MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — It wasn’t the weekend West Virginia fans were hoping for when it came to the 2026 NFL Draft. For the first time in recent memory, the West Virginia Mountaineers football didn’t have a single player selected. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be Mountaineer representation on Sundays. Former WVU corner Michael Coats Jr. is getting his opportunity, signing an undrafted free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns.
WV ➡️ CLE
Michael Coats has signed with the Browns!@Mike5oats pic.twitter.com/vF3Aiwnq8s
— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) April 26, 2026
And if you followed his path, this is exactly the kind of story that fits.
Coats didn’t come through the typical Power Five pipeline. He took the long road, starting at the junior college level before eventually working his way up and landing at Nevada. That’s where he really put himself on the map. In 2024, he had a breakout season, totaling 41 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 17 passes defended, which actually led the entire FBS at one point. He earned First Team All Mountain West honors and even picked up Group of Five All America recognition.
That production is what made him one of the biggest transfer portal additions for WVU heading into the 2025 season.
Once he got to Morgantown, Coats stepped right into a major role in the secondary. He didn’t put up huge interception numbers like he did at Nevada, but he was exactly what WVU needed… a true CB1. He consistently drew top assignments, finished games with multiple pass breakups, and was active in run support. In multiple games, he posted around 4 tackles while breaking up passes and making plays on the ball, showing his ability to impact games even when teams avoided throwing his way.
And honestly, that’s the part that doesn’t always show up in a stat sheet. Teams respected him.
His journey is what stands out the most though. This is a guy who didn’t even play high school football, worked his way through JUCO, turned himself into an All Conference and All America level defensive back, and then became a Power Five starter. That’s not normal. That’s earned.
Now he heads to Cleveland with a real shot. No, he didn’t hear his name called this weekend. And yeah, that’s something WVU fans aren’t used to seeing across the board. But Coats is exactly the type of player who sticks around. Tough, experienced, and already proven at multiple levels.
If you’re betting on guys to beat the odds… this is one of them.
