Kevin Coleman Jr. WR Missouri |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #3 ROLE: Slot Receiver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/11/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.49 seconds (55%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.10 DOB: 09/10/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #3 | |
| ROLE: Slot Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 02/11/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.49 seconds (55%*) | |
| Age: 22.10 DOB: 09/10/2003 | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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| Overall Rating: | 82.1 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 102.7 | |
| Hands: |
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83% |
| Short Receiving: |
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83% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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87% |
| Deep Threat: |
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82% |
| Blocking: |
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60% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
5th
Overall Rank:
#164
Position rank:
#23 (WR)
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| College Games: 51 College Snaps: 2138 | ||
ESPN RATING: 86/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 96/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tahj Washington - USC |
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93% |
| Parker Washington - Penn State |
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88% |
| Charlie Jones - Purdue |
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85% |
Drafted: ROUND: 5 - Pick Number: 177 (MIA)
Draft Profile: Bio
Before Kevin Coleman Jr. ever became one of the more well-traveled receivers in recent college football memory, he was lighting up the state of Missouri at St. Mary's High School in St. Louis. A consensus four-star recruit rated as the top prospect in the state by every major recruiting service, Coleman put together a prep career that reads like fiction: 179 catches, nearly 4,000 receiving yards, 56 touchdowns, 14 interceptions on defense, and a MSHSAA Class 3 State Championship in 2021. He earned MaxPreps Missouri Player of the Year honors as a senior after racking up 985 receiving yards and 17 scores, and his recruitment heated up quickly. Standing 5'11" and weighing 174 pounds with a February 2004 birthday, Coleman made the surprise decision to follow Deion Sanders to Jackson State, joining Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter at the FCS program.Coleman's freshman season at Jackson State in 2022 was a statement. He posted 32 catches for 475 yards and three touchdowns, winning SWAC Freshman of the Year over the more heralded Hunter. That success didn't anchor him in place, though. Coleman transferred to Louisville for 2023, where he slotted in as a starter alongside Chris Bell and Jamari Thrash but managed a quieter stat line of 26 receptions for 362 yards and two touchdowns in Jeff Brohm's offense. One year later he was on the move again, this time to Mississippi State under Jeff Lebby. That 2024 season in Starkville was his breakout: Coleman hauled in 74 catches for 932 yards and six touchdowns, more than doubling the production of any other Bulldog wideout and earning All-SEC Third Team recognition. He connected with quarterback Blake Shapen for an 80-yard touchdown against Arizona State, the longest reception by a Mississippi State player in five years.
Coleman's fourth and final stop came at Missouri for the 2025 season, where he returned home to play in front of family and friends. Once again he established himself immediately, leading the Tigers with 66 receptions for 732 yards despite inconsistent quarterback play, and his 78.8 percent catch rate ranked sixth nationally. He delivered his biggest moments when they mattered most: 10 catches for 126 yards against Kansas, 12 grabs for 108 yards versus UMass, and a game-sealing 67-yard punt return touchdown at Arkansas. Coleman closed out his college career with 200 catches, over 2,500 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns across 51 games at four different programs, then turned heads all week at the Senior Bowl with a dominant performance in practices and interviews alike.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Quick-twitch feet and sudden hip snap at the top of routes create instant separation against linebackers and nickel defenders working the slot.
- Catches the ball away from his body with soft, reliable hands. Only seven drops on 271 career targets is a remarkable rate for a receiver with his volume.
- Gets to top speed in a hurry off the line and through his stem, clocking a 4.4 forty. Cornerbacks who give him a free release are in serious trouble.
- Fearless working over the middle of the field against traffic. Converted nine of 11 contested catches at Mizzou, including multiple grabs through heavy contact.
- Translates the catch into yards after the catch with urgency, averaging 5.7 YAC per reception at Missouri while forcing 18 missed tackles on the season.
- Four different playbooks at four different schools, and he earned a starting role every single time. That adaptability is not something you can teach.
- Willing and competitive as a stalk blocker despite his smaller frame, giving consistent effort through the whistle and showing no hesitation engaging in the run game.
- Proven punt return ability with a 67-yard house call at Arkansas and a 12.6 yard average on returns in 2025, adding legitimate special teams value on Day One.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- At just174 pounds in the third percentile for weight, NFL press corners with length are going to challenge his release timing and ability to stay on schedule.
- Overwhelming majority of his snaps came from the slot, with less than seven percent of his career reps on the boundary. He is a one-alignment player right now.
- Route tree leaned heavily on underneath concepts like screens, hitches, and flat releases from motion. His average depth of target sat at just 7.8 yards at Mizzou.
- Tends to go down on first contact against bigger defenders in the open field, and lacks the power base to consistently break arm tackles at the second level.
- Career contested catch rate of 53.7 percent across all four schools tells a different story than his strong 2025 finish, signaling inconsistency against physical coverage.
Scouting Report: Summary
Coleman's game is built on precision, quickness off the snap, and an uncanny ability to find soft spots in zone coverage before defenders can close. He is at his best working from the inside, where he can exploit mismatches against slower linebackers and safeties who simply cannot mirror his footwork. Offenses that lean on quick-game concepts, RPO designs, and motion-heavy personnel packages will get the most out of what he does well.The concerns about his size are legitimate and should not be dismissed. At 174 pounds, he is not going to bully his way off press coverage from bigger NFL corners on the outside, and his contested catch numbers over a full career suggest that when the window shrinks, he does not always come down with the ball. His route tree needs to expand beyond the underneath stuff. The deep receiving grades tell you the speed and ball tracking are there, but he was rarely asked to run complex downfield combinations in college, and that is a development area that will require patience. The blocking grades are below average for a reason, and at his size, stalk blocking NFL safeties is going to be a grind.
All of that said, Coleman's floor is genuinely appealing. This is a receiver who can walk into a building, learn a new system, build rapport with a new quarterback, and produce from the jump. He has done it four times now. His hands are among the most reliable in this class, his return ability adds immediate special teams value, and his toughness working the middle of the field is not in question. He fits best as a WR3 or WR4 in a three-receiver package, catching 50 to 60 balls a year and contributing as a returner. There are flashier receivers in this draft, but few who bring the same level of dependability and football character to a roster. The Senior Bowl performance confirmed what the tape already suggested: Coleman belongs on an NFL field, and a team that values production over prototype will not be disappointed.
Kevin Coleman Jr. percentiles vs other Wide Receivers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Kevin Coleman Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
165.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
33.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.