Panthers' unheralded weapon earns comparison to Raiders' 1,000-yard WR

This sleeper Carolina Panthers weapon has earned himself a comparison to a Las Vegas Raiders 1,000-yard wide receiver.

Aug 24, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers were hoping to get a big season from first-round wide receiver Xavier Legette in 2024, but instead, it was their undrafted rookie who posted better results.

Jalen Coker enjoyed a very impressive debut campaign for the Panthers, catching 32 passes for 478 yards and a couple of touchdowns. That's good for a robust average of 14.9 yards per catch.

At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Coker looks like your prototypical outside receiver, but he actually played mostly in the slot for Carolina last year and did a terrific job, registering a solid 69.6 percent catch rate. All of those numbers came in just 11 games, mind you.

Now, Coker will be fighting for touches with Legette and rookies Tetairoa McMillan and Jimmy Horn Jr. in 2025, not to mention veteran Adam Thielen, who also plays in the slot quite a bit.

However, Enzo Flojo of ClutchPoints is expecting big things from the Holy Cross product and went as far to compare him to Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who just logged a 1,000-yard season this past year.

"It’s not unprecedented for undrafted receivers to break out in year two," Flojo wrote. "Players like Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne carved out long-term roles after entering the league as overlooked talents. Coker could be the next name on that list — and he’s got the trust of his quarterback to help get him there."

Coker was a stud in college, having hauled in 59 receptions for 1,035 yards and 15 scores during his final season at Holy Cross in 2023. He also recorded back-to-back double-digit touchdown campaigns to conclude his NCAA career.

Whether or not he can replicate that same level of success on the NFL level remains to be seen, especially with the Panthers now having so much competition at his position.

But one thing is for sure: Coker was one of Carolina's most pleasant surprises in 2024, and it definitely seems like he developed quite a rapport with Bryce Young.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) attempts to catch the ball in the end zone as Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson (34) defends in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

- Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI - 

Panthers already predicted to cut ties with key offseason addition

Jaycee Horn loves to see big change from Panther QB Bryce Young

Panthers making progress in latest offseason NFL power rankings

Derrick Brown details harrowing comeback from major knee injury