Stacy Coley (born May 13, 1994) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at the University of Miami from 2013 to 2016 and finished his career with the second-most receptions in school's history. Coley was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL draft.

Stacy Coley
No. 13, 83, 3, 14
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1994-05-13) May 13, 1994 (age 30)
Pompano Beach, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:Northeast
(Oakland Park, Florida)
College:Miami (FL) (2013–2016)
NFL draft:2017 / round: 7 / pick: 219
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:7
Return yards:52
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early years

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Coley attended Northeast High School in Oakland Park, Florida, where he starred as a wide receiver for ex-NFL running back and former Miami Hurricanes standout Donnell Bennett.[1] As a senior in 2012, Coley led the Hurricanes to the first round of Class 7A playoffs, while catching 29 passes for 513 yards and 10 touchdowns. Coley finished his high school career as the top-rated wide receiver in the state of Florida. Coley played at the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game.

Coley committed to the University of Miami to play college football.[2]

College career

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Coley played at Miami from 2013 to 2016.[3] Coley ended his collegiate career ranked second in career receptions with 166, fifth in receiving yards with 2,218 and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns with 20. He also ranked sixth in career all-purpose yards (3,810).his career with 166 receptions for 2,218 yards and 20 touchdowns. In his first two seasons, he returned 47 kickoffs for 1,142 yards and a touchdown and added 25 punt returns for 325 yards and a touchdown.

Freshman season

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As a freshman, Coley played in all 13 games, making six starts at wide receiver, while also serving as the team's primary kick and punt returner. Led team with seven touchdown catches. In his collegiate debut against FAU on August 30, he caught two passes for 19 yards. In week 3 against Savannah State, he scored his first receiving touchdown and also returned a kick 88 yards to the end zone for his first kick return and last kick return touchdown. The following week, he totaled four receptions for a season-high 96 yards and two touchdowns against USF. In the Hurricanes' loss to Virginia Tech in week 9, Coley only caught one pass, but he took it 81 yards for a touchdown, making it his longest career reception. In the loss at Duke, Coley returned a punt 79 yards for a score in the first quarter. With that touchdown, Coley became the first Hurricane since Devin Hester back in 2004 to score punt and kick return touchdowns in the same year. Coley had a strong finish to his freshman season as he added five catches for 81 yards and score in the win over Virginia and tallied three first-half touchdowns in a road win at Pittsburgh, finishing with three catches for 72 yards and two receiving touchdowns as well as a 73-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter. Coley was the only player in the Football Bowl Subdivision to score a kickoff return touchdown, punt return touchdown, receiving touchdown and rushing touchdown. Among first-year players, Coley finished third in all-purpose yards with 114.3 per game and sixth in receiving yards with 591, 49 shy of surpassing Reggie Wayne for the second-most receiving yards by a Miami freshman.[4][5] Coley was named a third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selection by the coaches and a 247Sports true freshman All-American.[6]

Sophomore season

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Coley played in 12 games, including five starts at receiver as a sophomore. He served as the team's primary kick and punt returner for the second consecutive season. He totaled 184 receiving yards on 23 catches and ranked third on the team in all-purpose yards.

Junior season

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In his junior year, Coley looked to bounce back from the disappointment of his second season. He improved on most of his numbers in comparison to his sophomore season. In 11 games, Coley caught 47 receptions for 687 yards, with 4 of those receptions going for touchdowns. On October 10 against Florida State, in what was his best performance of the season, Coley caught seven passes for 139 yards, with a 19.3 yards per catch average, and scored a touchdown. Coley would finish first on the Hurricanes in receiving yards for the season with 689, sixth in the ACC in receiving yards per game, and tenth in the country in receptions per game (4.3). After the season, Coley was named an All-ACC third team member.

Senior season

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Coley played in all 13 games in his final season, starting in 10 games. With a stat line of 63 receptions, 754 receiving yards, 9 touchdowns, and a yards per catch average of 11.97, Coley had his best season as a Hurricane. He remained the deep vertical threat used to stretch defensive coverages, but also became more of an intermediate option to pick up first downs. In the Hurricanes week 5 matchup against Florida State, Coley was on the receiving end on both of quarterback Brad Kaaya's touchdown passes and piled up 80 yards on seven catches. His second score brought the Hurricanes to within one point with 1:38 on the clock, but kicker Michael Badgley had his extra point blocked, ending the game 20–19 in favor of the Seminoles.[7]

Statistics

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Miami Hurricanes
Season Receiving Rushing Kick return Punt return
Rec Yards Avg TDs Att Yards Avg TDs Ret Yards Avg TDs Ret Yards Avg TDs
2013 33 591 17.9 7 2 80 40.0 1 22 570 25.9 1 10 220 22.0 1
2014 23 184 8.0 0 5 30 6.0 0 24 541 22.5 0 15 105 7.0 0
2015 47 689 14.7 4 1 15 15.0 0 1 31 31.0 0 0 0 0 0
2016 63 754 12.0 9 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
NCAA Career Totals 166 2,218 13.4 20 8 125 15.6 1 47 1,142 24.3 1 25 325 13.0 1

Professional career

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Pre-draft

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In May 2016, CBS Sports ranked Coley No. 5 among 2017 draft-eligible wide receivers. Soon after the Hurricanes secured a Russell Athletic Bowl victory, Coley began training for the NFL Draft. After earning an invitation to the Senior Bowl, Coley later declined it. He instead focused on training for the NFL Scouting Combine. He had a good showing at the Combine, running the 12th-fastest time in the 40-yard dash among wide receivers, putting up 10 reps on the bench press, and jumping 34 inches in the vertical jump test. He re-tried the 40-yard dash at Miami's Pro Day, cutting down his time from 4.45 to 4.39 seconds.[8]

External videos
  Coley performing at the NFL Combine
  Coley gets drafted by Minnesota
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 11+78 in
(1.83 m)
195 lb
(88 kg)
32+14 in
(0.82 m)
9+34 in
(0.25 m)
4.39 s 1.50 s 2.54 s 4.43 s 7.19 s 34 in
(0.86 m)
10 ft 2 in
(3.10 m)
10 reps
All values from NFL Combine except 40-yard dash and agility drills from Pro Day[9]

Minnesota Vikings

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Coley was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round, 219th overall of the 2017 NFL draft.[10] Coley became the 16th Miami alumn in Vikings history drafted by the Vikings and the second in 2017, as Minnesota used their second fifth-round pick (180th overall) to select Coley's college teammate, guard Danny Isidora.[11] Isidora and Coley were the first Hurricanes to be drafted by Minnesota since the Vikings picked tackle Bryant McKinnie in 2002.[12]

On September 18, 2018, Coley was waived by the Vikings.[13]

New York Giants

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On September 19, 2018, Coley was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants.[14] He was placed on injured reserve on October 6, 2018, with a hamstring injury.[15] He was released on October 16, 2018.

New York Jets

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On January 5, 2019, Coley signed a reserve/future contract with the New York Jets.[16] He was waived on May 10, 2019.[17]

Dallas Renegades

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Coley was drafted by the Dallas Renegades of the XFL in the 4th round of the 2020 XFL Draft.[18]

Tampa Bay Vipers

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Coley was traded to the Tampa Bay Vipers in exchange for wide receiver Freddie Martino on January 12, 2020.[19] Coley was waived before the start of the regular season on February 6, 2020.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Miami Hurricanes' Stacy Coley reflects on the 'whooping' that changed his life
  2. ^ Broward's top player WR Stacy Coley picks the Hurricanes over FSU, USF
  3. ^ Receiver Stacy Coley returning to UM for senior year
  4. ^ Difference maker: Freshman Stacy Coley did a lot of everything for Miami Hurricanes
  5. ^ Miami Hurricanes coaches challenge Stacy Coley to lead, stay in shape
  6. ^ True freshman All-American team by 247Sports.com
  7. ^ New Vikings Dalvin Cook and Stacy Coley left their marks on Florida State-Miami rivalry
  8. ^ Miami Hurricanes NFL Draft profile: WR Stacy Coley
  9. ^ "*Stacy Coley – Miami, WR : 2017 NFL Draft Scout External News". nfldraftscout.com.
  10. ^ "Vikings Select Miami WR Stacy Coley". Vikings.com. April 29, 2017. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  11. ^ "2017 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  12. ^ 5 things to know about new Vikings WR Stacy Coley
  13. ^ "Vikings Sign K Dan Bailey and Waive WR Stacy Coley". Vikings.com. September 18, 2018.
  14. ^ "Giants claim former Vikings WR Stacy Coley, waive FB Smith". Giants.com. September 19, 2018.
  15. ^ Eisen, Michael (October 6, 2018). "Giants activate Josh Mauro, place Stacey Coley on IR". Giants.com.
  16. ^ Allen, Eric (January 5, 2019). "Jets Sign WR Stacy Coley to Reserve/Future Contract". NewYorkJets.com.
  17. ^ Allen, Eric (May 10, 2019). "Jets Waive Three Players". NewYorkJets.com.
  18. ^ Bender, Bill (October 21, 2019). "XFL Draft picks 2019: Complete results, rosters, players for new football league". Sporting News. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  19. ^ "Renegades Training Camp: Day 9". XFL.com. January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  20. ^ "XFL Transactions". XFL.com. Retrieved February 7, 2020.