Hugh Freeze breaks down Auburn’s new-look wide receiver room

Hugh Freeze is optimistic that the Auburn offense can reach another level in 2024. Bringing in several talented receivers this offseason should certainly help.

Auburn loaded up on receivers in the 2024 recruiting class, including signing five-star wideout Cam Coleman, who was ranked as the No. 4 overall player in the class, per the On3 Industry rankings.

The Tigers also brought in a potential impact transfer portal receiver in KeAndre Lambert-Smith out of Penn State. Hugh Freeze recently spoke at a Hoover prayer breakfast about his new-look wide receiver room ahead of the 2024 season.

“Well, we saw glimpses of it in camp,” Freeze said of Cam Coleman potentially being a difference maker. “I’m very careful to say ‘he’s just a freshman.’ So I don’t want expectations to overwhelm him or Perry Thompson, because Perry’s going to get the same type of treatment.

“And that’s really why we brought in a Dre Lambert. So he’s experienced and now you have the combination of the really, really young talented guys and an older guy or two that have played significant snaps to maybe help bridge that gap.”

Cam Coleman caught 61 passes for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior in high school. He was an early enrollee who also impressed in the Auburn spring game, recording four catches for 92 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown.

Perry Thompson caught 53 passes for 718 yards and seven scores as a senior in high school last season. He also completed 5 of 6 passes for 93 yards and two scores and added 102 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Lambert-Smith caught 53 passes for 673 yards and four touchdowns last year at Penn State.

While Hugh Freeze doesn’t want to set expectations for Coleman or Thompson too high, he also admits that it’s possible they’re ready to play a huge role in the offense as freshmen in 2024.

“Now maybe they’re ready,” Freeze said. “You know, I’ve coached some good ones before. Laquon Treadwell was ready as a freshman and Donte Moncrief and AJ Brown and some of those were able to handle that. Every sign indicates that Cam will be able to also, but it’s good to have some maturity around him.”

Auburn is coming off of a 6-7 (3-5) season in Year 1 under Freeze. The Tigers are set to open their 2024 campaign on Aug. 31 against Alabama A&M. It will be interesting to see what kind of role Cam Coleman and other new receivers have in that game and throughout the year.