Remember when concerns abounded about Wisconsin football being able to field a productive, Big Ten-caliber outside receiver?
Well, those concerns have already largely been assuaged after Week 1.
It wasn't the greatest performance for the Badgers ' offense, but they did take a few big strides. Quarterback Colton Joseph tossed for over 200 yards, a feat Wisconsin signal-callers accomplished only once last season. While they only orchestrated three scoring drives, the Badgers moved the ball and only produced two three-and-outs. The offensive line looked meaner and more physical in general.
But perhaps the biggest development for this offense? The emergence of wideout Malachi Coleman .
The Nebraska and Minnesota transfer took the third-most snaps at receiver on this offense and finished with four catches for 76 yards and a score. His touchdown was a picturesque 28-yard reception on a gorgeous double move on which he snatched the ankles of Notre Dame cornerback Jayden Sanders.
Coleman ran beautiful routes all night, breaking a few defensive backs' ankles in the process. Wisconsin has had some good route-runners at receiver in the past under head coach Luke Fickell, namely former slot receiver Will Pauling . But none of them have been 6-5 and blazing fast like Coleman.
NFL scouts love traits above all else, and Coleman has them in spades. He always has; that's why he was a consensus top-60 recruit coming out of high school in Lincoln, Nebraska. You can't teach his height, his wingspan or his speed.
But for Coleman to actually wind up on the radar of NFL talent evaluators, he had to put it all together on the field. He had to prove, when the lights come on, that he's not just a freakish athlete - he's a darn good football player too. That's exactly what he did against the Irish.
NFL talent usually jumps off the screen in a college football game. To borrow a phrase from former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, "I know it when I see it." Anyone who watched Coleman run routes against what's widely considered the best secondary in college football saw what the receiver is capable of.
"Malachi's a fiery guy," head coach Luke Fickell said after the game . "He missed some practices, but he never missed a practice because of his emotion, his energy and his fire. We're gonna need him. I thought he did a good job tonight."
After his performance against the Irish, Coleman should remain a big part of the Badgers' offensive plan of attack. And if he keeps playing like he did Sunday night, he could certainly help snap Wisconsin's NFL drought.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as One Wisconsin Football Player Already Receiving NFL Hype After Week 1 .
