Notre Dame had not yet added a receiver to their 2027 class some people were getting impatient. That changed today with a commitment from Jackson Coleman. The skilled wide out from Valor Christian (Colorado) was offered less than three weeks ago, quickly set up a visit for the Blue-Gold game, and is now pledged to the Irish just over a week after his first visit.
Much more than a bid body, Coleman has the ability to stretch the field.
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 205
Projected Position: Wide receiver
ISD Grade: 90 (4-star)
National Average Grade: 88.0 (3-star)
What he does best:
Coleman is a true deep threat. He’s run a 10.75 100m and that track background shows up on the field. He has easy speed and tracks the ball very well.
He’s got legit juice after the catch. He’s got some wiggle in space and can do damage when he gets an open runway.
He has very good ball skills and shows natural hands catching the football.
He’s got some grit to his game, which you can see as a blocker and in general when he has to be physical against tight coverage.
What he needs to improve:
Coleman has really good feet and lateral quickness for someone his size and there are several examples of that. I think he has the traits to develop into a great route runner while at Notre Dame.
He’s not going against competition who is testing him off the line of scrimmage and that will change. He has to get stronger and get better with his hands to release smoother when he’s jammed.
What’s his ceiling?
There’s different types of tall receivers. Malachi Fields and Quincy Porter are closer to power forwards. Coleman is more like a stretch 4. I don’t equate that with being soft, but do think he has a bit more finesse to his game.
In that way his game reminds me a lot of former Notre Dame WR Equanimeous St. Brown. He had a disappointing end to his career for the Irish mostly due to poor quarterback play, but he was both a vertical threat and showed explosiveness after the catch when he had 961 yards and averaged 16.6 yards per catch as a sophomore.
I understand how a receiver from Colorado might not get the benefit of the doubt in the rankings due to the competition he faces from week to week, but Coleman has verified speed and elite testing results that include a 37 inch vertical as a sophomore. He’s a blue-chip prospect in my opinion.
Who he could be:
Former ND WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Men's Under Armour Gray Notre Dame Fighting Irish Tech Stretch T-Shirt
