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Auburn arrives at draft as Coates taken 87th by Pittsburgh
By Ethan Levine
Published:
The Pittsburgh Steelers found a deep threat who can take the top off defenses, be them man or zone, in Auburn wideout Sammie Coates with the 87th overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft, the 23rd pick of the third round.
Coates led Auburn with 741 receiving yards a year ago on only 34 catches, an average of more than 21 yards per catch. He has dominant straight line speed and can be tough to hang with down the field, but his questionable hands caused him to drop to late in the third round after being projected as high as the second round.
Coates is the first Auburn Tiger selected in this year’s draft, and the third SEC player drafted in the third round.
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
