This is the first of what will be a series of articles highlighting specific NFL draft prospects that the Ravens will likely be considering come draft day 2016. The focus will be on positions that most would consider to be the biggest needs on the Ravens roster, but there will likely be some exceptions for uniquely talented prospects.
The first prospect I will be taking a look at is WR Corey Coleman from Baylor University. His play this past season grabbed my attention in a big way, and I hope that I can help convey why I believe he will be a special player in the NFL. As a redshirt Junior, it is too early to formally declare for the NFL, but he has indicated that he does plan to enter the 2016 draft.
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When evaluating WR prospects there are a number of different skills and attributes that I look for, and size and speed are often the first two boxes that I look to check. Coleman, listed at 5’10” and 190 lbs, is certainly on the bottom end of the size spectrum, but he more than makes up for this in the speed category. Not only does he possess sub 4.4 top end speed, but he is incredibly explosive in the open field. He’s also quite powerfully built for a smaller receiver, and even occasionally lined up in the backfield during his time at Baylor. He plays physically and does not shy away from contact, which is certainly something you want to see. Here, you see him easily beat the jam, explode into the slant route and snatch the TD catch.
Another important attribute I look for is suddenness/agility and Coleman checks this box as well. You can see his ability to stop and start on a dime littered throughout his tape. This attribute might be the most important for a WR that doesn’t have a huge frame because it is imperative for creating separation in routes and in making players miss after the catch. Think about Antonio Brown and how easily he creates separation, I believe Coleman possesses similar abilities. These next two plays embody how elite suddenness and body control create space, both before and after the catch.
Good hands and quality catching technique are absolutely critical to a WR’s success in the NFL. Ideally, you want to see a prospect extend his arms away from his body and snatch the ball without bobbling or double-catching, and this is another area in which Coleman excels. You will see him drop the ball on occasion, but rarely does this happen when the ball is on frame. He doesn’t have Odell Beckham Jr. hands, but he isn’t going to hurt a team with his drops either.
Coming from Baylor, there are a few WR attributes that become harder to evaluate. The WRs are not asked to do much in terms of run-blocking in this spread offense, in fact you will see the WRs simply standing around on most run plays. There are a few plays with runs designed to go his direction, and you do see Coleman giving solid effort which is encouraging. He also was not asked to run a full route tree in this offense. The majority of his routes are fades, corners, skinny posts, and quick hitches with the occasional slant thrown in as well. He is not asked to go over the middle very often. You will find a few examples of nice route-running like this slant-and-go vs Rice, and given his suddenness and ability to accelerate out of cuts, one would think he will develop into a very good route-runner in the NFL.
So, how does he fit with the Ravens? In my opinion, he is a player that can contribute immediately as a 2nd or 3rd WR, and will emerge into a lead role once the veteran Steve Smith retires. There a lot of similarities between Coleman and Smith Sr, both from a physical standpoint and in how they play the game, so I think it would be a great situation to come into. Coleman profiles well as the “Z” WR or as a slot WR, but he possesses the speed and quickness to beat CBs off the LOS as well, so I think he can end up being a very versatile player. He and Perriman together on the field would complement each other extremely well, and the overall speed they would bring to the offense would be hard to defend for years to come.
Corey Coleman is an extremely explosive athlete with a number of strong WR attributes, but he is not a finished product. He is on the small side for an NFL WR, and he might take a couple years to reach his full potential. In the meantime he will function well as a deep threat and as a guy that can be used to make plays in space. I think he ends up going in the back-end of the 1st round of the draft, although with what some project as a relatively weak class, Coleman’s stock may rise into the 10-20 range especially after the NFL Combine where I expect him to show extremely well. A lot can happen between now and draft day, but the skill-set that Corey Coleman brings has to be very attractive to the Ravens.
Ravens Analyst
Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.