Coleman’s 4.61 40-yard dash doesn’t necessarily jump off the charts, but in the gauntlet drill at the NFL Combine, Coleman reached a top speed of 20.36 miles per hour – the fastest speed by a receiver over the last two seasons.
“The 40 is no longer the most effective way to determine a player’s speed,” wrote ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques earlier this year. “The value it once had to teams has diminished in its 80-year existence, as clubs turn toward other means – such as GPS tracking and analytical data – to fully understand how fast a player can move in football specific situations.”
With a quick burst at the line of scrimmage, Coleman can line up in the slot or on the outside. His size allows him to break tackles and his athleticism can lead to some highlight worthy plays, as seen in his incredible leap over a Southern Miss defender last season.
NFL Network Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah praised Coleman for his ability to win routes in different ways, often due to his size and ability to come down with the ball.
“He is a smooth and fluid route runner with some nuance to his game,” wrote Jeremiah in March. “He understands how to use his body to keep defenders on his back and attack the ball in front of his frame.”
Jeremiah said Coleman’s highlight reel might be the best in this draft class and said that Coleman has the potential to thrive in the end zone.
“He also might have the best highlight reel in this draft class, with one-handed wow catches littered throughout his tape,” Jeremiah wrote. “After the catch, he is competitive to fight for extra yards and will occasionally hurdle defenders. He’s an excellent athlete.”
Bonus: Coleman is the younger cousin of Cowboys star WR Ceedee Lamb