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Factoid

Is he the Real Thing?

Coker shines as an undrafted rookie

I will be curious to see, post draft, where Jalen Coker fits into Carolina’s offense. He was sneaky good as a rookie.

Coker wasn’t even drafted coming out of Holy Cross. But he made the most of his limited opportunities, outplaying first-rounder Xavier Legette. He caught 70 percent of the passes thrown his way, and he was getting downfield, averaging 14.9 yards per catch.

He finished the season with 32 catches for 478 yards and 2 TDs in basically 10 games of worth of action. When he came back late in the year, he caught all 9 passes thrown his way in their last two games.

Coker isn’t a burner; he ran 4.57 at the combine (again, he wasn’t drafted). But he’s 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, and with a 42-inch vertical. Looks like he might be a keeper.

Playing around with the numbers, note that Coker last year averaged 10.4 yards per pass play. That’s including incompletions. In the last 20 years, only 14 other rookie receivers with at least 40 targets have had better averages.

This stat would be more compelling if we had much confidence of it being predictive. That is, there are two other undrafted wide receivers on this list – Robert Foster and Hank Baskett. How did their careers turn out?

But nice start for Coker, and let’s see where it goes.

ROOKIE RECEIVERS AVERAGING 10 YARDS PER TARGET
YearPlayerRdGTgtRecYdsTDYPT
2019Mecole Hardman, K.C.2164126538613.1
2013Kenny Stills, N.O.5165032641512.8
2019A.J. Brown, Ten.21684521051812.5
2018• Robert Foster, Buff.FA134427541312.3
2017JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt.2147958917711.6
2014Martavis Bryant, Pitt.4104826549811.4
2004Lee Evans, Buff.1167448843911.4
2021Ja'Marr Chase, Cin.1171288114551311.4
2007Anthony Gonzalez, Ind.1135137576311.3
2020Justin Jefferson, Min.116125881400711.2
2006• Hank Baskett, Phil.FA164222464211.0
2009Hakeem Nicks, NYG1147447790610.7
2020Henry Ruggs, L.V.1134326452210.5
2009Mike Wallace, Pitt.3167239756610.5
2024Jalen Coker, Car.FA114632478210.4
2018Dante Pettis, S.F.2124527467510.4
2024Ladd McConkey, LAC216112821149710.3
2011Julio Jones, Atl.1139554959810.1
2014Odell Beckham, NYG1121309113051210.0
2023Dontayvion Wicks, G.B.5155839581410.0
2013Keenan Allen, S.D.315105711046810.0

—Ian Allan

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