The Cleveland Browns are making moves as rookie minicamp gets underway, and they've added an intriguing piece to their secondary. On Saturday morning, the team announced the signing of undrafted free agent cornerback Michael Coats Jr. out of West Virginia, bringing their total UDFA haul to 13. To make room on the roster, the Browns waived tight end Sal Cannella.
Coats Jr. may not have heard his name called during the draft, but he brings a wealth of college experience to Cleveland. Standing at 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, the cornerback played in 56 games with 41 starts over a winding collegiate journey that took him from East Central Community College (2020-2022) to Nevada (2023-2024) and finally to West Virginia in 2025. Last season, he started all 12 games for the Mountaineers, tallying 30 tackles, a fumble recovery, and seven passes defended.
What makes Coats Jr. particularly exciting is his athletic profile. At his pro day, he blazed a 4.39 40-yard dash, posted a 36-inch vertical, and turned heads with a 6.83 3-cone drill—elite numbers for a player his size. Our own Matthew Wilson recently highlighted him as a UDFA to watch, calling him "the definition of a menace at the cornerback position." While he may not be the most technically refined player, Coats Jr. has a knack for being around the ball, breaking up passes, and throwing his body around against the run.
His football IQ is also a strength. Coats Jr. reads routes well and anticipates passing lanes in the short-to-intermediate game, projecting as a slot corner at the NFL level. That's music to the Browns' ears, as they've been searching for more depth at the nickel position. The primary reason he went undrafted? Age. Coats Jr. will turn 25 this summer, but in a league where experience and grit often win out, the Browns are betting his feistiness can pay dividends in 2026.
With Coats Jr. now signed, the Browns still have two remaining unsigned players from their reported UDFA class: wide receivers Aaron Anderson and Ja'Naylon Dupree. As rookie minicamp continues, all eyes will be on how this new crop of talent fits into Cleveland's plans for the upcoming season.