NFL Draft Prospects to Watch: Keon Coleman & Bucky Irving (2023 Fantasy Football)

We’ve finally reached the college football season, and that means there are draft prospects playing meaningful games. Their performances in these games help determine where these prospects get drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. As we head into the second week of the college football season, here are two college football prospects to watch for your Dynasty and Devy leagues.

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2024 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | iOL | DL | EDGE | LB | S | CB

NFL Draft Prospects to Watch (2023 Fantasy Football)

Keon Coleman (WR – Florida State)

Being that Coleman is a former Michigan State Spartan, I’m quite familiar with his skill set. There was always potential with him and his 6-foot-4 and 215-pound frame. However, the Spartans struggled at times to get Coleman going, and it prevented him from being a consistent piece in their offense on a weekly basis. But when they got him the ball, he sure was impressive. Last season, Coleman finished with 58 receptions for 798 yards and seven touchdowns. Don’t get me wrong, those are good numbers, but there’s potential for Coleman to be a 1,000-yard receiver with double-digit touchdown production.

In his first game with the Seminoles, Coleman got off to a very hot start against a highly-ranked LSU team. Whether it was in the middle of the field or near the red zone, Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis showed great rapport with Coleman. For Coleman, he finished with nine receptions off 11 targets for 122 yards and three touchdowns.

While it’s unlikely for Coleman to score three touchdowns on a weekly basis, there’s potential for Coleman to see a lot of one-on-one opportunities. Much of this is due to the threat of Johnny Wilson aligned opposite from him. Also, Coleman has the size to withstand contact from more physical defenders but to also win 50-50 balls. Meanwhile, he’s got enough speed to create separation.

In high school, he was a three-sport athlete who excelled in basketball, football and track and field. His personal record (PR) for the 100-meter dash was 11.76 seconds, and averaged 26 points per game (PPG) as a junior on the basketball court. With all this, there’s potential for Coleman to jump players such as Emeka Egbuka and Malik Nabers in wide receiver rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Bucky Irving (RB – Oregon)

One of my favorite players in all of college football is Bucky Irving from Oregon. He’ll be highly overlooked any time he touches the football field, but even then, he’s able to produce. Prior to transferring to Oregon, Irving played 12 games at Minnesota. For the Golden Gophers, he had 699 rushing yards on 133 carries and four touchdowns. Despite a good freshman season, Irving found his way to Oregon to become a key player for the Ducks.

Oregon RB Bucky Irving is a fun player. Transferred from Minnesota and in his first season with Oregon, he ran for over 1,000 yards on 156 carries. He also had 31 receptions. True junior that we'll talk about a bit this fall. pic.twitter.com/vh5pxM6VPl

— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) May 25, 2023

Last season, he rushed for over 1,000 yards and five touchdowns on 156 carries. Meanwhile, he added 31 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns. When watching Irving run the ball, he makes it look easy out there. He follows his blocks, and his lateral quickness is like butter. He finds ways to slice defenders while running through arm tackles.

Through one week of his Junior season, he posted 137 rushing yards off only 5 carries. This generated a 27.4 yards per average and two touchdowns. Whether it’s against USC or Portland State, Irving possesses big play potential. This week, the Ducks travel to Texas Tech for a matchup with the Red Raiders. He can be a big-time player for the Ducks this season, and if he declares for the 2024 NFL Draft, he’s worth stashing for your Dynasty and Devy leagues.