With just two days until the 2024 NFL Draft, 13 former Noles will have a chance to hear their names over the weekend. What these articles are trying to accomplish is to know where each prospect is expected to go, which teams they have met with, their metrics, and what scouts and executives have said about these players (publicly available). (if any).
First up was Jordan Travis and Trey Benson, but we'll focus on both wide receivers here. We'll start with wide receiver Keon Coleman, one of the most polarizing prospects in the entire draft class.
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Coleman began his career at Michigan State, where he had 65 catches for 848 yards and eight touchdowns in two seasons (more than 94% of which came in his second season). He transferred to Florida State University for the chance to win and further develop his talents, where he had 50 catches for 658 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 25 punt returns for 300 yards.
He dominated LSU on Labor Day and was thrust into the spotlight in a big way. He was obviously held back by late-game injuries that limited his overall impact, and he didn't have as much natural chemistry with Jordan Travis as Johnny Wilson, but he still did well this season. He solidified his status as a celebrity. Still, thoughts are all over the place about his pro prospects given some of his testing and route running.
measurement
Coleman weighed 6,032 (6 feet 3 2/8 inches) and 213 pounds at the NFL Combine. Although he did not participate in any agility tests, he recorded a vertical jump of 38 inches and a broad jump of 10 feet, 7 inches. His negativity started with a brutal 4.61 second 40-yard dash. Despite his slow time, he still achieved a good result. His RAS was 8.17, which was a good result. He made up for his lack of speed to some extent by having the fastest and most consistent speed during his gauntlet drills, running through them effortlessly and showing confidence through his catches.
Visit and meeting
Keon Coleman visited Top 30 teams such as the Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and also played against the Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, and Baltimore Ravens at the NFL Combine.
what the scouts are saying
The Leap's Peter Bukowski: “One of the scouts McGinn talked to (NFL writer Bob) predicted Keon Coleman would run in the 4.4s. Is that accurate on tape? I don't know, but he plays a lot faster than his time,'' and the tracking data backs that up. Two scouts called him a surefire first-round WR. ”
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com: “Acrobatic contest catch specialist overwhelms defenders on the perimeter with his great length and excellent ball skills. In a talented Florida State offense that provides plenty of fodder, Coleman finished 2023 with 50 catches for 658 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, and gained 300 yards on 25 punt returns (12.0 yards per return), 6-3 1/2 The 213-pounder expands the quarterback's strike zone. Coleman is right in his role as a talented red zone weapon/jump ball specialist – I see him as a jumbo slot receiver with big play potential in his NFL career – Coleman -A pervasive offense that could be successful in the NFL as a Colston-type weapon. ”
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com: “An above-the-rim artist who performs a circus catch reminiscent of the Cirque du Soleil tent scene. Coleman has good size and ball skills. He suddenly “He doesn't have a lot of speed, so he can press and beat the ball.'' Whether he can create room against tight man coverage will depend on his improvement as a route runner. The former star basketball player has a blend of rebounders who give jump ball defenders the blues. However, Coleman could claim deep ball space and play a little more aggressively as a run blocker, but may lack the athletic characteristics to be a well-rounded WR2, so instead Keep an eye on him as a big slot. He is a receiver who can be a red zone specialist. ”
nick baumgardner The Athletic (paywall): “I think a lot of people overreacted to Coleman's 4.61 second 40-yard run time and didn't watch the tape enough. Coleman's combination of body control, burst, and ball skills are great in the air. It's really impressive. It's not something you can teach.”
Dane Brugler The Athletic (paywall): “Overall, Coleman has to add more nuance to his route running, but his big-man-like twitch, physicality, and ball-winning coordination skills allow him to make a difference.” With continued refinement, he has the talent to be an elite player (in a similar sense to Courtland Sutton).
Danny Kelly of The Ringer: “FSU's star is a vertical receiver who can shrug off presses, accelerate off the line, and ignite the afterburners to get over the top of defenses. He has incredible body control. Coleman moved his hips to box him out, timed his jumps, wriggled his body to catch the ball, and incredibly He has great jumping ability, arrogant hands, and makes the most outrageous catches you've ever seen. .
Expected draft range
Where he goes will largely depend on how quickly the wide receiver gets off the board. Between the Cowboys' 24 teams and the Eagles' 53 teams, it's safe to say that up to 20 teams could consider selecting the wide receiver. I've seen some evaluators say he could fall to the top of the third round, but considering how many teams need wide receivers, that's It's surprising to me. There will be teams that will be fascinated by his vertical athleticism and ability to handle the ball 50/50. The last thing I definitely see him going to is to Tampa Bay, where the 57-year-old is looking to finally replace Mike Evans.
After coming off the game against Clemson where he was being discussed as the best receiver option other than Marvin Harrison Jr., he's fallen between WR6 and WR13 depending on how you look at it. Harrison, Malik Nabors, Roma Odunze and Brian Thomas Jr. are locks for the first round, with AD Mitchell likely in as well. From there, it's wide open between Coleman, Ladd McConkie, Xavier Worthy, Troy Franklin, Ricky Pearsall, Roman Wilson, Malachi Coley, and Xavier Leggett. The types of WRs teams can acquire in this year's draft are very diverse and it really comes down to what they like.
I personally hope he goes somewhere where he can be a big slot WR2/3 and not stuck on the outside all the time. If he can use his frame inside over the middle, that would be the best way to utilize his talent.
Teams and first and second round picks mentioned: Saints (14 and 45), Buccaneers (26 and 57), Cowboys (24 and 56), Texans (42 and 59), Steelers (20 and 51), Bills (28 and 60), Ravens (30 and 62). The Texans just traded for Stefon Diggs, so I suspect they won't be as interested as I thought.
prediction
I had Keon Coleman drafted by the New Orleans Saints as their 8th wide receiver at age 45. I don't know if having an aging Derek Carr at QB and Dennis Allen as head coach is the best situation for him, but he's a Louisiana native who's always been compared to Marquis Colston, so it's very It would be a good storyline. Even if only slightly.
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