For most of his commitment ceremony, Malachi Coleman remained stoic.
In terms of Coleman’s day-to-day life, that’s pretty unique — he’s known for having an upbeat personality and a bright smile that comes with it.
But, Saturday was hardly a regular day for Coleman. Instead, it’s a day he’ll likely remember for the rest of his life.
A packed auditorium of family and friends had gathered at Lincoln East High School, eagerly anticipating Coleman’s announcement of where he’d be playing his college football.
When Coleman made it official by donning a Nebraska hat, the roar that emanated from the crowd finally put a smile on his face that wasn’t likely to go away any time soon.
Ten minutes later, that smile hadn’t faded one bit.
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“It’s something that I’ve been looking forward to for a while; me and my family, we love it,” Coleman said.
***
Just 14 months ago, this kind of moment was closer to a dream than it was to reality.
Before he ever stepped on the football field for his junior season, the Georgias, USCs and Michigans of the world hadn’t heard of Coleman — but that doesn’t mean Nebraska wasn’t paying attention.
As a participant in Nebraska’s summer camps, Coleman had athleticism that was easy to spot. But, could he produce?
Coleman’s head coach at East, John Gingery, pondered the same thing before the 2021 season.
“He’s got some great speed, and if he can use his hands and get any separation on defense, he’s going to be a weapon for us,” Gingery said.
Indeed, Coleman was a weapon for the Spartans that fall. 10 of his 17 catches went for touchdowns, with an average of 33 yards per reception, and the two-way standout also had 57 tackles, 7½ sacks and four forced fumbles on defense.
While only FCS school Northern Iowa had offered Coleman before his junior year, those kinds of numbers caught the attention of coaches along the recruiting trail. Fittingly, Coleman’s first FBS offer came from the hometown Huskers on Oct. 1.
"To be honest, it kind of came out of nowhere," Coleman told the Journal Star last October. "It started over the summer, getting a little bit of interest and going to those camps. They said I looked good and they were going to keep eyes on me.”
Kansas State, Minnesota, Kansas and Maryland all offered Coleman before the end of the year, but the spring of 2022 would prove to be when his recruitment truly exploded.
As he put in the work needed to finish second in both the 100- and 200-meter races and third in the triple jump at the state track and field championships in late May, Coleman’s recruitment was taking off.
Now a 4-star national prospect, Vanderbilt offered Coleman in January and Louisville followed in February; after that, the floodgates opened.
March brought offers from Colorado State, Texas Tech, Iowa, Washington and defending national champion Georgia.
April was just as busy, with Oregon, Mississippi, Michigan, Oklahoma, Florida State and Penn State all extending offers before Missouri, USC and Kentucky rounded out the recruiting blitz over the summer.
In just a few months, Coleman had gone from an unknown prospect to a top-75 national recruit. And it was time to try and make a decision.
***
Coleman’s relationship with Nebraska interim head coach Mickey Joseph helped seal the deal on his college decision.
In fact, Coleman said that six or seven months ago he wasn’t likely to have chosen Nebraska. But, when Joseph first walked through the doors of Lincoln East, everything changed.
Coleman attended all four of Nebraska’s home games this fall, and Joseph returned the favor by attending Coleman’s game against Lincoln Northeast in September.
And ultimately, faced with the chance to play for his hometown school and a coach who stuck by him, Coleman knew Nebraska was the right place for him.
“That relationship I’ve got with Mickey and this coaching staff is untouchable; nobody’s going to have a relationship like we have,” Coleman said.
Another large factor for Coleman was the chance to stay close to his family, who he leans on in times of need.
For many high school seniors, it wouldn’t be their first inclination to publicly speak about how much they love their family. But, Coleman has a unique perspective in that regard.
Coleman’s father died when he was young, leaving him and his young sister, Nevaeh, with their mother. But, when Coleman’s mother dropped him and Nevaeh off at a stranger’s house and never came back, his life forever changed.
Four years spent in the foster system, moving from city to city and family to family changed Coleman too.
It wasn’t until Craig and Miranda Coleman adopted Malachi and Nevaeh in November of 2015 that he finally found the family and the love that young people need to grow.
It’s when Coleman started smiling again, too.
“This just shows all the kids in foster care that it don’t matter where you’re at, this is where you’re going to finish,” Coleman said. “I know that everybody tells you that, but you’ve got to do it yourself sometimes. You’ve got to find people that you can trust, and that’s why I surrounded myself with people who are like that, and people who’ve got my back. That’s why I trust Mickey too.”
***
Ranked as the No. 67 national recruit by 247Sports and No. 57 nationally by Rivals, it’s clear Coleman is a big-time college prospect. His elite speed, work rate and athletic ability stand out both in person and on tape.
Joseph knows a thing or two about developing talented athletes into dominant wide receivers, a blueprint Coleman will hope to follow. The talented prospect said on Saturday that he could also be used as a two-way player, an opportunity that excites him.
And as one of the best college football prospects to ever come out of Lincoln, Coleman knows he’ll have plenty of eyeballs on him.
No matter what his college career brings, Coleman will get through it with a smile on his face.
Doing so hasn’t always been easy for a young man who has faced many challenges in life.
Coleman has turned many of those challenges into positive gains down the road, such as his NIL deal with local business Muchachos where all proceeds go to helping kids in the foster care system.
And when speakers like his track coach, school counselor and parents all made sure to highlight Coleman’s caring personality and great character rather than his athletic ability, it reveals something.
Coleman’s impact goes far beyond the football field.
“It’s important to me because I don’t want to be known as just as a football player,” Coleman said. “I want to be able to go out in the community and help everybody that I can. I want to be known as a person that gave everything they had, not just on the football field but outside of it. I want to be known like that, and I’m making sure of that.”
Nebraska football 2023 commits
Dwight Bootle, CB, Miami, Florida
the good life.🌽
— Dwight Bootle II (@BootleII)
Jaidyn Doss, WR, Peculiar, Missouri
— Jaidyn Doss (@JaidynDoss)
Gunnar Gottula, OL, Lincoln (Southeast)
COMMITTED. 🌽🔴
— Gunnar Gottula ⁷⁷ (@GottulaGunnar)
Brock Knutson, OL, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
I’m staying home 🌽🌽🌽
— Brock Knutson (@knutson_brock)
Maverick Noonan, EDGE, Omaha (Elkhorn South)
COMMITTED TO NEBRASKA‼️☠️🌽☠️
— Maverick Noonan (@MaverickNoonan)
Dylan Rogers, EDGE, Cypress, Texas
Done deal.☠️
— Dylan Rogers (@drogers041)
Sam Sledge, OL, Omaha (Creighton Prep)
䰿Ѳѱհշ🌽
— Sam Sledge (@SamSledge1)
Riley Van Poppel, OL, Argyle, Texas
COMMITTED. GO BIG RED‼️☠️☠️🌽🌽
— Riley Van Poppel (@Riley_VanPoppel)
Brice Turner, WR, Bay City, Texas
After a great conversation with and , I would like to say that I will be verbally committing to The University of Nebraska for Football and Track!!
— Brice Turner (@BriceTurner9)
Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE, Manor, Texas
100% COMMITTED 🌽🔴☠️
— Princewill Umanmielen (@hoodiiewill)
Rahmir Stewart, S, Philadelphia
Boommmm ☠️🌽❌
— 1RahmirStewart (@Rahstew1)
Jaylen Lloyd, WR, Omaha (Omaha Westside)
GBR!!
— jaylen lloyd (@LloydJaylen)
Kai Wallin, EDGE, Sacramento, Calif.
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Mason Goldman, OL, Gretna
COMMITTED!!! GBR🔴⚪️!!
— Mason Goldman (@goldman_mason)
Syncere Safeeullah, S, Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy)
Let’s work💯
— Syncere Safeeullah (@SyncereSafe30)
Jason Maciejczak, DL, Pierre, S.D.
University of North Dakota, thank you! Can’t thank you guys enough for the relationships we’ve built and people we’ve met!With that being said I am extremely blessed for the opportunity play in the Big 10 and very excited to announce I am committing to the University of Nebraska!
— Maciejczak_64 (@Maciejczak6)
Tristan Alvano, K, Omaha (Omaha Westside)
100% ALL IN❤️❤️
— Tristan Alvano (@AlvanoTristan)
Kwinten Ives, RB, Palmyra, N.J
All gas. No brakes. 110% all in‼️
— Kwinten Ives (@kwintenives)
Malachi Coleman, WR, Lincoln East
You have to WANT to be here!! 110% all N and signed!!
— Malachi Coleman (@ChiColeman23)
Eric Fields, LB, Ardmore, Okla.
AGTG
— Eric (@EricFields24)
Vincent Carroll-Jackson, DL, Harrisburg, Pa.
— Vincent Carroll-Jackson (@Vincent48487)
Cameron Lenhardt, EDGE, Bradenton, Florida
☠️ Throw ‣ The ‣ Bones ☠️
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation)
Staten Island, NY native is officially Lincoln bound.
Demitrius Bell, WR, Nashville, Tennessee
Let’s work 🌽🌽
— Demitrius Bell (@db1_1o)
Ethan Nation, CB, Roswell, Georgia
BREAKING: 2023 CB Ethan Nation has Committed to Nebraska!
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3)
The 5’11 160 CB from Roswell, GA chose the Cornhuskers over Auburn, Ohio State, Colorado, and Houston.
He joins Nebraska’s No. 33 Class in the 2023 Team Rankings 🌽
Ismael Smith Flores, TE, Arlington, Texas
I will be signing my NLI to the University of Nebraska on Wednesday @ home with my family due to the weather, more than blessed to be able to be apart of this prestigious program!!♥️
— Ismael Smith Flores (@IsmaelSmithF)
Sua Lefotu, DL, Bellflower, California
Proud and honored to announce my commitment to the University of Nebraska. I want to thank God, my family and everyone that has supported me along the way.
— Sua Lefotu (@SuaLefotu)
Jeremiah Charles, WR, Arlington, Texas
OFFICIALLY A HUSKER❤️🤍🌽🏴☠️
— Jeremiah Charles (@jeremiah_charl2)
D'Andre Barnes, CB, Aurora, Colorado
🏔 ➡️ 🌽 is headed east to be a Husker.
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation)