Former Michigan State receiver Keon Coleman is arguably the biggest fish to catch in the transfer portal, but where would the WR thrive if he landed?
The spring transfer portal window in college football was just about to close when Michigan State star wide receiver Keon Coleman announced his decision to enter the portal.
Make no mistake, particularly along with quarterback Payton Thorne too, this is a devastating loss for the Spartans. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder is a legitimate NFL prospect who caught 58 passes for 798 yards and seven scores last season, this in spite of a relatively inept overall offensive approach in East Lansing.
Coleman is now clearly in search of a program that surely can offer NIL benefits but, in a longer-term outlook, can provide him the best chance to boost his draft stock. More pointedly, he's looking to go to a team and program where he can thrive. And there's no shortage of teams after him as On3's Hayes Fawcett reported on May 6 that 59 programs had reached out to the receiver.
Moreover, it's worth noting that Auburn would make a ton of sense but, given that the Tigers landed Thorne and there are rumors Coleman doesn't want to play with his former quarterback, that seems unlikely to be a place where we'd see a reunion.
Given that, let's take a look at the five best Keon Coleman landing spots in the transfer portal.
Keon Coleman transfer rumors: 5 best landing spots for WR
Drake Maye and Keon Coleman could help each other greatly at UNC
If Caleb Williams didn't exist, then there's a good chance that Drake Maye would be the No. 1 overall pick and almost surely the first quarterback off of the board in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With that said, UNC football has undergone some big changes overall this offseason, particularly on offense. Not only do they have a new offensive coordinator in Chip Lindsey after the departure of Phil Longo, but their receiving corps needed to be replenished after losing Josh Downs, Antoine Greene and more.
Mack Brown has done a good job thus far as Kobe Paysour looks ready for a bigger role and Kent State transfer Devontez Walker was a standout in the spring. Even still, they don't have a surefire game-changer like Keon Coleman could be, nor do the Tar Heels have anyone with that matchup-problem size. Adding him to an offense with an elite quarterback could work out fantastically for all involved.
Keon Coleman would make Florida State the favorite to win the ACC
Elsewhere in the ACC, it looks as if Florida State and Clemson are essentially co-favorites to win the league in the 2023 season. But the Seminoles could have the chance to take it to the next level if they could land Keon Coleman in the transfer portal.
Mike Norvell has already assembled arguably the best transfer class in college football this offseason in addition to returning the majority of the starters from a year ago. Jordan Travis is back after making great strides and the Noles also already have a giant receiving threat who is a mismatch problem for opponents in 6-foot-6 Johnny Wilson.
But why not make it doubly as hard to cover by adding Coleman to the fray too? Coleman took a visit to FSU as his first stop in the portal, so Norvell clearly agrees. And if they added a player of his caliber to a roster that already looks stacked, Florida State might not just be looking at an ACC title chance but also a possible College Football Playoff berth too.
Landing Keon Coleman transfer would be huge for Oklahoma rebounding
Coming off of a 6-7 season in the first year under head coach Brent Venables, Oklahoma is looking to rebound by having much greater success in the 2023 season. And much like Norvell, Venables has hit the transfer portal hard this offseason to try and ensure that.
There have been some great additions, including former Michigan receiver Andrel Anthony, to the Sooners roster. But even with Anthony in the fold, the weapons overall around Dillon Gabriel (or Jackson Arnold, if you want to stir the pot) still leave a bit to be desired.
With Jeff Lebby still at the helm of the Oklahoma offense, there is a chance for this to be one of the most potent attacks in college football. Getting the talent for it to work is critical, though, and adding Coleman to the mix would undoubtedly help ensure that's the case.
LSU could be a national title contender if they landed Keon Coleman
Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers figure to have one of the best receivers in the country for the 2023 season already with Malik Nabers back for his junior season. Moreover, the offensive infrastructure of the Tigers has already been set with two great options at quarterback with returning starter Jayden Daniels and redshirt sophomore Garrett Nussmeier, who has flashed in his own right.
With the returning core on offense and a strong defense as well, LSU is a legitimate College Football Playoff contender this season, whether you want to admit it or not. But going out and landing a player of Keon Coleman's stature and talent would be enough to put them a notch up, adding another lethal component to the offense that would make defenses cringe.
It might be a pipe dream, but Kelly has proven his ability to land big fish in the portal, and this one would serve all parties exactly how they need.
Keon Coleman could help jump star Matt Rhule's rebuild at Nebraska
Matt Rhule undoubtedly has a tough task after inheriting the wreckage in Lincoln left behind by Scott Frost. Nebraska has been struggling immensely for years now, and Rhule comes in after a 4-8 season for the Huskers.
It's been the start of rebuilding the culture and the program since he arrived, which we've seen take shapewith the arrivals of transfers like Jeff Sims and former Virginia wideout Billy Kemp IV. That being said, there is still work to be done and, if Nebraska wants to make it to a bowl game, they need something to really start setting them apart.
Keon Coleman could be that. Not only would he be the focal point of the offense and have opportunities to thrive individually, serving his purpose for transferring, but he would also set up this offense to be more dangerous, thus pushing the Rhule rebuild forward in Lincoln. That's a win-win situation and, if Nebraska wants to make one last big splash for 2023, this would be a perfect cannonball to deliver it.
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