Six Auburn Football Players Aim to Advance Their NFL Draft Stock in the Senior Bowl

Jan 1, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Auburn Tigers wide receiver Sammie Coates (18) runs with the ball as Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Sojourn Shelton (8) defends during the second half in the 2015 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Auburn Tigers 34-31 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Sammie Coates

• Position: Wide Receiver
• Height: 6-foot-1 ¾
• Weight: 213 pounds

The former Auburn football player with the best chance of going in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft is wide receiver Sammie Coates.

Coates is in Mobile for the Senior Bowl despite leaving school with one year of eligibility remaining because he has graduated. In fact, having his degree in hand helped Coates make the decision to turn pro early.

As for what he hopes to get out of the Senior Bowl experience, the speedster says he wants scouts to see him as “one freak of nature.”

“This is a big opportunity for me just to be out in front of the scouts and be in front of the coaches and show them I’m really an all-around guy, an all-around wide receiver that makes big plays when you need him to,” Coates said this week. “That’s my whole goal this week. … Any chance I get to make a big play I’m going to do it and every opportunity I get, I’m going to take advantage of it.”

As a junior, Coates led the Tigers with 741 receiving yards on 34 receptions, which gave him a 21.8 yards per catch averaged that ranked among the very best in the nation. He also caught four touchdown passes, including two in the regular season finale against Alabama – a game in which he set a career record with 206 receiving yards.

However, the athletic wideout struggled with a leg injury this season, which caused him to miss the game against San Jose State in September and slowed him down at time throughout the year.

Coates claims he’s now completely healthy and aims to prove he is more consistent catching the football than he showed at times in 2014. He also wants to show his big play capability.

“That’s one of the things that comes with the position: you got to be able to make explosive plays, them ‘ooh ah’ plays, the plays that are going to turn heads,” Coates said. “I’ve been seeing a lot of great plays in the NFL and I think I can fit with that perfect. I’m the type of guy to make big plays. You give me a chance to go down the field and go up and get the ball, I’m going to do it. That’s my No. 1 goal.”

Next: Cameron Artis-Payne