The former tight end's body continued to grow rapidly after he reported to MVSU, and after his freshman season the coaching staff felt it best to shift him to the offensive line. In two seasons as a starter at left tackle, he went from a slow-footed, mediocre pass catcher into one of the most dominating offensive linemen in the small college ranks.

Coleman was a long way from home when he enrolled at Mississippi Valley State in 2003. At North Chicago High School, he earned All-State honors in football as a tight end and in basketball as a power forward. He also lettered in volleyball.

Coleman redshirted in 2003 at MVSU, appearing in six games, with three starts at tight end in 2004. He did not catch any passes, but his blocking helped in his move the following season to the offensive front wall.

In 2005, Coleman appeared in six games as a key reserve at left and right tackle, seeing most of his action vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Paul Quinn College. He suffered a left knee medial collateral sprain vs. Southern University, missing two games and later re-injured his knee vs. Texas Southern, sitting out two more games.

The 2006 season brought a new coaching staff and a grand opportunity for Coleman to start. He took over left tackle duties, earning All-Southwestern Athletic Conference first-team honors, as he dominated the action in the trenches. The offense managed just 300.6 yards per game, but the left tackle produced 83 knockdowns and eight touchdown-resulting blocks.

As a senior, Coleman was one of the few bright spots on an offensive unit that featured eight freshmen or first-time starters in the lineup. The team struggled to average 260.9 yards per game, but the left tackle was again chosen to the All-SWAC first-team, as he delivered nine touchdown-resulting blocks for a unit that scored only 22 times. He led the SWAC blockers with 103 knockdowns.

Positives: His frame continues to grow, adding more than 20 pounds of good muscle mass before the 2007 season and can add at least another 20 pounds without the additional weight affecting his overall athletic agility … Fiery, aggressive drive blocker who can simply obliterate smaller defenders in one-on-one battles, but sometimes gets too caught up in the combat, resulting in unnecessary personal fouls … Shows good effort and intensity getting into defenders and has good nastiness in his play, as he always gives good effort to make downfield blocks … Has a good work ethic and attitude, works hard both on the practice field and in the weight room and takes well to hard coaching … Had a good attitude when he was moved from tight end to offensive tackle before the 2005 season … Takes advantage of his size and long reach to engulf edge rushers and despite poor timed speed, he is good at sliding and mirroring the opponent in pass protection … Has long arms and a powerful punch that can simply shock and jolt the defender … Does a good job of using his hands to keep defenders off-balance and when he gets his hands on his opponent, the battle is over, especially vs. the bull rush … Combative drive blocker who shows good initial quickness and body control, with proper knee bend coming out of his stance for a player his size … While most big blockers get too tall and narrow in their stance, he keeps a wide leg base and spreads his arms to effectively seal off the outside rush … Uses his upper body strength to outmuscle defenders on running plays … Does a nice job of moving his feet and maintaining a proper blocking angle on the defenders and makes good adjustments on the move in the backfield to seal off the edge … Not sudden, but sets up quickly, bends his knees and delivers a hard hand jolt retreating in pass protection … Stays with the rusher once he makes contact and is an effective down blocker who takes proper angles to clear the lanes for the ground game … Uses his size and power to out-muscle defenders in incline blocking … Mauler-type who comes up with his hands quickly coming out of his stance.

Negatives: Has marginal foot quickness and agility, but shows adequate ability to kick-step and get set up in pass protection … Although not a big-time waist-bender, he tends to lunge when he punches as a run-blocker … Has only adequate ability to learn and make adjustments and to recognize stunts and blitzes … Does only an adequate job of coming off the line and getting initial position on run blocks … Displays marginal explosion as a run blocker, but he does a good job of creating movement due to his size … Shows adequate ability to get position and to adjust in the second level on pulls and traps (best blocking on the line than when in motion) … Plays a little heavy-footed, but does an adequate job of creating movement and sustaining blocks in the run game … Has poor timed speed and marginal ability to adjust to blocks in the open field … Has marginal ability to adjust to linebackers or defensive backs down field, but takes adequate angles and takes advantage of his good size and reach to cut off pursuit angles … Has improved his kick-step to get set up in pass protection, but must continue to work on keeping his base wide and shuffling his feet to mirror and slide to adjust to inside moves (has improved, but lacks consistency).

Compares To: KYLE TURLEY-ex-Kansas City … Coleman does not have the quickness that Turley was known for, but in his prime, Turley was one of the nastiest drive blockers in the game. Coleman brings a lot of aggression in his play, but it might be too much, as he does draw the flags often for his out-and-out full battle royales with some of his opponents. He has that long reach to engulf and the hand punch to shock the defender instantly. He reminds of the Saints' Jhahri Evans at this stage of the game -- crying for patient coaching from a father figure type to help him realize his vast potential. Late in the draft, he will make some quarterback very happy to have Coleman protecting the blind side.

2005: Suffered a left knee medial collateral sprain vs. Southern University (9/10), missing the Alabama A&M (9/17) and Jackson State (9/24) games … Later re-injured his knee vs. Texas Southern (10/24), sitting out vs. Prairie View A&M (10/29) and Alcorn State (11/05).

Campus: 5.44 in the 40-yard dash … 1.87 10-yard dash … 3.12 20-yard dash … 4.81 20-yard shuttle … 7.9 three-cone drill … 27 ½-inch vertical jump … 8'9" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 33 times … 35-inch arm length … 9 ¾-inch hands … Right-handed … Wears contacts … 9/18 Wonderlic score.

Combine: Did not receive invitation.

Attended North Chicago (Ill.) High School, playing football for head coach Michael Durrah … Earned All-State honors in football as a tight end and in basketball as a power forward … Also lettered in volleyball.

Elementary Education major who plans to teach once his playing days are over … Son of Joan Almorde and Michael Coleman … Father, Michael, was an All-American defensive end at Kilgore College and selected in the fourth round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. Michael also played for the Washington Redskins … Born Thaddeus James Coleman on 6/20/85 in Waukegan, Illinois … Resides in North Chicago, Illinois.