Rivals100 WR Kevin Coleman explains surprise Jackson State commitment
SAN ANTONIO - He was supposed to have four hats on the table - Miami, Florida State, Oregon and USC.All week, four-star receiver Kevin Coleman talked up the Hurricanes and Seminoles. But all along the St. Louis (Mo.) St. Mary's had another idea: He was going to pull a stunner during the All-American Bowl.
Rated as the ninth-best receiver and No. 61 player overall in the 2022 class, Coleman committed to Jackson State over those other four Power Five programs, never giving a hint during the week that a surprise of this order was in store.
"I decided yesterday," Coleman said. "The motto I've always had through life, is just to be different. All my life I've kind of been an underdog and everyone always doubted me. Every move I've always made was different than anyone else's. I never chased anything, I let it come to me. I feel like this move I can change and show everyone that you can make it from anywhere. You just have to believe in yourself and work hard."
Coleman's stunning decision follows in the footsteps of the No. 1 overall prospect Travis Hunter pulling off the biggest recruiting stunner in Rivals history when he picked Jackson State and flipped from Florida State during the Early Signing Period.
A day before that decision, Jackson State coach Deion Sanders said he was going to "shock the world." That type of hyperbole hardly ever pans out but in Hunter's case, it did.
Coleman said he didn't reveal to Sanders or Hunter that he intended to pick Jackson State and they found out the same way everyone else did -- during the TV broadcast.
"I didn't even tell Travis," Coleman said. "He's been blowing me up and he didn't even know. I know he's going crazy right now. I never told any school I was coming, I just wanted to let them be shocked."
And now Coleman is joining the five-star athlete in Jackson State's class and the two could be at the start of a change in recruiting where more elite prospects seriously consider playing at HBCUs. Four-star DL Christen Miller will visit Florida A&M in January among other visits.
Even though he hasn't officially signed with Jackson State, Coleman said he's set to enroll early this month and won't be taking any other visits.
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MORE ALL-AMERICAN BOWL: Announcement Guide | Gorney's thoughts on National Combine | Top performers from the National Combine | Commit predictions | What we learned from Day 3 | Five prospects whose stock is rising | What we learned (Day 2) | Five programs that should be pleased | OL vs. DL | Daniel Martin interview | Tuesday's best | Gorney's thoughts | Trevonte Citizen interview | Josh Conerly interview | West OL vs. DL | East OL vs. DL
IN-GAME COMMITMENTS: Trevor Etienne to Florida | CJ Williams to USC | Earnest Greene to Georgia | Igbinosun Davison to Ole Miss | Rayshon Luke to Arizona | Daniel Martin to Vanderbilt | Larry Turner-Gooden to Texas | Hero Kanu to Ohio State | Cyrus Moss to Miami
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State | JUCO
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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