Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Keon Coleman reveals what Josh Allen texted him before he was drafted by Bills

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 4/30/24

The wide receiver class in the 2024 NFL Draft was one of the deepest in recent memory.

Eleven were taken in the first two rounds, including seven first-rounders, and of that group Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen wanted to be teammates with only one: Florida State’s Keon Coleman.

During his introductory news conference, Coleman revealed what Allen texted him on Friday morning before Round 2 started when the Bills selected Coleman with the 33rd overall pick of the draft.

“He texted me the day of and was like, ‘You're the guy I want. I watched a lot of receivers and I want to play with you,’” Coleman told reporters. “And I've been saying the same thing. I want to play with the guy that wears No. 17. I think he's a great quarterback, one of the best in the league right now and I would love to be catching passes from him. I'm ready for that.”

Keon Coleman to the Bills... GREAT landing spot. GREAT. @ConnorJRogers @croucherJD @rotoworld_fb pic.twitter.com/vfIGqW8FwW
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) April 26, 2024

Bills general manager Brandon Beane also mentioned on Day 2 of the draft that Allen’s desire to get Coleman played a role in how Buffalo maneuvered itself in the draft, trading down twice from pick No. 28 and then again from pick No. 32.

“Josh liked a lot of [the receivers] and Keon he definitely had an affinity for,” Beane said. “He saw the size, the basketball ability, I think he mentioned some of the abilities ‘to adjust if I have to throw it behind him’ because not every player has that ability.”

Coleman had a breakout junior year at Florida State in 2023, catching 50 passes for 658 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns. He also returned 25 punts for 300 yards (12 yards per return) and finished his college career with 115 receptions, 1,506 yards and 19 scores.

At 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, Coleman has the prototypical size for an NFL wideout with excellent hands and a penchant for bringing down jump balls (he won 45.8% of his contested catches in college, per Pro Football Focus.)

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