Jalen Coker

Coker earned a roster spot in Carolina as an undrafted rookie last year and eventually made his way into the starting lineup. He was the team's top slot receiver Weeks 5-10, averaging 2.8 catches for 43.8 yards on 4.2 targets, before missing three games with a quad injury and then returning to an offense that had a healthy Adam Thielen. The Panthers put Coker in a near-every-down role over the final four weeks, taking about 60 percent of his snaps on the perimeter, and he responded reasonably well with averages of 3.8 catches for 53.8 yards on 5.0 targets (albeit propped up by an 83-yard TD on a busted coverage). It's unlikely he would've gotten such an opportunity as an undrafted rookie on a better team, but that doesn't mean Coker is merely a product of circumstance. He was overlooked in the 2024 Draft due to a poor 40 time (4.57) and his small-school background (FCS Holy Cross), even though he thoroughly dominated the lesser competition (26 TDs in 2022-23) and confirmed his athleticism with a 42.5-inch vertical at 6-1, 208. Coker isn't just some feel-good story getting by temporarily on grit and know-how; his combination of strength, leaping ability and route-running is impressive enough to put him squarely in the mix for a starting job. Read Past Outlooks