If Keon Coleman were in charge, the NFL Scouting Combine would be done a little differently.
The Combine is, of course, an opportunity for NFL scouts to fully evaluate prospects ahead of the draft. During the annual event in Indianapolis, athletes are judged for not only their skills on the football field, but also their strength, speed, intelligence and — apparently — even their eating habits.
“Teams mad I’m eating fruit snacks,” Coleman said this week on Carmelo Anthony’s 7pm in Brooklyn podcast. “I’m like, ‘I’m hungry.’ I’m listening, can I grab a little fruit snacks 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!”
Apparently, the Buffalo Bills weren’t put off by Coleman’s affinity for snacking, as they snagged the wide receiver in the second round (No. 33 overall) of the 2024 draft.
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The freedom to eat fruit snacks without judgment isn’t the only change Coleman would like to see implemented at the Combine.
The 21-year-old said the event is “set up to throw you off your p’s and q’s” and is similar to a “pop quiz.” For example, he believes it’s silly to force linemen to participate in the 40-yard-dash and the vertical jump.
“We got linemen out here running the 40 and vertical jumping,” Coleman said. “When they ever doing that?”
Finally, Coleman would like to see the Scouting Combine moved out of Indianapolis. He’d prefer Texas instead — for whatever reason.
Keon Coleman has some ideas to improve the yearly NFL Scouting Combine.
(Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images)
The wideout had a decent rookie season in Buffalo, finishing with 29 receptions for 556 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games.
Coleman was second on the team in both receiving yardage and receiving touchdowns, and he led all Bills pass-catchers who had two or more receptions with a 19.2 yards-per-catch average.