Countdown to Training Camp '18: Keelan Cole

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In 2014 the Jaguars added Allen Hurns as an undrafted free agent. When healthy he was a very productive receiver for Jacksonville. In 2017 the Jaguars found another undrafted gem in Keelan Cole. His production as a rookie is one of the reasons Hurns is no longer on the roster. 

Position: Wide Receiver

2017 Stats: 42 catches, 748 yards and three touchdowns

2018 Projection: At this time a year ago not many people (local media included) knew all that much about Cole. Once training camp started the Kentucky Wesleyan product immediately started to make a name for himself.  

With Marqise Lee and Donte Moncrief penciled in as the starting wide receivers, Cole figures to be in the running for the No. 3 receiver position. Last season he led the Jaguars with 748 receiving yards. Eleven of his 42 catches went for 20-yards or more and he averaged an eye opening 17.8 yards per reception. 

Although the Jaguars don’t have a traditional No. 1 receiver they have depth at the position. When you add in Austin Seferian-Jenkins at tight end it’s possible that the Jaguars could have four players with 600+ yards receiving next season. 

Jaguars WR coach Keenan McCardell on how Cole can improve going into sophomore season:

“My point of emphasis with him is to continue to get better. Don’t rest on what you did last year. You want to be ten times better than you were last year. He looked at me like, ‘Huh?’ ‘Yeah, ten times better.’ You are scratching the surface. We always want him to gain weight, but I just want him to get stronger, faster and work on routes. Work on being a complete receiver and as you all saw last year [that] I put him wherever. Inside, outside and I want him to understand that you are not just an outside receiver. You are a complete receiver and I want you to understand how to run all these routes, understand defenses, looking at the coverages and understand it.”