AUBURN — Imagine if Auburn football could clone standout tight end Rivaldo Fairweather.

That's not possible − at least not with modern technology − but the Tigers did their best to add another big-time threat in the receiving game this offseason. Five-star freshman Cam Coleman has been on campus since spring. His baseline was already high, and he continues to make plays and leave his teammates wowed.

So much so that Fairweather, who led Auburn in receiving yards last season, compared Coleman to himself.

"He kind of reminds me of me sometimes a little bit going out there and making plays," Fairweather said with a grin Tuesday. "I tell him that. But nah, he’s going to be really good."

Coleman keeps checking the boxes put in front of him. He immediately looked the part as an early enrollee during spring practices before he sent the hype surrounding him into overdrive by catching five passes for nearly 100 yards and a touchdown at A-Day in April. He also recently added to his ever-growing highlight reel with a one-handed snag at practice Saturday.

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The highest-rated offensive recruit in Auburn history again impressed Fairweather on Tuesday, catching a fade from 10 yards out with the defender draped all over him: "It was like an RPO," Fairweather recalled. "Payton just put it up ... and he just was able to make the catch. That’s what we need."

Coleman is one of four true freshmen receivers on the Tigers, as he's joined by fellow first-year players Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain and Malcolm Simmons. That unit of rookies is a major part of the overhaul Auburn's receiving corps underwent this offseason.

The only two receivers on the roster who are returning from last season are Camden Brown and Caleb Burton III. The position is rounded out by a trio of transfers in KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Penn State), Robert Lewis (Georgia State) and Sam Jackson V (Cal).

"When he first came in, I didn’t know he was going to be that good," Fairweather said of Coleman. "I’m not going to lie, because some freshmen come in and they kind of slow play their way in and build their way up. But Cam, he came in ready and he came in ready to play.

"Malcolm, he’s actually good, too. He’s a sleeper, he’s pretty fast out there. Bryce Cain, he’s pretty good. Perry, he’s a big receiver, he’s going to be good. All our receivers are good, man. We've got depth at receiver now. They’re not going to be able to stop us."

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Cam Coleman: Auburn football WR reminds Rivaldo Fairweather of himself