Bills’ Keon Coleman trashes NFL Combine on NBA legend’s podcast

It was just a year ago this time that Keon Coleman was showing his mettle at the NFL Scouting Combine. Now that he’s a year into his NFL career, he’s been able to reflect on the experience and things he’d change.

Joining NBA Top 75 honoree and 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony on his ‘7PM in Brooklyn’ podcast, the Buffalo Bills’ receiver said he was not a fan of watching the combine because of its unconventional nature. In his words, not all of the drills translate to football, in comparison to a player’s position.

“We got linemen out here running the 40 [yard dash] and vertical jumping,” said Coleman with the show’s cast featuring Kazeem Famuyide and ESPN’s Monica McNutt. “When they ever doing that?”

Coleman said he thinks the environment is meant to test prospects and throw them off their “P’s and Q’s.” As he always seems to do, the former Florida State and Michigan State receiver made light of asking for coaching staffs for snacks while in meetings. He poked fun at the fact that meeting rooms often had snacks in front of the players in meeting rooms.

“You’ll be out there all day. Teams are mad I’m eating fruit snacks. I’m like, ‘I’m hungry,'” said Coleman leading to a bunch of chuckles. “‘I’m listening, can I, you know grab a little fruit snack every now and then?’ Y’all got all the snacks in here, that’s just for show? If you ain’t gonna draft me, over some fruit snacks?”

Keon Coleman

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Coleman was also asked what he’d do to change the combine. His first suggestion was to take it out of Indianapolis for a bigger market like Texas.

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But as far as the pressure that comes from participating in the combine, Coleman did not feel the weight of being at an event of that magnitude.

“So much pressure already on a kids’ shoulders, they be stressing about interviews,” said Coleman. “They be nervous like it’s a pop quiz. … [But] I wasn’t nervous for no combine, I was chilling.”

Keon Coleman

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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