Corey Coleman

Corey Coleman's Biography

Corey Defians Coleman, born on July 6, 1994, is a prominent name in the world of American football. He is an accomplished sportsman who etched his name in history as a renowned former professional football player and stood out as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL).

His college football journey with the Baylor Bears was no less impressive. In fact, this journey marked a massive highlight in his blossoming career when he earned unanimous All-American honors in the year 2015. The following year, the Cleveland Browns recognized his talent and ingenuity in a significant way, choosing him in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft, thereby jump-starting his professional journey.

Before his rise to fame, Coleman had a rich history of excelling in sports during his school years. He studied at J. J. Pearce High School in Richardson, Texas, where he spent his time mastering several sports. Football, basketball, and track were the three areas where his prowess was particularly evident. Football, in particular, saw him become a force to reckon with, as he excelled in various capacities, including as a rusher, receiver, and returner. His brilliance on the field did not go unnoticed, earning him the coveted titles of first-team 2011 All-Area by The Dallas Morning News SportsDay and 2011 first-team Class 4A All-State and District 10-4A MVP honors as a wide receiver.

In the early years of his secondary education, as a sophomore, he achieved an impressive score with 707 yards and 10 touchdowns on 91 rushes, and 19 receptions for 229 yards with a score. This distinguished performance saw him awarded second-team All-District 10-4A honors. His staggering performance carried into his junior year in 2010, where he showcased a commendable 1,003 yards and 11 touchdowns on 69 receptions, alongside 97 carries for 426 yards and 13 touchdowns. Furthermore, two interceptions at cornerback facilitated his earning 2010 All-District 10-4A honors. His significant performance streak persisted to his senior year in 2011, and he concluded his high school football career with a total of 3,864 all-purpose yards and 61 touchdowns.

Not only was he a star on the football field, he also excelled in the track and field team. His aptitude for sprinting and jumping was easily discernable. His accolades include finishing second at the District 10-4A meet in the triple jump category, sixth place in the 100-meter dash at the 48th Annual Jesuit-Sheaner Relays, and his commendable accomplishment of recording a personal-best time of 21.76 seconds in the 200-meter dash at the Region II-4A meet, which warranted an 8th-place finish. He also finished second in the long jump, third in the high jump, and fourth in the 4 × 100 m relay event at the same meet.

After a prosperous high school escapade, Coleman anticipated the next challenge of his life: college. Rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, he committed to Baylor University to continue his football journey. His redshirt freshman years in 2013 saw a steady start for Coleman, accruing 35 receptions for 527 yards and two touchdowns. After overcoming a hamstring injury that made him miss the first three games of his sophomore season, he made a stunning comeback, recording 12 receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown. In his first game back, he recorded 64 receptions for 1,119 yards and 11 touchdowns.

His junior year at college in 2015 was a transformative phase. He set the school record with four touchdown receptions in a single game and capped off the year with 74 catches, 1,363 yards, 18.4 yard average per catch, and 20 touchdowns. His remarkable performance that year earned him the Fred Biletnikoff Award, recognizing him as the season’s outstanding college football receiver. At the close of that year, he underwent sports hernia surgery, opting to forgo his senior year to enter the 2016 NFL draft.

The draft saw Coleman being chosen 15th overall by the Cleveland Browns. Despite missing most of the preseason due to injury, he made a considerable impact during the regular season. In his first regular season game, he notched two receptions for an impressive 69 yards. In the 2nd week, he boasted of 104 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

However, his journey was fraught with challenges; he broke his hand during training, leading to a 4 to 6-weeks layoff. The next year also brought more obstacles, culminating in another broken hand, which led to surgery and 6 to 8 weeks off the field. Despite these hurdles, he reentered the fray and even caught the first career touchdown pass of quarterback DeShone Kizer in the 2017 season.

In 2018, frustrated due to a lack of first team reps, Coleman requested a trade and was subsequently moved to the Buffalo Bills. However, the stint at Buffalo was short-lived as he was released. This led Coleman to sign with the New England Patriots, but this journey was also short-lived as he was released to create a roster spot for his former Browns teammate, Josh Gordon.

Thereafter, he signed with the New York Giants as part of their practice squad and was later promoted to the active roster. Similarly, he suffered a torn ACL on the first day of training camp with the Giants in 2019, which ruled him out for the season.

Coleman re-signed with the Giants in 2020. However, he was released later in the year, only to be re-signed to the practice squad. Unfortunately, he was released from the team’s practice squad later that year. In 2021, he was further embroiled in a doping controversy and was handed a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Following a hiatus from football for the entire 2021 season, Coleman found his way back to the field with the Kansas City Chiefs in March 2022. However, by August 2022 he was cut from the team, then later re-signed to the practice squad. Despite this short comeback, he was released in October 2022.

Thereafter, in 2023, he joined the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League (USFL), where he led the league in receiving yards that season. After a merger between XFL and USFL resulted in the formation of the United Football League (UFL), and subsequent dissolution of the Stars, Coleman found himself being selected by the Michigan Panthers during the 2024 UFL dispersal draft. But shortly thereafter, he was waived. Ultimately, in March 2024, Coleman announced his retirement from football.

Over the span of his professional career, Coleman demonstrated the exemplary skill and fortitude that went hand-in-hand with his passion for the game, standing as a testament to his talent, determination, and perseverance.