Chris Coleman, who caught 103 passes in two seasons at Cal Poly, hopes to hear his name called in this weekend's National Football League Draft in Kansas City.
Photo by: Matt Brown | Matt Brown Photography
Coleman Hoping to Hear his Name in 2023 NFL Draft This Weekend
4/27/2023 6:08:00 PM | Football
VIDEO: COLEMAN INTERVIEW WITH NFL DRAFT DIAMONDS SCOUT JIMMY WILLIAMS
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Cal Poly wide receiver Chris Coleman seeks to become the first former Mustang selected in the National Football League Draft in 11 years.
Coleman, who caught 103 passes in two seasons at Cal Poly after his transfer from Fresno State, hopes to hear his name called prior to the end of the 2023 NFL Draft, currently being held in Kansas City at Union Station.
Round 1 was held Thursday with rounds 2 and 3 scheduled for Friday. The final four rounds are slated for Saturday. All seven rounds will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App.
NFL Draft Countdown ranks Coleman No. 65 among eligible wide receivers while FantasyPros.com has the 5-11, 180-pound pass catcher ranked No. 86. The Miami Herald reported Tuesday that the Dolphins have started reaching out to potential undrafted free agents, including Coleman.
"Productive receiver with an underrated game," says Pro Football Network in a scouting report on Coleman. "Fluid releasing off the line of scrimmage, sells routes, and displays terrific short-area quickness. Remains disciplined, stays with the action, and plays with balance as well as body control.
"Comes back to the ball out of breaks, positions himself to make the reception, and works his hands to separate from defenders," the report goes on. "Displays terrific eye/hand coordination, tracks the pass in the air, and makes the difficult catch in contorted positions. Extends to make the reception away from his frame. Effective running after the catch, quick-footed, and creates yardage. Has opponents playing back on their heels. Shows punt-return traits."
The report listed Coleman's weaknesses as "lacks the deep burst and second gear; occasionally lets the pass get inside him; gives effort blocking but doesn't get good results."
Overall, the report concludes that Coleman has flown under the radar despite being productive the past two seasons and possesses the tools necessary to line up as a fifth receiver."
HERO Sports reported last summer that 24 players from NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision schools were drafted in 2022. More than 140 others signed undrafted free agent contracts or received rookie minicamp tryout invites.
A graduate of Garces Memorial High School in Bakersfield, Coleman caught 60 passes for 939 yards and five touchdowns in his final college season last fall. He is the first Mustang to catch 60 or more passes in a season since Ramses Barden made 67 receptions in 2008 and Coleman's career high for catches in a game was 10 at UC Davis.
The All-Big Sky Conference honorable mention and team captain earned 100 or more yards receiving in a game five times and caught seven or more passes on four occasions. His longest reception last season was 57 yards in the season opener at Fresno State.
Coleman also was Cal Poly's top receiver in 2021 with 43 receptions for 590 yards and four touchdowns. He made a season-high seven catches in the season finale against Northern Arizona.
Coleman made 16 catches in three seasons at Fresno State and also played at cornerback, making 11 tackles in his second year with the Bulldogs.
Last Mustang to be drafted by an NFL team was cornerback Asa Jackson, a fifth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2012. Now the wide receivers coach at Cal Poly after serving as coach of the cornerbacks in 2022, Jackson played in the NFL for six seasons -- 2012-15 with the Ravens, 2016 with the Detroit Lions and 2017 with the San Francisco 49ers -- and earned 38 total tackles (30 solo) with four pass deflections and one tackle for lost yardage in 26 games (eight starts).
Jackson was a four-time first-team all-Great West Conference selection at Cal Poly from 2008-11, the third Mustang to earn all-conference first-team honors four times. The others were offensive lineman Stephen Field and wide receiver Ramses Barden, both from 2005-08. Jackson was named Great West Freshman of the Year following the 2008 season.
Coleman exhibited his skills at San Jose State's Pro Day on March 22 with times of 4.51 in the 40-yard dash, 4.26 in the 20-yard shuttle and 7.10 in the three-cone drill. His vertical jump was 36 inches, his broad jump 10 feet, 7 inches and he bench repped 225 pounds 15 times.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Cal Poly wide receiver Chris Coleman seeks to become the first former Mustang selected in the National Football League Draft in 11 years.
Coleman, who caught 103 passes in two seasons at Cal Poly after his transfer from Fresno State, hopes to hear his name called prior to the end of the 2023 NFL Draft, currently being held in Kansas City at Union Station.
Round 1 was held Thursday with rounds 2 and 3 scheduled for Friday. The final four rounds are slated for Saturday. All seven rounds will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App.
"Productive receiver with an underrated game," says Pro Football Network in a scouting report on Coleman. "Fluid releasing off the line of scrimmage, sells routes, and displays terrific short-area quickness. Remains disciplined, stays with the action, and plays with balance as well as body control.
"Comes back to the ball out of breaks, positions himself to make the reception, and works his hands to separate from defenders," the report goes on. "Displays terrific eye/hand coordination, tracks the pass in the air, and makes the difficult catch in contorted positions. Extends to make the reception away from his frame. Effective running after the catch, quick-footed, and creates yardage. Has opponents playing back on their heels. Shows punt-return traits."
The report listed Coleman's weaknesses as "lacks the deep burst and second gear; occasionally lets the pass get inside him; gives effort blocking but doesn't get good results."
Overall, the report concludes that Coleman has flown under the radar despite being productive the past two seasons and possesses the tools necessary to line up as a fifth receiver."
HERO Sports reported last summer that 24 players from NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision schools were drafted in 2022. More than 140 others signed undrafted free agent contracts or received rookie minicamp tryout invites.
A graduate of Garces Memorial High School in Bakersfield, Coleman caught 60 passes for 939 yards and five touchdowns in his final college season last fall. He is the first Mustang to catch 60 or more passes in a season since Ramses Barden made 67 receptions in 2008 and Coleman's career high for catches in a game was 10 at UC Davis.
The All-Big Sky Conference honorable mention and team captain earned 100 or more yards receiving in a game five times and caught seven or more passes on four occasions. His longest reception last season was 57 yards in the season opener at Fresno State.
Coleman also was Cal Poly's top receiver in 2021 with 43 receptions for 590 yards and four touchdowns. He made a season-high seven catches in the season finale against Northern Arizona.
Coleman made 16 catches in three seasons at Fresno State and also played at cornerback, making 11 tackles in his second year with the Bulldogs.
Last Mustang to be drafted by an NFL team was cornerback Asa Jackson, a fifth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2012. Now the wide receivers coach at Cal Poly after serving as coach of the cornerbacks in 2022, Jackson played in the NFL for six seasons -- 2012-15 with the Ravens, 2016 with the Detroit Lions and 2017 with the San Francisco 49ers -- and earned 38 total tackles (30 solo) with four pass deflections and one tackle for lost yardage in 26 games (eight starts).
Jackson was a four-time first-team all-Great West Conference selection at Cal Poly from 2008-11, the third Mustang to earn all-conference first-team honors four times. The others were offensive lineman Stephen Field and wide receiver Ramses Barden, both from 2005-08. Jackson was named Great West Freshman of the Year following the 2008 season.
Coleman exhibited his skills at San Jose State's Pro Day on March 22 with times of 4.51 in the 40-yard dash, 4.26 in the 20-yard shuttle and 7.10 in the three-cone drill. His vertical jump was 36 inches, his broad jump 10 feet, 7 inches and he bench repped 225 pounds 15 times.
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