Injuries nearly ended Althoff star’s football career. Now, Sundays in the NFL beckon
Having overcome two season-ending injuries in college that could have derailed his career, Althoff Catholic High School graduate CJ Coldon now stands on the doorstep of the NFL.
A defensive back or cornerback, Coldon hopes his is one of the names called in the league’s draft, scheduled for Thursday, April 27, through Saturday, April 29. It will air live on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday.
And Coldon, a 2017 Althoff graduate, cannot wait.
“Really, it’s just ... I don’t know. I have tons of feelings right now,” the East St. Louis native said. “I’m just focused on working. I’m super excited. Next week, I’ll probably feel more excited. Right now, I just have feelings of excitement that all this work paying off I’ve been putting in my whole life is paying off.”
Where he is projected remains unclear at this point; though NFL Draft Scout provided a detailed breakdown of his vitals. Overall, Coldon said he has not paid attention to draft chatter.
“I haven’t really been paying attention to projections and have just been focusing on the things I can control like working hard and waiting for my name to be called,” he said. “I feel like I’m one of those players who can get their name called. If they watch film, they will know — the scouts, the GMs and the coaches will all know. But I try to stay away from the projections and just focus on what I can focus on.
Declaring for the draft
The 6-foot-1, 180 pound Coldon officially declared for the draft Jan. 4 after spending a season as a graduate transfer at the University of Oklahoma. Coldon had spent the previous four years playing for the University of Wyoming, from where he ultimately earned his bachelor’s degree in American Studies.
Coldon was in California when he declared for the draft, working out the gym of Las Vegas Raiders free safety Marcus Epps, one of Coldon’s teammates at Wyoming. Coldon then took part in the Pro Day on March 31 before returning to the metro-east the next day.
Coldon, 24, said he was pleased with his showing at the Pro Day, which took place in Norman on the Oklahoma campus. Pro Days allow players to showcase their skills on university campuses where coaches generally have more time to work with the players and usually put them through position-specific drills that the prospect hasn’t done before.
During the event, Coldon ran a 4.63-second 40-yard dash and a 4.24-second shuttle; he had a 37.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot 5-inch broad jump.
“It went well,” he said. “I did drills and did well in those. I interviewed well. I would like to have run better but I can’t take things back,” he said. “I did everything I could do to make myself some money in the near future. I really enjoyed that day being able to fly around and see my work pay off that I’ve been doing those past couple months.”
Post-Pro Day work
Since the Pro Day, Coldon has been working out with Elite Speed in Granite City in preparation for the draft, including extensive defensive back drills, speed training and strength and conditioning work. He’s been working out two to three hours daily.
“Everything has been great there,” he said. “I was training with those guys before I went to Norman and started my career with OU. I’m just going back to the basics, really, to where I know the work is good and I’m going to improve and get better.”
As a defensive back/cornerback, Coldon said he can play anywhere — inside, outside, the slot or the corner — while adding he also could handle safety.
Overcoming adversity
Coldon traversed a thorny path to arrive at this point, as multiple injuries threatened his career.
During the third game of the 2018 season at Wyoming, he suffered a season ending shoulder injury. He rehabbed and entered the 2019 campaign at full strength only to tear his ACL, also in the third game.
However, Coldon has persevered and now stands on the doorstep of playing at the next level.
“I had to overcome those injuries, coaching changes and other challenges,” he said. “Oklahoma was a challenge, just going in there and competing and learning a new system and coaching staff and just trying to become a better player. Injuries come with the game. It’s just all about what you want at the end of the day. I’m just super grateful to be in this position just really knowing I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Coldon praised his entire support system for helping him through the injuries to include family and friends and said football drives him every day. He also said being underrated has fueled his motivation.
“If you want it bad enough ... I feel I want it bad enough and I need football in my life,” he said. “Just my family and friends and my entire support system have a lot of faith in me. I just use that support and I always had this chip on my shoulder that I’m underrated. There was lot of doubt and things like that drive me to be the best version of me and improve every day and keep me working hard.”
Wyoming, Oklahoma careers
After enduring injuries his first two seasons at Wyoming, Coldon finished with 26 total tackles and two interceptions in 2020 and then 67 tackles in 2021, including 49 solo. He also had a fumble recovery and, along the way, was selected as a 2nd Team All-Mountain West pick at defensive back.
Then, as a grad transfer at Oklahoma, Coldon rang up 42 tackles — 25 solo, 17 assisted — as a cornerback to go with a team-leading four interceptions, which was good for 17th nationally. Overall, for his college career, Coldon finished with 157 tackles, six interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Coldon reflected positively on his time at Wyoming, — the same university former Belleville West graduate and current St. Louis Battlehawk Brian Hill played his collegiate football — including the tight friendship he formed with Epps.
“Wyoming helped me grow as a man from a boy coming out of high school and being that far away from home,” said Coldon, noting the 13-hour drive to Laramie from the metro-east. “It’s a humbling experience when you first go out there. The game is a lot faster. You go up against some elite players. I’m super grateful and had some great coaches. Marcus Epps is like a big brother and mentor to me.”
Then, at Oklahoma, Coldon rose from sixth string on the depth chart to a starter. Since he was a grad transfer, Coldon missed spring football, which put him behind. However, he regrouped with a vengeance.
“I had to catch up on defenses and spending extra time in the film room and trusting the process and having a tunnel vision with everything during the season,” Coldon said. “I’m just blessed to go have gone through the things I did. It’s helped me as a man and a person and built great character. I grew as a man in both spots and both taught me very important things. I had great coaches, great people around me, great teammates ... super grateful for that.”
Althoff days held in high regard
Looking back, Coldon reflects on his Althoff days with tremendous pride. He still cherishes the friendships he developed, along with playing for then-Crusaders coach Ken Turner.
Coldon was a starter on Althoff’s Class 3A state basketball championship team in 2015-16 and also played on the runner-up basketball team as a sophomore in 2014-15. His junior year football squad also finished second in the state in 2015.
“Althoff was some of the best times of my life. We were super good in sports,” Coldon said. “These were some of my best friends I played with since we were kids. Althoff helped me get to the next level. I’m grateful to have played with the guys I played with and Coach Turner had a great system for us and made sure we could get to the next level — if you wanted to.”
“Those were was the best times of my life. I’m grateful to have gone to Althoff and to be an alumni there. My little brother is there now ... just creating history in basketball and football. I go up there still and they show me love. It’s great to become a legend in their eyes.”
‘Hungriest player’
Turner said Coldon is a leader both on and off the field and called him “a fierce competitor.”
“He competes at everything he does — whether it’s football, basketball or a rock throwing contest, he wants to win it,” Turner said. “A team will be getting a guy who competes at the highest level and that what it takes to play in NFL. And he might have been the hungriest football player I’ve ever coached.”
Along with a relentless competitor, Turner said whoever drafts Coldon will be getting a playmaker.
“He studies the game and is an outstanding individual who loves football,” said Turner, who actually traveled to Dallas to watch Coldon and Oklahoma take on Texas last fall. “He’s always loved football since he was a kid. He might have been one of the hungriest football players I’ve ever coached.
“It’s nice to see him grow as a man as I knew he would. He’s just a nice human being and I’m quite sure he’s going to do well.”
Furthermore, Turner derives tremendous satisfaction seeing former players such as Coldon succeed, getting scholarships and their degrees with the opportunity to play professionally as the topper.
“Wherever he’s selected I’m happy. He’s got the opportunity to play in the NFL. I’m so happy for him. Just like I’m happy with (former Althoff star) Jordan Goodwin playing in NBA. When you see a couple of the guys’ dreams come true, it makes me so happy and so proud.
“That’s what it’s all about. Not many get opportunity to play pro sports and these guys are making dreams come true,” said Turner, who accepted the head football coaching position at Belleville West in February.
Life after the NFL
While Coldon hopes for a long NFL career, he already has a firm plan for life after football as he wants to become an entrepreneur and “give back to my city and kids and people in need.”
Specifically, he hopes to open a community center or boys and girls club, referencing the work former Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee has done in East St. Louis.
“I want to find out a way to do help communities and build unity and be able to help people in poverty,” Coldon said. “That’s something I take pride in. My family grew up in poverty — it wasn’t a terrible situation but you know how things can be. I just want to see people do better — especially in your own city. I’d love to get involved in a community center in East St. Louis or Belleville or the area boys and girls club like Jackie Joynee-Kersee has done and follow in her footsteps.
“I have a bunch of little cousins and nieces and nephews and I just want to try to create a better environment for kids in the future. You never know who’s looking up to you or watching so you want to be the best role model you can be.”
Draft day plans
First things first, though.
Before embarking on the business world, Coldon says he’s ready for a career playing on Sundays. He’lll wait patiently for his name to be called in the draft.
As far as draft day plans, Coldon said he will keep things low key and “super intimate,” surrounded my his immediate family.
“I’ll probably do some things after the draft and have a gathering with family and friends on the 29th (of April),” he said. “I’m not sure yet because the details aren’t fully locked in yet. I don’t really know how I’ll feel during the draft. I just want to be in a calm, calm state of mind and just relax during that process and not pay attention to too much outside noise or outside things.”
