“Keon Coleman (WR – Florida State)
Most similar players: Collin Johnson (0.900), Isaiah Hodgins (0.895), Auden Tate (0.883)
In college, Keon Coleman was a Sportscenter Top 10 play waiting to happen. The issue, as you may notice in those clips, is Coleman’s lack of ability to create separation. According to PFF, Coleman’s separation against single coverage last year ranked 449th out of 450 qualifying players — not great, Bob. Furthermore, when looking at Coleman’s charted stats he falls short in a lot of areas (photo via Reception Perception):
After transferring from Michigan State to Florida State for his final season, Coleman led the Seminoles in receiving yards while his targets per route run rose slightly from 22.9% to 24.9%. Also, despite running a 4.61-second 40-yard dash at the combine, Coleman reached a top speed of 20.36 miles per hour during the gauntlet drill, the fastest speed by any receiver over the last two seasons. Whether or not I like Coleman’s profile is a complex battle between my head (his production and efficiency are poor) and my heart (the dude can ball), so I think landing spot and development will matter slightly more than some of the other receivers.”
https://www.fantasypros.com/2024/04/2024-nfl-draft-player-comps-keon-coleman-xavier-legette-roman-wilson-ricky-pearsall/amp/
The pick was a total disappointment with McConkey right there. Non-WRs like Dejean or Newton would have been better selections than taking a player with so much bust risk. I’m still vexed at how the Bills scouting department thought THIS was their guy.
The primary skill a NFL WR needs is the ability to get open (earn targets). Catching the ball is secondary. Catching the ball is akin to shooting free throws in basketball. There are many gym rats at the ymca who can do it better than NBA players. The skill is earning the free throws.