The Atlanta Falcons need a true nickel cornerback, and Justin Coleman would be a great fit for the role when he gets to the NFL. The former Tennessee Volunteer has experience playing both outside cornerback and in the nickel, and he has versatility within schemes because of it.Atlanta should love his versatility and the depth he can provide. The Falcons have just Jordan Mabin, Ricardo Allen and Phillip Adams under contract past their starters of Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford. So depth at cornerback is a true need for Atlanta.Justin ColemanCornerbackUniversity of TennesseeCombine/Pro-Day MeasurementsHeight:5'10 "Weight:185lbsArm Length:31 "Hand Measurement:9 "40-yard dash:4.53sec.10-yard split:1.42sec.20-yard shuttle:3.98sec. Three-Cone Drill:6.61sec.Bench Reps:37.5repsVertical Jump:37 "Broad Jump: 10'4"Stats2014: 13 Games Played, 42 Tackles, 4.0 Tackles for Loss, 2 QB Hurries, 4 Interceptions, 5 Pass Deflections2013: 12 Games Played, 46 Tackles, 1.0 Tackle for Loss, 1 Interception, 7 Pass Deflections, 1 Defensive Touchdown2012: 12 Games Played, 59 Tackles, 3.5 Tackles for Loss, 3 Pass Deflections2011: 12 Games Played, 10 Tackles, 2 Pass DeflectionsScouting ReportStrengthsColeman has excellent ball skills and reads offensive schemes well. He's very athletic and has amazing closing speed, and he rarely gets beat deep on the outside of the field. He's great at positioning himself between the ball and the receiver and tipping the ball or affecting the catch point.He's played against some of the best receivers in college football while at Tennessee and can cover in man-to-man with the best of them. He also is an extremely aggressive player and will take chances that he shouldn't at times to make the big play.WeaknessesColeman is a bit undersized for Dan Quinn's scheme, as Quinn tends to prefer cornerbacks in the 6'0", 180-plus-pound range with longer arms based on the cornerbacks he's had in Seattle. However, if the type is changed, this could be considered a non-issue.Coleman does have trouble covering the speediest receivers out there and will get beat deep at times. He's too aggressive to the catch point at times and tends to gamble too much. He's also a mediocre tackler who has trouble with angles against the running game.How does he fit theComrade Filter'Outside of an underage drinking citation to start out 2014, Coleman hasn't been arrested or suspended, and he has been one of the model citizens for the Volunteers. He was a senior leader for Tennessee and would be a good fit for the Falcons locker room.Coleman was also very productive throughout his four-year career at Tennessee and has experience at both the nickel and outside corner roles under Butch Jones. He's also played on special teams and would be considered a team player for just trying to help the team in any way possible.OverviewColeman will make a team looking for a nickel cornerback very happy. His best-case scenario could be that of an Asante Samuel-type player who plays on one side of the field and makes quarterbacks pay by picking off many of the passes coming his way.Coleman's worst-case scenario is a depth player who winds up as a pure nickel or dime cornerback who doesn't make it past a Robert McClain level of play. The Volunteer cornerback could be one of the best depth cornerbacks in the NFL if he reaches his potential and should be a great fit in multiple schemes.How he would fit into the Falcons' plansColeman will likely last to the third day of the draft and would be a perfect fit for the Falcons to take there for depth and competition with the rest of the cornerbacks on the roster. And despite being a bit undersized for the standard Quinn cornerback, he could be an ideal nickel in the new defense.He'd compete with the likes of Phillip Adams, Ricardo Allen and whomever else the Falcons might take in the draft or sign in free agency for the nickel and dime role. Coleman could wind up being the best possible choice for the starting nickel role when all is said and done.All stats used are fromPro Football Focus' Premium Stats,ESPN.com,CFBStatsorNFL.com. All combine and pro-day info is courtesy ofNFLDraftScout.com. All contract information is courtesy ofSpotrac.Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He covers the Atlanta Falcons, college football, theNFLand the NFL draft.He's also a Draft Analyst forPro Football Spot.Follow @ScottCarasik
Click here to read full news..
