The Browns selected former Baylor WR Corey Coleman with the No. 15 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft
|EREA, Ohio (AP) — The Browns came into the NFL draft craving speed, a downfield target and someone to score touchdowns. Corey Coleman fills all three criteria.
“I can do a little bit of everything,” he said.
After ignoring a vital position for much of the past few seasons, the Browns nabbed the first wide receiver in the draft, selecting the quick Coleman from Baylor with the No. 15 overall pick.
The Browns traded out of the No. 2 overall spot and a chance to pick a potential franchise quarterback last week and then made another deal to move down before selecting Coleman, who scored 20 touchdowns last season.
Coleman won the Fred Biletnikoff Award last season, given to the nation’s top receiver. Coleman’s speed — he’s been clocked at 4.38 seconds in the 40 — made him attractive to the Browns, Browns vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said Coleman was the team’s top-rated wide receiver and the team was thrilled he was still available at 15.”He’s a tremendously productive, dynamic playmaker,” Brown said. “It’s something we haven’t had here in recent years. With Corey’s speed, tenacity and ability to turn small plays into long plays, we’re really excited to bring him here.”
New coach Hue Jackson needs to improve a receiving corps that accounted for a league-low eight TDs last season. The Browns scored just 28 TDs and offensive weapons to put defenses on edge. Jackson believes Coleman, who may be undersized at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, can change that.
“He scores touchdowns,” said Jackson, who spent the past two seasons as Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator. “He can light it up from anywhere on the field.”
Coleman caught 74 passes for 1,363 yards last season and led the NCAA with 20 catches of 30-plus yards and 11 over 40 yards. Paul DePodesta, the team’s new chief strategy officer who earned his reputation building major league baseball contenders, said the group was confident Coleman would still be available if the Browns moved down During Coleman’s visit, Jackson showed him video of Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green. While it remains to be seen if Coleman can develop into a player like Green, Jackson said the 21-year-old has other intangibles.”He has a lot of charisma,” Jackson said. “He’s very confident, many receivers are very confident — at least the ones I’ve coached. They want the ball and he’s going to be one of those guys who want the ball, and you want a guy who wants the ball.”