Bengals have interest in 'sleeper' DB prospect
One of the things defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo of the Cincinnati Bengals values is versatility in his players. When the Bengals signed safety Nick Scott to pair with Dax Hill, that's exactly what he got, but Cincinnati is looking for more. Elon defensive back Cole Coleman, a five-year player on the college level, has drawn […]
One of the things defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo of the Cincinnati Bengals values is versatility in his players.
When the Bengals signed safety Nick Scott to pair with Dax Hill, that's exactly what he got, but Cincinnati is looking for more.
Elon defensive back Cole Coleman, a five-year player on the college level, has drawn the eyes of the Bengals ahead of the NFL draft later this month.
Let's break down how Coleman spread out his snaps at Elon.
His versatility is quite outstanding. Per Pro Football Focus, of his 1,620 career snaps, Coleman lined up as an outside cornerback for 29 snaps and logged 508 in the slot. He also registered 492 plays at free safety, 569 in the box, and 22 on the defensive line. That's what's known as an all-purpose type of defender.
Coleman can stand to improve his coverage skills a bit. He allowed a completion percentage of 72.2 and only had five pass breakups and two interceptions in college. His coverage grades were lackluster in 2018, 2021, and 2022. However, he posted solid 72.8 and 70.7 grades in 2019 and 2020.
What has blown people away when it comes to Coleman is his testing numbers. He ran a blazing 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at NC State's Pro Day which was the best time compared to all the safeties at the NFL combine. Although he only stands around 5'9"-5'10" Coleman's 39-inch vertical jump was ranked sixth and his 10'6" in the broad jump was ranked fourth at the position.
He may have gone to a small private school but Coleman is an incredibly gifted athlete with plenty of experience and versatility and could provide a moldable piece of clay for Anarumo's defensive scheme on Day 3 of the draft.
