Jalen Coker is proving to be a great find for the Carolina Panthers.
He signed as an undrafted NFL free agent rookie in May, before he was released in initial cuts to the 53 in late August.
Coker was then added to the practice squad after clearing waivers and when the Panthers placed Adam Thielen on injured reserve following Week 3, he was elevated to the active roster.
Last Sunday, he finished as Carolina’s leading receiver, with four receptions on six targets for 78 yards and a touchdown in the 28-14 loss to the Denver Broncos.
In a season that seen the Panthers start with a disappointing 1-7 record, Coker has been a bright spark.
Through the five games he’s played, he has 186 yards from 12 receptions, giving him an average of 15.5 yards.
Coker has impressed so much, in fact, that he’s already won over the Panthers fan base, and some have even affectionately named themselves the ‘CokeHeads’.
Word about the amusing nickname has reached the young wide out, who was asked to share his thoughts on it this week by Vashti, the founder of Carolina Blitz.
“No comment, I don’t know if I’m allowed to comment on it, I don’t know if I can give my thoughts on it… it’s funny though,” Coker said, smiling.
“I like it, but I get why it’s not the most appropriate. It’s caught on, but whatever they come up with, we’ll work on it.”
At just 23, Coker is not getting carried away with the newfound support, and he is already proving to have a mature head on his shoulders.
“This is such a, what have you done for me lately type of league. So, I mean, you want to go out and you want to make plays, you want to produce, that’s how you get those other opportunities,” he explained.
“As a rookie, especially an undrafted rookie, you’re not expecting to be an integral piece to the offense in the beginning.
“I feel like me personally, as soon as I step on the field, I can make an impact. But obviously that’s going to take work and that’s going to take messing up and coming back and doing it again and those trials and tribulations.
“But I’m not afraid of that work and I feel like I put a lot of it in, but, I have so much farther to go. So just going to continue to listen, you know, be a sponge and just continue to get better.”
Coker has primarily played with Andy Dalton at quarterback, but with the veteran sidelined with a sprained thumb last week, he caught his first TD from a Bryce Young pass.
Young, who entered the league as the first overall pick of the 2023 draft, praised Coker’s work rate after the game.
“How consistent he is, how hard of a worker he is,” Young said of what Coker offers.
“From getting very limited reps throughout the offseason and practice squad and being so consistent throughout that, and then being the same person when he was put into a role like he was today.”
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