Kevin Coleman Jr. | Missouri | 5’10” , 179 lbs | Sept 10, 2003 (22 years)
Kevin Coleman was drafted in the fifth round by the Miami Dolphins, becoming the 27th wide receiver and 177th overall player selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
Coleman began his college career at Jackson State, finding some success as a true freshman on his way to 475 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Coleman transferred up to Louisville for his sophomore season, where he was relegated to a part-time role, running just 222 total routes. He finished that season third on the team in receptions and receiving yards, behind Jamari Thrash and Chris Bell.
Following the 2023 season, Coleman transferred again to Mississippi State, where he posted the best numbers of his career. He was a focal point in the Bulldogs’ offense, nearly hitting 1,000 receiving yards and finding the endzone six times.
If you’ve caught on at this point, you probably guessed right. Coleman transferred for a THIRD time, closing out his senior year at Missouri. His numbers took a dip in his final season, posting 66 receptions for 732 yards and just one touchdown.
As a whole, Coleman finished his career with 1.98 yards per route run (YPRR) and a 21.3% target rate, both fairly pedestrian numbers for an NFL-caliber prospect. He’s purely a slot receiver, running 92% of his routes in the slot in college.
FILM
Below is a snippet of my film breakdown for Coleman in our 2026 Dynasty Rookie Draft Guide:
Kevin Coleman is a slot receiver with the versatility to play special teams, finishing his college career with 57 punt returns. Coleman primarily operates in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field and turns it upfield quickly with little wasted movement. He has strong hands and can catch away from his body, bailing out his quarterback on inaccurate throws. He’s not a burner but shows good twitch; he’s much quicker than he is fast. Coleman is an above-average athlete and has very few red flags, outside of his smaller frame. He just lacks any elite traits.
Dynasty rookie draft season is here. DFF annual subscribers get exclusive access to our Dynasty Rookie Guide — analytic model scores, film reviews, and trait breakdowns for every key prospect. Click the image above to become an annual subscriber today and make every pick count.
ATHLETIC TESTING
Coleman’s Combine performance was fairly average, posting a 6.45 official Relative Athletic Score (RAS). He had a 40-time of 4.49 (average for his height and weight), but a very poor 10-yard split of 1.61 seconds. This suggests he’s actually someone with more build-up speed than initial burst. As mentioned in the film section, however, I do feel Coleman displays good short-area quickness and start-stop ability.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Average
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Average
Coleman was taken in the fifth round by the Miami Dolphins. The Day 3 capital was roughly what we were expecting pre-draft.
The landing spot certainly has its pros and cons. To start with the bad news, this offense projects to be one of the least efficient in the NFL in 2026, with a new unproven QB in Malik Willis and a lack of weapons surrounding him. Willis is your prototypical “Konami Code” quarterback who will likely be utilizing his legs a ton, keeping the passing volume at a minimum.
The good news is that, because this wide receiver room is so poor, Coleman has a realistic shot of earning some playing time. The problem is that he’s a slot-only receiver, and Malik Washington has proven to be at least serviceable in that role, so he’ll start as the backup. But hey, if there were a spot where Coleman could find the field, it’s probably Miami.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Kevin Coleman is currently ranked as my 42nd overall rookie prospect in Dynasty Superflex formats. I wouldn’t consider taking him until the fourth round, unless you play in a league where special teams yardage is recorded. There’s a decent chance that, if Malik Washington moves into the full-time slot role, Coleman takes over his special teams duties. His return ability should at least guarantee him a spot on the 53-man active roster, which makes him worth a dart throw late in rookie drafts.
Thank you for tuning in to DFF’s 2026 NFL Draft Coverage! As we break down every fantasy-relevant pick, make sure you have the tools to dominate your rookie draft with the DFF Dynasty Control Room. Engineered by Experts. Trusted by Champions.
Sync your Sleeper leagues, manage your portfolios, track your startup and rookie drafts in real time, find winning deals with the Trade Finder, analyze your roster with the League Analyzer, lock in value with the Dynasty Trade Calculator, and so much more. Whether you’re preparing for rookie draft season or looking to secure another key piece for a contending run, the DFF Dynasty Control Room gives you the edge to win big.
Click the image below to try it out for FREE for a limited time only!
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. #DFFArmy #FantasyFootball #AlwaysBeBuilding #NFL #NFLDraft #NFLTransactions #NFLTrades #AlwaysBeScouting
