Jalen Coker NFL Draft Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6′-1″
Weight: 208 pounds
School: Holy Cross
2024 NFL Draft: Jalen Coker Scouting Report
After spending the past four seasons with the Holy Cross Crusaders, wide receiver Jalen Coker is taking his talents to the next level through the 2042 NFL Draft. The Virginia native effectively was the entire Holy Cross offense, finishing the 2023 season with 59 receptions for 1,035 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Coker originally joined the Crusaders in 2020 but didn’t carve out a role until 2021. During his Sophomore season, the wideout recorded 50 receptions for 663 yards and four touchdowns. He built on that role, hauling in another 50 receptions for 914 yards and 11 touchdowns during the 2022 campaign.
Strengths
- Big, physical receiver built to win in contested situations;
- Size advantage – cornerbacks can’t match up against his height and 98th-percentile vertical jump;
- Testing measurables suggest he has the traits to translate to the NFL;
- Smart receiver who can find the holes in zone coverage;
- Soft hands – catches anything thrown in his zip code;
- Above-average body control.
Weaknesses
- Lives life with a defender on his hip – everything is a contested catch;
- Went against easy competition at Holy Cross – how will he respond to NFL strength;
- Slower than you’d like – not much of a threat after the catch;
- Struggles to get off the line against man;
- Slow out of his breaks, allowing cornerbacks to keep up with him on cuts.
NFL Comparison: DeVante Parker
Teams With Need At the Position: New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals
Projection: Round 6
Bottom Line on Jalen Coker in the NFL Draft
Jalen Coker enters the NFL Draft after dominating every opponent Holy Cross faced. Unfortunately, NFL competition is considerably tougher, so he’ll struggle to adjust to that increased level of competition. Sometimes, football can be a simple game: Coker is bigger and stronger than most cornerbacks, and he can outjump almost all of them. With a skillset like that, he can catch everything thrown in his direction. While nobody can say for sure if he can do this against elite competition, his testing numbers imply he’s physically capable of it. Additionally, the wide receiver appears to have a strong football IQ based on his ability to find open holes in zone coverage.
The biggest problem with Jalen Coker is that the NFL Draft hopeful is a bit of a one-trick pony. He lacks the speed and lateral agility to create separation at the top of routes, and he’s not much of a threat after the catch. His troubles begin at the start of the route, as he’ll need to work on getting off the line.
Ultimately, Jalen Coker has the skillset to hang around in the NFL, but he probably won’t be anything more than just a depth receiver. Teams can use him situationally in the red zone, and he could last a while if he makes a name for himself on special teams. However, it’s hard to see him ever developing into anything more than a good third or fourth option at the position.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
