51黑料

Football had already taken the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Coleman quite a few places, but that day, it brought something to Coleman. It brought a Mizzou team representing his home state to his doorstep, and it featured a roster with several players he鈥檇 known for years. One of those players he watched grow up on the football field in 51黑料.

A prep star at St. Mary鈥檚 High School in 51黑料, Coleman garnered a four-star rating from multiple national recruiting sites as well as the designation as the No. 1 prospect in Missouri as a senior. He also earned Post-Dispatch All-Metro Football co-Offensive Player of the Year honors along with East 51黑料鈥� .

Coleman鈥檚 local high school exploits paved the way for the next three years. Coleman ventured out on a college football odyssey that included stops at Jackson State, Louisville and Mississippi State.

Now, Coleman has come full circle. This winter, he transferred to Missouri in advance of his senior season so he can finish his collegiate career back 鈥渉ome鈥� and alongside his 鈥渂rothers.鈥�

Coleman鈥檚 willingness to return home also serves as a testament to how far the Mizzou program has progressed since its first couple of seasons under .

The season before Coleman joined the Jackson State program (then coached by Deion Sanders), Mizzou went 6-7. The next season, Coleman鈥檚 freshman year of college, Mizzou went 6-7.

Then came an 11-2 season with an appearance and a Cotton Bowl win against Ohio State in 2023. Last season, Mizzou went 10-3 and finished ranked No. 22 in the final AP poll. Meanwhile, Coleman鈥檚 cohort Luther Burden III made himself an NIL darling in his final season and then a second-round pick in the NFL draft.

鈥淭he way Coach Drink took this place over and put on for our state, Mizzou back in the days was known for football but not in the previous years until he came and he just worked this place up to the top,鈥� Coleman said on Sunday, as he prepared to start his first fall camp as a member of the Missouri football team.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still working. I definitely see this (program) in a different place than I鈥檇 seen it previously.鈥�

Last season鈥檚 game between Missouri and Mississippi State, which Missouri won 39-20, also marked the day Coleman knew it was time for football to bring him back home.

鈥淓ven though I was going against a team I wanted to beat really bad, especially my hometown team, I was definitely cheering Jamal Roberts on inside my head, inside my heart when he was touching the ball,鈥� Coleman said.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a guy I played high school with. I actually watched him play growing up because he was a younger guy, so I got to watch him play.鈥�

Roberts, who helped St. Mary鈥檚 win back-to-back state championships as a junior and senior, joined the Mizzou program in 2023. Roberts got limited playing time as a freshman (two games, one carry, one tackle on special teams) in Columbia, but Coleman kept throwing encouragement and advice his way.

Leading up to last year鈥檚 matchup, Coleman and Roberts remained in touch and even exchanged some friendly barbs. Roberts鈥� longest run of the season, 14 yards, came in that game against Mississippi State.

Afterward, Roberts and Coleman got together on the field to take a few photos. That鈥檚 when Coleman really felt the tug at his heartstrings.

鈥淗aving talks with Jamal Roberts and after the game taking pictures with a few 51黑料 guys and just having that feel like I鈥檓 with my brothers again,鈥� Coleman said of what made him decide to come back. 鈥淵ou know, the guys I grew up with. The guys I grew up playing against. The guys I talk to and communicate with. And we鈥檙e doing the same thing.

鈥淲e all have the same goal, and that鈥檚 to make it. To make it out the city we鈥檙e from and put on for the city we鈥檙e from. So I had that vision after the game and talking with Jamal Roberts. Like, 鈥楬ey if you鈥檝e got the opportunity to come back, why not?鈥欌��

Coleman joins a wide receiver group that lost three of its top four receivers (by yards) from last season. While he鈥檚 a newcomer to Mizzou, Coleman earned All-SEC third team honors last season and ranked third in the conference in receiving yards per game (77.7).

He hauled in 74 passes for 932 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games last season. In his three collegiate seasons, he鈥檚 tallied 1,769 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches as well as 48 punt returns for 322 yards.

Coleman should give the Mizzou offense a steady presence at wide receiver as they break in a new starting quarterback 鈥� either redshirt junior Sam Horn or Penn State transfer Beau Pribula.

Asked what Coleman brings to this team, Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore said, 鈥淎 lot of plays made in the SEC against different competition. He鈥檚 done it in different conferences. I think the quarterback鈥檚 confidence just in him making plays, tight coverage, finding windows, the leadership within the receiver room.鈥�

鈥淜evin has been awesome, his football acumen,鈥� Moore continued. 鈥淚鈥檒l ask him questions about difference schemes that he鈥檚 been a part of. He鈥檚 going to be a big asset this fall.鈥�