Cleveland Browns: Which offensive rookies will make the team?

Corey Coleman

The Browns wide receiver situation was a mess heading into the 2016 NFL Draft. Former General Manager Ray Farmer did not believe in drafting wide receivers because he would rather draft players that affect the game for more than ten plays.  Failing to see how speed at wide receiver contributes to the run game, Farmer left the Browns barren at the wide receiver position.

However, the new Browns regime took a wide receiver with their first pick. The Browns drafted Corey Coleman with the No. 15 overall pick in the NFL Draft. He was the first receiver taken off the board. Coleman’s strengths include his lightning fast 4.37 40-yard dash. His speed makes him a deep threat at any time.  It also allows him to create separation from defenders. Lack of precision in route-running is a major weakness.  At times he suffered from concentration drops. He is an excellent fit as an outside receiver.

Expect Coleman to be the number one receiver in Hue Jackson’s offense. Jackson, while at Cincinnati, mainly utilized two receivers. The number one receiver was the player through whom the passing game operated by either opening the underneath routes by running deep routes or by receiving the ball quickly off the snap allowing him to make plays in space. Coleman is an ideal fit for this role.

The wide receiver room is wide open in Cleveland.  The returning wide receivers do not possess Coleman’s playmaking ability. If Coleman learns to run precise routes and translates his ability to beat defenders in space to the NFL, expect Coleman to start at the number one wide receiver role. He will struggle to adapt to the NFL game but by the end of the season he will start to shine.

Verdict: Coleman makes the team easily.

Next: The other Coleman