Tag: TCU Football

NFL Week 15: Commanders OT Brandon Coleman vs. Saints DE Chase Young

Sunday’s key matchup could be Brandon Coleman against Chase Young.

Team sports can often come down to a key matchup.

If one team can exploit a matchup, it may be enough to play a significant role in a game.

On Sunday, former Commanders’ defensive end and now current New Orleans Saints DE Chase Young will be matched up against Commanders rookie offensive tackle Brandon Coleman as the Commanders face the Saints in New Orleans.

Young, the second overall selection of the 2020 NFL draft, was said to be “a generational talent” coming out of Ohio State. His workout videos are fantastic, but the game results have not been a match since his rookie season.

Young was the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year, but his play fell sharply in 2021 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He never regained his level of play, although he considered himself a team leader of the defense.

Coleman was the Commanders’ third-round selection (67th overall) in the 2024 draft. Getting his feet wet and rotating with Cornelius Lucas early, he has now emerged as the starter (8 games).

Will the rookie from TCU be ready for Young, who will no doubt want to show Washington that they made a mistake in not signing him to a second NFL contract? Young has been rushing well and making an impact. Coleman will need to be alert and aggressive.

For instance, Young recorded ten quarterback pressures against the Giants, a Saints high for 2024. According to Next Gen Stats, Young is fourth in the NFL in quarterback pressures this season. Yet, interestingly enough, Young has only 3.5 sacks this season.

Young may not be finishing well enough to get the sacks, but Coleman must have a good game to prevent Young from pressuring Jayden Daniels. The crowd noise of Saints fans could also be a factor for Coleman. He will have to get off to a quick start, especially in passing situations.

Coleman vs Young; this will probably be a good contest on Sunday in New Orleans.

‘Best convention in the country,’ Aggies coach Mike Elko speaks to media at THSCA meetings

“It’s just a great opportunity for our staff to get out here and mingle with other colleges in the state and with all the high school guys.”

Unlike his predecessor Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko made it a priority to attend the Texas High School Coaches Association convention this week.

“This is a really cool event. We’ve talked a lot about how important the Texas High School Coaches Association is, how important our relationship is with that group. But also how we are as servants to the high school coaches in this state and the role that we play in kinda helping young coaches develop and aspiring coaches get better,” Elko explained Monday. “It’s an awesome opportunity to come out here, it’s one of the best conventions, if not the best convention in the country. It’s just a great opportunity for our staff to get out here and mingle with other staffs of colleges in the state and also with all the high school guys.

“We’re excited to be here and to do our part to brand football in this state and continue the great reputation of football in the state of Texas.”

The Aggies host Notre Dame at Kyle Field on Aug. 31 to begin the season.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Chris Cooley: Commanders rookie OL Brandon Coleman ‘a project’

What does the former Washington star think about the potential new left tackle?

“I don’t know what I see.”

That was how Chris Cooley began his discussion with Kevin Sheehan, Thursday, during his film review of Commanders’ rookie offensive tackle, Brandon Coleman.

Here are some selected quotes from Cooley’s film review:

“He looks very athletic on the field.”

“34-inch vertical leap at the Combine. That is pretty amazing for a dude that weighs 350 pounds.”

“I see him as a really adequate pass protector…Good hands, good punch. He is hard to get around. He gets his arms extended. He has good feet, does a good job keeping his feet square at the line of scrimmage.”

“He has great range as a puller. He is explosive; he can run.”

“He played a lot of guard at the Senior Bowl. So many have projected him as a guard…Good thing is he can do both in a pinch (guard and tackle).”

“I think he plays high, really upright, tall. He has a tendency to bend at the waist. I think this is where he gets in the most trouble. It hurts him with his change of direction.”

“He is a position blocker in the run game. He is not a physical run-game blocker. He is not Trent Williams. He is going to try to get in, get his hands on you, and get his ___ where he doesn’t want the defender to go. He is going to try to quick and turn. I hate that.”

“He stops his feet on contact; he is not a physical power-driving guy…and he gets beat a lot in the run game.”

“I’d like to see him do a better job of finishing blocks…I’m concerned about his ability to sustain blocks, especially in space.”

“So, Coleman is a project.”

“He’s an athlete. He has a ton of innate athletic ability. He is a very good understanding of how to pass protect. But in terms of being an every down, get-it-done type of guy, there are going to be a lot of positions they put him in, and he is going to struggle.”

“You can’t put him at left tackle and run behind him. That is not a thing that is going to happen…I think he has some situations he has to improve in quite a bit.”

Commanders need Brandon Coleman to develop at offensive tackle

Watch highlights of new Commanders OT Brandon Coleman

The Commanders entered April’s 2024 NFL draft fully aware they needed to obtain an offensive tackle.

In fairness to Commanders general manager Adam Peters, the Commanders were reported to have attempted to trade back up into the latter first round to select an offensive tackle. However, no trade compensation could be agreed upon, and thus, a deal was never finalized.

Peters, in the draft, took quarterback Jayden Daniels (2 overall), defensive tackle Johnny Newton (36), defensive back Mike Sainristil (50), and tight end Ben Sinnott (53), and when it was their turn at 67, Peters selected TCU guard / tackle Brandon Coleman.

Interestingly, at the Senior Bowl, Coleman was asked if there was a position he would prefer for the NFL. He replied that he would be willing to do whatever his new NFL team wanted to do. Yet, he did point out that he had a lot of experience at left tackle.

Right tackle Andrew Wiley returns and left tackle Charles Leno was released. Thus, left tackle would seem to be a place the Commanders might be hoping Coleman can develop enough in the offseason to be prepared to play often this season.

Of course, Jayden Daniels needs to be a hit. But for 2024, the second choice that might be most important to play well might just be Coleman at tackle. Just as true, Coleman’s level of play will also affect Daniels’ performance as well. Think how much better it will be for Daniels if Coleman can improve the running game and keep Daniels’ blind side clear for him.

Thus far in early offseason Commanders’ workouts, Coleman has been working some at left tackle and also some at right tackle.

Pro Football Focus posted these stats on Coleman’s time at TCU.

 

Former Alabama OL James Brockermeyer expected to transfer to TCU

The former Alabama center expected to transfer to Big 12 program

Just a few days ago Alabama Crimson Tide center [autotag]James Brockeymeyer[/autotag] announced his intentions of entering the NCAA transfer portal with the caveat that he was to not be contacted by college football programs. Generally speaking, when a player has a “do not contact” tag attached to their portal entry, the said player likely has a destination already in mind.

That appears to be the case for Brockermeyer with the reports surfacing on Sunday afternoon that the redshirt junior is expected to transfer to the TCU Horned Frogs.

Brockermeyer was Alabama’s first-team center during the A-Day Game a couple of weeks ago while Washington transfer [autotag]Parker Brailsford[/autotag] was dealing with some personal issues.

Matt Zenitz of 247Sports was the first to report the news of Brockermery’s expected transfer destination.

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Who did the Commanders get in Brandon Coleman?

Will Coleman play tackle or guard in the NFL?

Brandon Coleman, 6-foot-4, 313 pounds, was the Commanders first selection in round three, 67th overall.

He was listed as a guard on the NFL Network coverage, which I was watching at the time of the selection.

Coleman started 34 of his 41 career games at Texas Christian University, so he has played both inside and outside.

He played both guard and tackle at TCU. On the television broadcast, Coleman was announced as a tackle, though he did not play tackle exclusively in college. Perhaps the Commanders listed him as a tackle, revealing their intention to move Coleman back outside in the NFL.

The Commanders are weak and thin at tackle. They could not trade back into the first round to obtain a tackle. In addition, they have had the opportunity to draft tackles in the second and third rounds, but apparently, general manager Adam Peters has not felt the tackles available were of the value that the Commanders were selecting.

This is not a criticism of Peters at all. We admire his willingness to select good players and not simply reach unwisely to meet a need.

This selection might also have revealed that Peters wanted to get a tackle all night and simply didn’t feel he could wait any longer.

Commanders select TCU OL Brandon Coleman in the 3rd round of the NFL draft

The Commanders select TCU OL Brandon Coleman with the 67th overall pick.

With the No. 67 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Washington Commanders selected TCU offensive lineman Brandon Coleman. Washington had a massive need at offensive tackle and Coleman was a three-year starter for the Horned Frogs.

Coleman’s NFL future could be inside at guard, though. The 6-foot-4 1/2″, 313-pounder started 34 total games with TCU, 22 of which were at left tackle. Coleman’s other 12 starts came at guard.

Washington hosted Coleman recently on a top 30 visit.

At the NFL combine, Coleman’s arms measured 34 5/8″, which is above the threshold for playing offensive tackle.

Here is NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s scouting report on Coleman:

Three-year starter and team captain in 2023 with outstanding length and the potential to offer roster flexibility. Coleman will be scouted and drafted as a guard but might be able to handle a move to tackle in an emergency. He’s broad and fits up blocks with pretty good accuracy when his hands are right, but he’s never going to be a lane clearer in the run game. Coleman’s experience at tackle helps his chances of protecting NFL quarterbacks as a guard. He pass protects with efficient hands and sound technique, but his reactive athleticism is very average, which could be trouble against sub-package rushers.

 

Commanders hosted TCU OT Brandon Coleman on top 30 visit

Coleman is the latest offensive lineman the Commanders hosted.

The Washington Commanders understand their significant need for offensive tackles. They released starting left tackle Charles Leno Jr. just before free agency, leaving them perilously thin at tackle.

In free agency, Washington did re-sign veteran Cornelius Lucas. Lucas has been with the Commanders since 2020, starting 31 games at left and right tackle. Washington did not sign any external free agents to play tackle, which meant GM Adam Peters was likely to address the position in the 2024 NFL draft.

Throughout the pre-draft process, the Commanders have met with multiple offensive linemen, whether at the Senior Bowl, the NFL combine, or on Zoom. Washington also hosted some offensive tackles on top-30 visits.

Now, we know of a new name Washington hosted recently. According to ML Football on Twitter, the Commanders hosted TCU offensive tackle Brandon Coleman on a top-30 visit.

Coleman is 6-foot-4 1/2, 313 pounds, and was a three-year starter for TCU. He began his college career at Trinity Valley Community College. Coleman is an experienced prospect with exciting measurables. Many will consider him a guard at the next level, but Coleman has 34 5/8″ arms and a wingspan of 84.”

So, a team drafting Coleman will get some positional versatility.

Here’s a look at his impressive RAS (Relative Athletic Score).

Commanders to host TCU tight end Jared Wiley on top 30 visit

Wiley caught 12 touchdown passes over the past two seasons.

The Washington Commanders released starting tight end Logan Thomas this offseason and signed veteran Zach Ertz to replace him. Ertz joins John Bates, Cole Turner and Armani Rogers as tight ends on Washington’s roster.

Ertz was signed to a one-year deal, meaning the Commanders likely still view tight end as a need heading into the 2024 NFL draft.

Washington brought in Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders on a top-30 visit. Saunders is widely viewed as the second-best tight end in the draft behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers. We can now add another tight end to the Commanders’ visit list.

According to Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report, TCU tight end Jared Wiley will visit Washington.

Wiley is a 6-foot-6, 249-pound prospect from Temple, Texas, and began his career at the University of Texas. After three seasons in Austin, Wiley transferred to TCU, where he played his final two seasons. In three years at Texas, Wiley had 19 receptions. Over the past two seasons, Wiley caught 71 passes for 765 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Wiley would be a good day-three pick for the Commanders.

Former Husker assistant coach accepts job at TCU

A former Nebraska assistant coach has found a new job in college football.

A former Nebraska assistant coach has found a new job in college football. TCU has hired Bob Wager in a high school relations role.

Matt Zenitz of 247Sports first reported Wager’s hire. He was hired as the tight ends coach of Matt Rhule’s inaugural staff.

He was forced to resign before the 2023 season after receiving a citation for a driving offense.

“It is with great remorse that I resign from my position as assistant football coach at the University of Nebraska,” Wager said. “Earlier this week I received a citation for a driving offense that I regret immensely. I am grateful for the opportunity extended to me, and sincerely sorry for any negativity my poor decision has brought to my family, our team, our staff, and all those that I have disappointed.”

Wager was replaced on the staff by Josh Martin. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield now coaches the tight ends.

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