In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills traded back before finally selecting wide receiver Keon Coleman with the first pick in the second round. Needing another weapon to account for the losses of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the offseason, the Bills picked Coleman as the eighth wide receiver taken in the draft.
Coleman’s production at Florida State was solid, and the tape of the young receiver passed the eye test. However, some interesting NFL Combine results could have been the reason why Coleman was able to fall to 33rd overall. Let’s take a look at his controversial 40-yard dash time.
What Was Keon Coleman’s 40-Yard Dash Time?
When it comes to the NFL Combine, there are specific drills that get people excited for certain position groups. One of those combinations is watching offensive playmakers run the 40-yard dash to try and perceive what a player’s top-end speed will be.
The 40-yard dash has been a part of the Combine for quite some time. Many coaches and scouts point out that while it can be a tool in specific scenarios, the overall usefulness of 40 times is a bit overstated as the majority of players on the field are not starting from a three-point stance when the ball is snapped.
However, given the excitement behind the drill, 40-yard dash times can become more important than they are, and Coleman is a great example.
After two seasons with Michigan State and one with the Seminoles, Coleman had amassed 1,506 yards on 115 catches and found the end zone 19 times. Coming from practically two seasons, Coleman’s game tape exemplified a physical receiver with all the gifts to create separation.
Then the 2024 NFL Combine came. Coleman would run an official 40-yard dash time of 4.61 seconds, the second slowest among WRs attending the event. In comparison, Xavier Worthy, who the Kansas City Chiefs selected after trading with the Bills for the 28th pick, ran the 40 in a Combine record 4.21 seconds.
While the overall number seems slow, as pointed out earlier, receivers don’t start their route from a three-point stance. While the 40-yard time may have been slow, Coleman’s 10-yard split was quicker than quite a few receivers who finished faster than him at 1.54 seconds. Even his speed from the gauntlet drill showed the slow time might have been a bit overstated.
Keon Coleman (@FSUFootball) reached the fastest speed of group 8 during the gauntlet drill (20.36 mph), despite recording the slowest forty time (4.61s).#NFLCombine x @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/1SioPdOPNU
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 2, 2024
Nevertheless, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane was happy about Coleman’s slower-than-expected 40 time.
Wanting to select the receiver as a new weapon for QB Josh Allen to target, Coleman’s 40-yard dash time created a similar situation for the Bills’ front office from 2020. Wanting to select WR Gabe Davis, Buffalo was able to pick him in the fourth round of the draft after clocking in a 40-yard dash at 4.54 seconds.
Given that four receivers were selected between picks 23 and 32, it wouldn’t be surprising to see if the slow time was the reason for Coleman’s slide out of Round 1. However, with the season underway, the Bills need the rookie to focus on finding the separation to become a reliable target for Allen. Given how well Allen has responded to the new group of weapons, Coleman might have a bit more time than expected to get things figured out.