As Auburn football heads into Hugh Freeze’s third season at the helm, expectations are climbing. After back-to-back losing seasons, the Tigers are poised for a potential turnaround in 2025, fueled by a revamped quarterback lineup and consecutive top-10 recruiting classes.
One area drawing particular excitement is the wide receiver corps. Despite losing KeAndre Lambert-Smith to the NFL, Auburn boasts a strong returning group known as the “Freeze Four”—Malcolm Simmons, Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, and Bryce Cain—plus several new additions from the transfer portal.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently unveiled their annual rankings of the top 10 returning college football players by position, and two Auburn receivers earned spots on the list.
Eric Singleton Jr., who transferred from Georgia Tech after two productive seasons, is already creating buzz after a strong spring. According to PFF’s Max Chadwick, Singleton racked up 1,468 receiving yards in his two seasons with the Yellow Jackets, ranking second among all returning Power Four receivers. He also scored in the 99th percentile on PFF’s Game Athleticism Score, showcasing elite speed and deep-threat capability—his 664 yards on deep balls since 2023 are the most of any returning Power Four wideout.
The second honoree is Cam Coleman, who had a standout freshman campaign after entering Auburn as one of the top-rated receivers in the 2024 class. Chadwick notes that during the last three weeks of the 2024 season, Coleman led the nation with six touchdown catches and was sixth in receiving yards (306), despite struggling with subpar quarterback play—a situation that could improve significantly with the arrival of Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold. Coleman, who also scored near the top of PFF’s athleticism metric, blends size, agility, and catch radius, setting the stage for a potentially explosive sophomore year.
Auburn kicks off the 2025 season on August 29 against the Baylor Bears.
About The Author
