2024 NFL Draft Player Profile: Keon Coleman, WR, FSU

Keon Coleman has been a point of contention amongst Jaguars fans of late. Would Jacksonville taking him with the 17th overall pick be a mistake?

The 2024 NFL Draft is absolutely loaded with talent at the receiver position. Names like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers have all but guaranteed spots in the top-10 while Rome Odunze, Brian Thomas Jr. and Troy Franklin have all been consistently mocked in the first-round.

One name that seems to come with the widest array of opinions is Florida State standout, Keon Coleman.

Coleman began his career at Michigan State where he lead the Spartans in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2022. This was all while splitting targets with Jayden Reed, who was just selected in the second-round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Upon transferring to the Seminoles, Coleman burst onto the scene with a huge debut against LSU where he caught nine balls for 122 yards and pulled in three touchdowns in an utterly dominant performance.

The hype train exploded for Coleman after that game, but he was never able to replicate that productivity with any sort of consistency for the rest of the 2023 season. This has led to some vastly different opinions on just where Coleman should land in the 2024 NFL Draft.

So let’s dive a little deeper into his game to form our own opinion on what Keon Coleman could bring to the Jacksonville Jaguars if he were the choice with the 17th overall pick.

Measurables

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 215

Career Statistics

Receptions: 115

Yards: 1,506

Touchdowns: 19

Punt returns: 25

Punt return yards: 300

Strengths

• Prototype size and length for X receiver
• Strong, plucky hands
• Elite leaping ability with incredible hangtime (former four-star basketball prospect)
• Turns 50/50 balls into 75/25 balls
• Has a good feel for when to change speed inside routes
• Illustrates late hands in deep ball situations
• Does a solid job of extending his hands to snag throws away from his frame
• Stop-start quickness flashes a ton
• Slippery open-field mover with great vision
• Had four punt returns of 30+ yards in 2023

Weaknesses

• Let’s physicality at the catch point disrupt him far more often than it should
• Needs to expand his press release package
• Could stand to run his routes with more intent and focus
• More quick than he is fast
• Inconsistent when it comes to snapping off his routes
• Can lose catch focus when working the sideline

Projection and Fit

Keon Coleman is exactly what the Jacksonville Jaguars’ receiver room is missing. He has the size, physicality and red zone playmaking ability that was totally absent from the Jacksonville passing attack in 2023.

While he could clean up some wasted movement in his route running, Coleman shows plenty of foot speed and savviness on his breaks to lead me to believe he will only get better in that regard. He’ll never be an elite separator downfield, but he has proven he can make up for that with legitimately elite leaping ability when the ball is in the air. His stop-start quickness and understanding of when to change speeds once the ball is in the air are also great attributes to have when you don’t have that next level top end speed.

Conclusion

Keon Coleman feels like a classic example of overthinking when it comes to the draft process because the tape and traits will tell you that he should very much be in play for Jacksonville with the 17th overall pick.

Grade: 8.3 (potential impact player)

Big Cat Country NFL Draft Grading Scale

9.5 to 10 – Top-10 lock. Rare attributes both physically and mentally. Clearly the most talented player on the field in college. Game-changing/wrecking projection at the next level. Potential be top-10 at their position right away.

8.5 to 9.4 – Unquestioned first-round prospect. Elite physical and mental profile. Performed consistently at a high level, no matter the competition in college. Expectations to be an immediate impact player.

7.5 to 8.4 – Mixed opinions on first-round projection. Above average physical profile. Considered a great player at respective school but not a household name. Performs admirably against top competition. Potential to be an immediate starter at the next level. 1-2 round pick.

6.5 to 7.4 – Day 2 prospect. Good athlete but can’t match up with the league’s best. Productive collegiate career. Expectation to perform in a rotational role as a rookie. Potential to become a starter over time.

5.5 to 6.4 – Fringe late Day 2/early Day 3 prospect. Admirable athletic profile. More potential than finished product. Lacking necessary measurables at their position but have found ways to win without them. Rotational piece with a role on special teams as well.

4.5 to 5.4– Day 3 prospect. Either a low ceiling athletically or undersized for their position. Potential for red flag of some sort (exp. Injuries, lack of college production, off-field issues etc.). Still provides an element of intrigue when projecting to the next level. Predominately a special teams player.

3.5 to 4.4 – Bottom half of Day 3 prospect. Underwhelming collegiate career (or small school product). Has a singular trait that’s worth a late round swing of the bat. Chance to compete for a roster spot in training camp. Uphill battle to make final 53.

2 to 3.4 – Priority free agent signee. Traits worth exploring. Camp body.

1 to 1.9 – Clearly not of NFL quality. Lacks the necessary athletic, mental, and skill levels to make any contributions in the league.