Coleman is confident that it’s the latter. 

“I do feel I’m due for a breakout season,” Coleman said. “So we’ll be on the watch for that.”

The Louisiana native has been a fan favorite since day one. Previously committed to Kansas as both a football and basketball player, Coleman swapped the red and blue for the green and white before signing day. With the athleticism to play both basketball and football at such a high level, fans quickly took notice of such an intriguing new prospect. 

As a true freshman, Coleman’s first year in East Lansing was relatively quiet. He recorded seven receptions for 50-yards and a touchdown in 10 games played. With the basketball team, he notched five points in 10 minutes played. The highlight of Coleman’s 2021 campaign however, was a 12-yard touchdown catch in the Spartan’s 56-7 loss to Ohio State.

With receivers like redshirt senior Jayden Reed, Jalen Nailor and redshirt junior Tre Mosley filling out the top of the depth chart, it was always going to be a struggle for a freshman to earn any playing time. However, with Nailor out of the picture and a year of experience under his belt, Coleman is in a much better position this season to fight for more playing time.

“The gap that (Nailor) left, I feel I can take that role and run off with it,” Coleman said.

Coleman will have to truly shine if he wants to “run off” with the role of one of the team’s top three receivers. Junior wide receiver Montorie Foster stepped up last season after Nailor’s injury, ending the season with 12 receptions, 164 yards and a touchdown. A few talented freshmen are also bound to fight for playing time, including Antonio Gates, Germie Bernard and Tyrell Henry. In other words, the path to a starting spot is not a cakewalk for Coleman. 

That sort of position depth and strength is bound to give Michigan State a distinct schematic advantage. With a special receiver like Reed on the field, opposing defenses will have to commit an extra defender or face the consequences. This will create more opportunities for young, unproven players like Coleman to take full advantage of defensive mismatches. 

“When (opponents) come out there and try to give us single coverage, we’re gonna put them in a frenzy,” said Coleman. “It’s gonna be a lot of trouble.”

Redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne is an important piece of the receiving room puzzle, and Coleman believes there is something brewing between the two this off-season

“I feel it’s something special,” Coleman said.

If Coleman is hell-bent on a larger role with the team, fostering a relationship with Thorne will be essential.

There are plenty of questions about the sophomore that won’t be answered until the games are actually played. However, if there’s one thing about Coleman that is not in question, it’s his confidence. If there's one thing he wants his quarterback to know:

“I’m somewhere down there, just throw it,” Coleman said.