Sports

Malden Native Headed To The NFL

Larnel Coleman was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the NFL draft Saturday.

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Massachusetts running back Bilal Ally, center top, celebrates his touchdown with offensive lineman Larnel Coleman, center bottom, during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Duquesne in Amherst, Mass., Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018.
Massachusetts running back Bilal Ally, center top, celebrates his touchdown with offensive lineman Larnel Coleman, center bottom, during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Duquesne in Amherst, Mass., Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

MALDEN, MA — A Malden native was among four college football players from Massachusetts to be picked in this year's NFL draft.

Larnel Coleman, offensive tackle for UMass Amherst, was selected in the seventh round of the draft Saturday. He started three years for the Minutemen, playing in all 12 games as a redshirt freshman in 2017.

As a senior, he was on the Outland Trophy Watch List, which recognizes the top interior linemen in the FBS, the Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team for offensive line and the Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Team for offensive line.

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Three other Massachusetts natives were drafted this year – Pat Freiermuth, a tight end from Penn State nicknamed "Baby Gronk," Syracuse University cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu and Noah Gray, who played tight end at Duke University.

UMass has had a player selected in each of the past three NFL drafts.

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