By Tiffany Williams –
As a native of Sterling, Va. Jalen Coker, the son of Jamal and Jenny Coker, attended Potomac Falls High School and played football for coach Paul Barnes. He earned second team all-state and first team all-region honors and in his senior year was team captain.
Coker caught 89 passes for 1,622 yards and 18 touchdowns during his high school career and his versatility on the gridiron went beyond the offensive side of the ball to include 169 tackles and 12 interceptions on the defensive side of the ball.
In addition to his athletic abilities on the gridiron, Coker also played basketball and ran track.
Coker, in August 2019 announced his commitment to Holy Cross football. In statement he released he said, “With the help of my family, coaches friends, and teammates I turned into not only a better football player, but a better person. I would not be where I am without the support I have and the amazing group of people I am surrounded by. This recruiting process has been a tough journey and has been filled with ups and downs. However. I would not trade it for anything. It truly was a blessing to even be considered by a school to play college football and it’s an honor to have received any scholarship offers. With that being said I am beyond excited to start my next chapter and I am thrilled to say I am now COMMITTED to play football at Holy Cross #GoCrusaders.”
Coker entered the Holy Cross Crusaders football program at the height of the COVID pandemic, and while the 2020 season was delayed, as a freshman, he served as a valuable option for the Crusaders offense making his first appearance with the Crusaders at Fitton Field in Worcester on March 27, 2021 catching an eleven yards pass from Matthew Sluka to record his first collegiate career touchdown in the Crusaders 34-24 win over Fordham.
In his sophomore year, Coker recorded his second collegiate touchdown on September 25, 2021 on a Crusaders road trip to Kessler Stadium in West Long Branch, NJ in a matchup with the Monmouth Hawks. In the second quarter Marco Siderman connected with Coker for a 19 yard pass to put the Crusaders on top 28-0. The Crusaders won 45-15 and Coker finished with 6 receptions and 63 yards.
Coker finished his sophomore season with 50 receptions, 663 yards and four touchdowns.
In his junior year, Coker recorded 50 receptions, 914 yards and eleven touchdowns. At the first annual EBW Classic at Polar Park in Worcester, Holy Cross shutout Bucknell, 57-0. Coker finished with 88 receiving yards and a touchdown. In the second quarter he caught a 32-yard pass from Sluka to give Holy Cross a 28-0 lead.
On September 10, 2022, Coker recorded two touchdowns against the Buffalo Bulls at UB Stadium in Buffalo, NY. In the third quarter he caught a 62-yard pass from Matthew Sluka to tie the game 28-28, and in the fourth quarter he caught a 46-yard Hail Mary pass from Matthew Sluka for the Crusaders to get the 37-31 dub.
On October 29, 2022, Coker grabbed three receiving touchdowns against the Fordham Rams at Fitton Field in Worcester. In the first quarter Coker caught a 58-yard pass from Matthew Sluka to get the Crusaders into the game 0-7. In the fourth quarter he caught a 12-yard pass from Matthew Sluka to tie the game 38-38, and then with just a 1:24 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Crusaders down by seven, Coker caught a 15-yard pass from Matthew Sluka to help tie the game 45-45. The Crusaders won 53-52 in overtime.
As a senior, Coker finished the season with 59 receptions, 1,035 yards and 15 touchdowns.
On September 16, 2023, Coker recorded three touchdowns against the Yale Bulldogs in the Crusaders 49-24 win. In the second quarter he caught a 3-yard pass from Matthew Sluka to bring the Crusaders from behind to get them on top 14-10. In the third quarter, the only scoring drive on bot sides of the ball was Coker catching a pass 4-yard from Matthew Sluka to put the Crusaders out front 28-17. In the fourth quarter Coker caught a 5-yard pass from Matthew Sluka to pit the Crusaders on top 49-17.
September 23, 2023, Coker recorded seven receptions, 57-yards and two touchdowns in the Crusaders 47-7 win over the Colgate Raiders.
Coker finished with seven receptions, 176-yards and two touchdowns in the Crusaders 38-28 loss to Harvard at the second annual EBW Football Classic at Polar Park. Coker in the first quarter caught a 74-yard pass and got a touchdown to record the longest reception of his collegiate career. In the second quarter Sluka connected with Coker again for a 30-yard touchdown reception.
On November 4, 2023, Coker recorded four receptions, 98-yards and two touchdowns in the Crusaders 28-24 win over the Lehigh Mountain Hawks.
Coker’s collegiate honors include HERO Sports Sophomore All-America honors, All-Patriot League Second Team and Phil Steele’s All-Patriot League Third Team in his sophomore year. In his junior year he received All-New England honors, was named to All-Patriot League First Team, was a Gold Helmet Award recipient in Week 5, was selected as the Hilton Garden Inn Crusader of the Week, and waa named to Phil Steele’s All-Patriot League second team. In his senior year he was named the Hilton Garden Inn Crusader of the Week on September 18, and Stats Perform Preseason All-America Second Team.
As Coker wrapped the 2023 season, his last season with the Crusaders, he now looks to accomplish his dream: playing in the NFL and on December 1, he announced his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
“I can’t thank the College of the Holy Cross enough for giving me the opportunity to receive an amazing education while also providing me with all of the resources to achieve all of my goals as an athlete through my time here at the college, I have met so many extraordinary people that have helped me along my journey that I will never forget,” said Coker. “To my family I love you all so much having a support system like you guys makes me the luckiest person in the world. I am so grateful for everything. No matter what you guys are always there, and I will never be able to repay you for all you have done for me. To my coaches, teammates, alumni faculty professors and athletic training staff, this es would not be possible without your help and support, because without you, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I am truly blessed and thankful that I had the opportunity to meet and grow with all of you! Even though my story at holy cross has come to an end. I will bleed purple forever!”
Coker added, “With that being said, I will be entering the 2024 NFL Draft.”
Former Holy Cross Head Coach Robert Chesney, who coached Coker for his four years as a Crusader said, “The BEST to ever do it at Holy CrossFootball. It was special watching you rewrite the record books one catch at a time. We all knew what type of player and person you were and it was only a matter of time before the rest of the world did. Now they do. CANNOT wait for Sundays!!”
But on the road to the 2024 NFL Draft, Coker will play one final game of his collegiate football career. Coker has been selected to play in the Hula Bowl on January 13, 2024.
Only 100 of the top senior athletes are selected to play at the Hula Bowl in Orlando, Florida which is known to be the Nation’s Premier College Football All-Star Game, and is attended by team scouts from the NFL, XFL, USFL and CFL.