FORMER FSU STANDOUT CLARENCE COLEMAN MAKES BUFFALO BILLS' 2003 ROSTER

NCAA Divison II's All-Time Leading Receiver Could Make NFL Debut This Sunday

Former Bulldog standout wide receiver Clarence Coleman was Buffalo's top receiver in the 2003 preseason and made the Bills' 2003 regular-season roster as a result of his productivity.(Photo by Tom Wolf)

Former Ferris State University standout Clarence Coleman, the NCAA Divison II's all-time leader in receiving, has made the final 53-player roster of the National Football League's (NFL) Buffalo Bills and will make his official NFL debut this Sunday (Sept. 7) as the Bills host the New England Patriots.

Coleman, who played at FSU from 1998-01, signed a two-year rookie free-agent contract with Buffalo in April 2002 but suffered an injury in fall camp and was subsequently placed on the Bills' Practice Squad for the remainder of the 2002 campaign.

This season, the 5-10, 193-pound Coleman was Buffalo's leading receiver in the preseason and is listed behind starter Eric Moulds at wide receiver on the Bills' depth chart going into this Sunday's NFL 2003 season opener versus the New England Patriots.

Coleman concluded an illustrious career at Ferris State in 2001 and became the NCAA Division II's all-time leader in career pass receptions (323) and receiving yards (4,983) in the process. A two-time (2000 and 2001) consensus All-America selection, Coleman tallied 42 touchdown receptions while averaging 7.7 receptions per game, 15.4 yards a catch and 118.6 receiving yards a contest in 42 career outings. He closed out his collegiate career ranking among all four NCAA division career leaders in six statistical categories - second in receptions (323, third in receiving yards (4,983), sixth in all-purpose yards (8,009), ninth in receiving yards per game (118.6), tied for 13th in receptions per contest (7.7) and tied for 16th in touchdown receptions (42). Coleman also holds 11 school career and single-season records.

As a senior, Coleman was among nine national finalists for the 2001 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA-II College Football Player of the Year and finished fifth overall with 52 points in the final balloting.

Coleman, who wore jersey #14 in the preseason, will don jersey #85 during the 2003 season. He now joins former Bulldog standouts - linebacker Monty Brown and defensive tackle Ed Philion, as FSU alumni to play in the Buffalo Bills organization.