Instant analysis of the Dolphins drafting WR Kevin Coleman at No. 177

The Miami Dolphins used pick No. 177 in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL draft to select Missouri slot receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. At 5-foot-10, Coleman can create good separation and is a quality after-catch yardage producer. He performed well at the Senior Bowl and showed promise with his ability to get open.

Coleman has very good hands, dropping just seven passes on 271 college targets. He can haul in passes in traffic and averaged 5.7 yards after catch per reception while forcing 18 missed tackles. He's also a solid blocker and plays bigger than his size.

The 22-year-old doesn’t necessarily fit that athletic mold coveted by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. He was the No. 32 wide receiver by Athletic Score and had a Relative Athletic Score of 6.45. He could be a special teams factor, after averaging 12.6 yards per punt return in 2025.

Coleman spent time at four different schools, so his ability to adapt to a new playbook and assimilate is there, as he was a starter in each of his stops. He started his collegiate career at Jackson State in 2022, then played for Louisville in 2023, catching 26 passes for 362 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

He went to Mississippi State, where he recorded 74 receptions for 932 yards and six touchdowns on the way to a Third-team All-SEC selection before finishing at Missouri in 2025. Last season, he caught 66 passes for 732 yards and one score. Over the last three seasons, he carried the ball a total of 19 times for 112 yards, as well as returning punts to a three-year average of 8.1, including a touchdown return last season.

Sullivan and the Dolphins added three wide receivers in a draft, which followed an offseason in parting ways with Tyreek Hill and trading Jaylen Waddle.

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