Chiefs: Charades for pick number 28

Another prospect who may be available at pick #28

WR Corey Coleman, 5-foot-11, 190, Baylor

This year there’s no wide receiver like Calvin Johnson (because there’s never been anyone like Calvin Johnson), or A.J. Green or Julio Jones, or Sammy Watkins or Odell Beckham Jr… in other words a potential top ten wide out.  However, this draft is loaded with wide receivers who have the skills to one day rank in the top 10-to-20 neighborhood and that company is not too shabby. Corey Coleman’s upside is most likely in that range but also near that of Steve Smith.

You have to question whether or not Andy Reid’s offensive system… and for that matter John Dorsey’s salary cap priority structure… is designed to handle a top-10 wideout. Ever. From that vantage point it would appear that a Corey Coleman is exactly the type of player the Chiefs not only plan for, but fancy. On the field and in the pocketbook.

None of this is to diminish Corey Coleman or his accomplishments. In 2015, Coleman was a touchdown machine scoring 20 TDs in 12 games. Actually, all those TDs came in his first 8 games and then zero TDs the rest of the way (four games), presumably due to changes at QB, facing an NFL level CB in Zack Sanchez (Oklahoma), the coaches not calling his number (perhaps because of their realization Coleman was heading to the NFL in 2016) and a minor injury. Whatever the reason, Corey Coleman didn’t suddenly turn into a bad receiver.

There’s no getting around his production as Coleman put up 2,482 yards receiving in his sophomore and junior seasons combined. He also was a Consensus All-American and won the 2015 Fred Biletnikoff Award (given to the best college wideout in the country each year).

Although Corey Coleman will need to work on his route running in the bigs, his route tree at Baylor was not all that dis-similar from what the Chiefs run.

What his selection could mean for the Chiefs:

Coleman will likely test at the top of his class at the combine which will push his value higher in the first round, so high the Chiefs may not have a shot at him. The main reason that Corey Coleman appears to be available on many ranking lists and mocks is his size: 5-foot-11 or maybe just 5-foot-10, and 190 pounds.

Too small for a lot of teams. If the Chiefs take Coleman, they will be getting “the” wide receiver in this draft who could most closely be called perfect for their system. His first move away from the line of scrimmage is hard to deal with for corners playing man coverage and his second step gets him close to full speed.

Now, let’s be clear, Corey Coleman has speed and he’s got plenty of it. You can expect him to run a sub-4.4 40 yard dash but Coleman’s speed isn’t all he brings to the table.

He’s got that quick twitch scouts like and he’s also tough, super-competitive and has excellent hands although, he needs to learn to catch the ball away from his body more but, what rookie WR doesn’t? Coleman would also provide another kick returner option. In his freshman year he returned 17 kickoffs and averaged 28.4 yards per return.

Charades:

Three words. First word is one syllable. Sounds like pool. Second word, one syllable. Sounds like, land. That’s right, you got it: “Cool Hand Luke.” Coleman is one cool customer and if he’s able to have a career anywhere near that of Steve Smith’s… well, Chiefs fans just have to hope that career is all in red and gold… otherwise, “What we got here, is a failure to communicate.”

Next: A 1st Rounder Who Could Match Marcus Peters?