Josh Allen says Bills rookie Keon Coleman has 'the tools necessary' to be a great WR

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen already sees signs of a great wide receiver in rookie Keon Coleman.

Oct 14, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Keon Coleman (4) celebrates after catching a pass over Syracuse Orange defensive back Jason Simmons Jr. (6) (not pictured) during the first quarter at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports / Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

The hope for a franchise when investing a premium draft pick into a player is that they’ll develop into a franchise cornerstone, a pillar who will be with the team for the foreseeable future and help it find consistent on-field success.

This is certainly the type of hope that the Buffalo Bills have with regard to Keon Coleman, a 6-foot-4 wide receiver whom it selected with the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. A team, generally speaking, always has lofty aspirations for its second-round draft picks, but those that Buffalo holds for Coleman are perhaps a bit more imposing than those of the average second-rounder given that the 21-year-old projects as the immediate centerpiece of the team’s receiving corps.

Buffalo parted ways with 1,929 receiving yards from a year ago this spring by letting Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis leave One Bills Drive; Coleman, alongside free agent signee Curtis Samuel and third-year wideout Khalil Shakir, is expected to account for a significant portion of the vacated yardage, currently projecting as the team’s X wide receiver. Though the wideout is immensely talented (catching 50 passes for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Florida State Seminoles last season), it’s going to take time—and reps—for him to learn how to consistently win at the professional level.

Related: WATCH: Rookie WR Keon Coleman catches first passes from Josh Allen

He’s already working on laying the foundation, however, developing a rapport with former All-Pro quarterback Josh Allen at the team’s ongoing OTA practices. Allen spoke about the rookie to reporters after Tuesday's practice, praising his work ethic before insinuating that he has the makings of a potentially special receiver.

 “He’s a talker, I don’t know if you guys knew that, but he’s a very smart player,” Allen said. “He’s been getting in his playbook, he knows it very well already as a rookie. Constantly studying, constantly asking questions. He loves football, I think that’s the first and foremost the thing that you learn about him, he loves this game, loves the nuances of it. 

“That’s fun to be around. You’ve got a guy that’s young and eager—just turned 21—who has a lot to learn in this game, a lot to learn to be a good player in this league, but I think he has the tools necessary to do that and hopefully we can utilize his abilities.”

Allen went into a bit further into depth about Coleman’s skill set and was quite blunt with regard to what sets him apart from other wideouts.

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“He can move and he can jump,” Allen said. “He’s 6-foot-4, I thought he could run some routes pretty well. You put him into a room with Mack [Hollins] and [Marquez Valdes-Scantling] and Khalil and Curtis, and some other guys that we got, being able to learn from those guys. Guys who have had experience around the league, again just having a pretty good vet leadership, vet presence in that room right now.”

Coleman has already made an impact on the Buffalo faithful with his charismatic personality, capturing the fanbase’s heart with his smart-shopping tips and excitement over chocolate chip cookies during his introductory press conference. Allen has gotten to know Coleman’s unique personality, but he’s happy to report that when it comes to football, the rookie is all business.

“He’s got some lofty goals as a rookie, and that’s such a good thing,” Allen said. “He wants to come in and help this team win football games. Each day on the field, he’s quite the opposite [from his lighthearted self]. He’s very focused and he’s doing what he needs to do to try to become a better player.”