Rookie Spotlight: Jalen Coker, Holy Cross
Height: 6-1
Weight: 218
Hands: 32/12”
Arm: 9 ¼”
40 yard dash: 4.59 sec (projected)
2024 Age: 23
NFL Comparison: Xavier Hutchinson, Chris Godwin

Pros
Plates even bigger than he his
Maneuvers well through traffic
Strong contact balance
Excellent ball tracking skills
Sacrifices himself to make the catch
Adequate play speed
Runs a plethora of routes
Can play the X or the slot at current competition level
Serviceable blocker
Success against larger schools

Cons
May have trouble separating at next level
Not very explosive
Terrible competition level

Scouting Notes:
Falling prey to the small school, no clout error, Coker is a breath of fresh air to watch on tape. Loaded with ample hustle, Coker is a force to be reckoned with on the field. He plays even bigger and longer than his 6’3” frame, dominating at the catch point and/or laying himself out to outreach his defender. Adept at ball tracking, Coker has an uncanny knack for knowing where the ball is in the air, often turning around at the last second to snag it. After the catch, Coker has excellent body control and is able to maneuver himself through traffic with relative ease for a player his size. He has good feet and adequate long speed to get the most out of the play. He’s also tough and hard to bring down on first contact, churning through tacklers. Coker is versatile in that he can run the gamut of routes needed to play inside and outside, and he’s a willing and effective blocker when he’s not a part of the play. But while he’s an aggressive player, Coker lacks the burst to gain separation on a regular basis. A lot of his targets are contested, and though he’s been able to muscle his way to success in college, it’s yet to be seen whether he’ll be able to do so in the pros.

Fantasy Outlook:
Coker needed a spellbinding Shrine Bowl week (he didn’t) or Combine in order to expect him to get a lot of love on draft day coming from a small program – though he did lead his team in receiving against Boston College. Coker has the savvy to perform well though, so I’m not taking anything away from him. I think he profiles best as a big slot who can stretch the field, as he doesn’t quite have the speed for the outside in the NFL. Coker can definitely thrive in the slot though, as he has the agility and play strength to dominate in that role. You can take a flier on the guy in dynasty in very deep dynasty leagues, as I can see a path (albeit probably unlikely) to fantasy success.