What Bryce Young told Jon Gruden about undrafted standout Jalen Coker

Carolina's undrafted rookie wide receiver impressed everybody.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 6: Quarterback Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers interacts with wide receiver Jalen Coker #18 on the field during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, at Soldier Field on October 6, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. / (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

Bryce Young was not playing in the Super Bowl, but he was nevertheless very busy last week as he made the rounds at radio row in New Orleans ahead of the big game. One of the stops that the Carolina Panthers' third-year quarterback made was at Barstool Sports, where he shared a long conversation with former NFL head coach Jon Gruden.

Along the way they touched on a lot of topics, including a couple of Carolina's young playmakers at wide receiver. Young had nothing but praise for first-round draft pick Xavier Legette, but he also took the time to talk up undrafted receiver Jalen Coker. Here's what Young had to say about number 18.

Bryce Young on Jalen Coker

Bryce Young was RAVING about Carolina Wide Receiver Jalen Coker!

“It went from let’s bring him up to have extra guys out there… Now he is a big part of our future”

Breakout SZN for Jalen Coker in 2025!?

source: @barstoolsports, @BarstoolGruden pic.twitter.com/U7v346ZIPK

— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) February 10, 2025

Coker represents more than just a solid up-and-coming piece for the Panthers' rising offense. He's also a sign that general manager Dan Morgan might have an eye for talent that goes under the radar for most NFL teams.

Morgan's first draft class left much to be desired, as Legette underperformed and Jonathon Brooks quickly showed why it's risky to invest major draft capital in running backs. There is hope that guys like Ja'Tavion Sanders, Chau Smith-Wade and Trevin Wallace could yet become solid starters, but that's yet to be determined.

Whether those rookies work out or not, the Panthers are going to need to hit on more guys like Coker if they're going to catch up with the contenders around the NFC. It's not hard to hit on a top-10 overall pick like they have going into this draft class - it is very difficult to find difference-makers on Day 3 or after the draft.

That they found Coker is a positive sign that this front office could have an eye for underrated pieces, which was a fundamental strength of the Seattle teams that Morgan was a part of building up when he was there from 2010-2017.

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