Four Texas high school football players picked in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft look to prove themselves when training camp begins later this month. The players are products of Mansfield Legacy, Houston Wheatley, Legacy and Westside and undoubtedly have the potential to make their mark in the league.
Expectations are high for former Baylor Bear Corey Coleman (WR), who was selected by Cleveland as the 15th overall pick.
Coleman was a phenom at Baylor, garnering multiple awards, including leading the nation in receptions.
Photo by NFL.com
Earlier in the summer, Coleman stepped up to the challenge of facing veteran players. At 5’11”, Coleman has the opportunity to become the Brown’s go-to guy this season; especially if he delves into the playbook and hones his skills. Coleman will have a huge transition to make from college to NFL in terms of the number of routes he runs, but after a successful mini-camp, he appears to be up to the challenge.
Chemistry between Coleman and Baylor alum Robert Griffin III could prove to be a spark in a Browns team who finished 3-13 in 2015. Coleman will report to the Brown’s rookie training camp on July 25th.
TCU’s wide receiver Josh Doctson was selected by the Washington Redskins as the 22nd overall pick in the first round and boasted a 4.5 second 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine. An Achilles’ injury in May caused Doctson to miss mini-camp, which caused a bit of concern for the Redskins coaching staff. The 6’4″ wide receiver could become a weapon in third and long situations and in the redzone, if he stays healthy.
Photo by John Keim of ESPN.com
While injured, Doctson is immersing himself in the program, learning the playbook and hopes to be 100 percent when he reports to rookie training camp on July 27th.
Selected as the 24th overall pick in round one by the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Cougars cornerback William Jackson III exceeded expectations during mini-camp. Jackson looked like a veteran as he was knocking down pass after pass, one of the reasons Cincinnati had him on their radar prior to the draft. A starting spot is his to lose as the 6′ corner has a nose for the ball and blazing speed.
It’s no doubt Jackson can make an immediate impact on a Bengals team who went 12-4 in 2015, losing to the Steelers in the first round. Jackson will report to the Brown’s rookie camp on July 26th.
Germain Ifedi (T) was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks as the 31st overall pick in the first round. The 6’6″, 324 lb. lineman is transitioning to right guard and has been said to be the Seahawks biggest draft investment in five years. After mini-camp, it appeared Ifedi sealed his starting position alongside right tackle J’Marcus Webb. With the Seahawks looking to rebuild their offensive line, Ifedi can become a mainstay on a Seahawks team who went 10-6 in 2015 before losing in the divisional round to the Panthers.
Photo by Peter Haley
With 32 former Texas high school football players selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, all eyes will be on training camp to see how they match-up to the competition.
For more former TXHSFB NFL player news click here.
