"He's a dynamic playmaker. Think Percy Harvin, that's the kind of playmaker that he is. He has a quick start and explosive speed. The only key for him is that he hasn't run a route tree. You will have to manufacture touches for him as he learns the route tree. He's special with the football in his hands." -- Mike Mayock
5'11" Height
30 1/4" Arm Length
194LBS. Weight
9" Hands
Overview
Coleman grew up in a tough Dallas neighborhood playing football in the streets, with a father who is currently serving prison time for felony cocaine distribution. But with the guidance and hard work of his mother, Cassandra Jones, as well as his godfather, former Baylor and NFL star defensive back Ray Crockett, Coleman fulfilled his potential as a playmaker at the college level. As a redshirt freshman, Coleman started 10 games in head coach Art Briles' offense, catching 35 passes for 527 yards and two scores, as well as averaging over 28 yards per kickoff return. His sophomore season started late, as he missed the first three games of the year with a hamstring injury, but finished strong. He was named second-team All-Big 12 (first team by the media) after covering 1,119 yards and scoring 11 times on just 64 receptions. Most importantly, Coleman came up big at the right times (15-224, TD vs Oklahoma, 7-150, TD vs Michigan in Cotton Bowl) ... but that was just a hint of things to come. Coleman won the Biletnikoff Award as the nations top receiver in 2015, along with unanimous All-American and first-team all-conference honors, leading the country with 20 touchdown receptions (74-1,363 receiving for the year). He missed the team's Russell Athletic Bowl win over North Carolina after having sports hernia surgery in December in order to be ready for the run up to the 2016 NFL Draft.
Pro Day Results
40-yard dash: 4.37 seconds
Analysis
Strengths
Instant blur off the snap. Feet turn over at a blinding pace and he devours cushion before cornerbacks know what hit them. Able to get over the top of every corner he faced and demands safety help over the top. Works back to the ball. Explosive leaper with ability to climb ladder and win the 50/50 ball and body control to secure the acrobatic catch. Touchdown maker finishing 2015 with 20 receiving touchdowns. Smooth, speedy stems to the post will be difficult to mirror and match for NFL cornerbacks. Easy route adjustments in space. Defenders who try to jam and miss pay the iron price (touchdowns). Able to make tacklers miss in tight spaces. Has experience as ball carrier and punt returner. Heavily targeted (39 percent) in Baylor's high-flying attack.
Weaknesses
Does his best work from outside the numbers, but lacks desired NFL size to play outside. Allows cornerbacks to leverage him against the sideline on deep throws. Takes longer than expected to gear down for comeback routes after hitting top speed. Ran limited number of simple routes. Hands are a concern. Fails to catch away from his body. Dropped 10 passes for a drop rate of 11.9 percent. Loses focus and concentration on routes that work towards the middle of the field or when he senses defenders are closing in. Had sports hernia surgery that forced him to miss his bowl game.
Draft Projection
Rounds 1 or 2
Sources Tell Us
"He's my top receiver. Now this is for what we do so he's going to be tops for me. He can do a lot of things and I'm not worried about those simple routes because he's got some gifts to work with. Like him a lot more than (Laquon) Treadwell or the Notre Dame guy (Will Fuller)" -- AFC wide receivers coach
NFL Comparison
John Brown
Bottom Line
Dangerous vertical talent with the ability to get over the top of defenders who fail to recognize his blazing quickness off the line of scrimmage. Coleman can get instant separation to create favorable passing windows and is one of the top playmakers in this draft. Coleman's issues with drops near the middle of the field could be a concern if teams see him next as a slot receiver due to his lack of size. Regardless, he can line up outside and win and he offers immediate punt return help.
