BIOGRAPHY
Keelan Lawrence Cole was born on April 20, 1993, in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a wide receiver in the National Football League.
He attended Central high school where he was a four-year letter winner and two-year starter at defensive back, wide receiver and quarterback. Won back-to-back 3-A State Championship in 2009 and 2010 plus 2007; he was coached by Tyrann Scroggins. He also played baseball for three seasons and basketball one year.
He played college football for the panthers at Kentucky Wesleyan College; in 2012 he did not play. In 2013 he led the team in receptions with 53; he was second in receiving yards with 549 and touchdowns with six. He was second in all-purpose yards with 712 and started all 11 games.
In 2014 he started all 11 games; he was Chosen to all-Super Region Four second team by Beyond Sports Network and voted Kentucky Wesleyan's Most Valuable Player. He set a KWC single-game record with four touchdown receptions and set a KWC single-game record with four touchdown receptions.
In 2015 he was Named Associated Press Little College All-American third team and was chosen first-team All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette. He started all ten contests; he was selected KWC Player of the Year. Was first in receiving yards with 1,345, caught 73 passes and was the leader in receiving touchdowns with 17. In 2016 he was Chosen to Pre-Season All-Commonwealth Team.
On May 1, 2017, Cole was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent; he finished his rookie season with 42 receptions for 748 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. Cole's 748 receiving yards are the most by an undrafted rookie in franchise history, surpassing WR Allen Hurns' 677 receiving yards in 2014 and second-most by a rookie in team history (trailing Justin Blackmon's 865 yards in 2012).
His 748 receiving yards are eighth-most by an undrafted rookie WR in NFL history; he registered 186 receiving yards in Week 15 vs. Houston and 108 receiving yards in Week 16 at San Francisco, becoming the first rookie to post 100-plus receiving yards in consecutive games in franchise history.
In Week 2 of the 2018 season, Cole recorded seven receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown in the 31–20 victory over the New England Patriots.
On March 19, 2021, Cole signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with New York Jets.
On May 12, 2022, Cole signed as a free agent with Las Vegas Raiders.
