Jalen Coker Earns Well-Deserved Praise as UDFA Turned NFL Star

The undrafted free agent wide receiver from Holy Cross is beginning to make a name for himself and is poised for a big season after a strong finish in 2025.

Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) during pregame warm ups before the NFC Wild Card Round game between the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The defending NFC South champions will really get back to business next month. The rookies for the Carolina Panthers report to training camp on July 21, and the veterans one day later. The team comes off its first playoff appearance since 2017. However, Dave Canales’s club won a division title with an 8-9 record, so there’s plenty of room for improvement.

Along with general manager Dan Morgan’s 2026 draft class that numbers seven players, Canales’s squad currently has 13 undrafted free agents on the roster. Last week, Daire Carragher of Pro Football Focus assembled an all-undrafted team for 2026. On his roster he listed three wide receivers: Jacksonville’s Jakobi Meyers, Seattle speedster Rashid Shaheed, and last but not least, Carolina’s surging Jalen Coker.

Former undrafted free agent WR Jalen Coker continues to earn praise

Allan Jung/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK

“The Holy Cross alum took a small but steady step forward in Year 2,” explained Carragher, “with 10 more receptions, two additional touchdowns and an increase in receiving grade from 73.8 to 75.3. Coker’s size is his greatest gift. Thanks to his 6’3” frame, he hauled in nine catches in traffic on just eleven contested opportunities last season.”

During his first NFL season in 2024, Coker played in 11 regular-season games and made four starts. He was targeted 46 times and pulled down 32 passes for 478 yards (14.9 average) and a pair of scores. That adds up to a respectable 69.6 catch percentage.

Panthers’ WR Jalen Coker was an improved player in 2025

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This past season, the former Crusader missed the first six games of 2025. Once available, he slowly but surely became a very viable compliment to 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan.

Including the Panthers’ playoff clash with the Los Angeles Rams, Coker saw 55 passes his way in the club’s final 12 games of 2025. He totaled 42 receptions for 528 yards (12.6 average) and made four trips to the end zone. And in those dozen contests, he owned a 76.4 reception percentage.

Jalen Coker went OFF in the playoffs..

Is he the next Nico Collins? pic.twitter.com/45gEseubMf

— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) May 26, 2026

Down the stretch, Coker and McMillan emerged as one of the better receiving tandems in the league and made life easier for quarterback Bryce Young. Included in the former’s 12-game resume this past season was nine catches for 134 yards and a fourth-quarter TD reception in the 34-31 home playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

It will be interesting to see if Carolina’s passing attack becomes an even bigger factor with offensive coordinator Brad Idzik taking over the play-calling duties. Nonetheless, Coker showed signs of growth in his second NFL campaign, and it will be interesting to see what his numbers would look like if he’s able to play a full season.