what he is proven as a Tiger to date, although, Coleman is prepared for the brilliant lights.
“50/50 balls, it is actually 60/40, 70/30 with him,” nickelback Champ Anthony mentioned. “… From the spring, I really feel like he is gotten higher, totally on his routes. He is been out and in of his breaks much more now that he sees the tempo in school soccer; he is out and in of his breaks much more.
“However 50/50 balls, that is Cam Coleman proper there.”
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