If you were to conduct a draft based solely on the look of players entering the stadium at this year's Senior Bowl, Auburn's Sammie Coates would be the first wide receiver off the board.
The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the third round, a drop that was preempted by an uneven tenure at Auburn. He drops passes. He struggles to connect with his quarterback.
And yet, there is something so promising about him that the Steelers needed to find out for themselves what the problem really is.
At the Rookie Symposium this week, he's been nothing but eager to prove them right.
"I'm just trying to do everything I can to showcase I'm an all-around guy who can play anywhere," Coates told ESPN.com.
At the moment, he's buried underneath a depth chart that includes Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Martavis Bryant and potentially Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Amid an offseason of changing perceptions, though, he doesn't sound like he's letting that bother him.
"You have to go there and be relaxed," Coates said. "You can't think about all the plays. You have to make the plays that present themselves to you."
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses the Bills' QB situation, the Odell Beckham Jr. drama and unveils the Superstar Club. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
