The running back position is one that is seeing a re-emergence at the NFL level.
After years of quarterbacks being the star of the show, we just watched a Super Bowl where a running back was the most impactful player on the field and won MVP.
While Jeremiyah Love is the player seen unanimously at the top of this position, most teams will be using the 2026 NFL Draft to find a player to shore up their backfield with a strong RB2 who can eventually become an RB1 in the league. Jonah Coleman fits that bill perfectly.
Background
Statistics
- 2022: 75 carries, 372 yards, 4 TDs; 8 receptions, 24 yards (12 games)
- 2023: 128 carries, 871 yards, 5 TDs; 25 receptions, 283 yards, 1 TD (13 games)
- 2024: 193 carries, 1053 yards, 10 TDs; 23 receptions, 177 yards (13 games)
- 2025: 156 carries, 758 yards, 15 TDs; 31 receptions, 354 yards (12 games)
Measurables
- Height: 5’8″
- Weight: 220
- Hand Size: 9 1/8″
- Arm Length: 28 7/8″
- 40-Yard Dash: N/A
- 10-Yard Split: N/A
- 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
- Vertical: N/A
- Broad Jump: N/A
- 3 Cone: N/A
- Bench: 22 reps
Coleman has consistently been part of collegiate offenses for the past four seasons, spending his first two years with the Arizona Wildcats before transferring to the Washington Huskies in 2024. The numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page, but he’s a wrecking ball that can wear down defenses over the course of a game, and he should have a role at the NFL level.
Strengths
Jonah Coleman is built like a dump truck at 5’8″ and 220 pounds, and his playstyle shows it. He does not fear contact, and it shows in his above average pass protection skills. He consistently finds a way to fall forward too, which NFL teams will love. He’s got all the grit and toughness that scouts look for in a running back.
However, Coleman doesn’t just put his head down and run forward. He is a very patient player in the backfield, waiting for his offensive line to open up holes for him to plow his way through. In the open field, he has a knack for finding the perfect running lane to evade tacklers, and he has subtle side-to-side movement ability to throw defenders off track.
Finally, Coleman is one of the most sure-handed running backs in this class with only one lost fumble throughout his collegiate career while also being an adept receiver out of the backfield. For a player with 639 career touches to his name, ball security doesn’t get much better than that.
Weaknesses
There’s a reason Coleman didn’t do a ton of testing at the NFL Combine. His athletic ability, especially in terms of his breakaway speed, won’t blow anyone away. Coleman had six breakaway runs (15 yards or more) over the first two weeks of the 2025 season against Colorado State and UC Davis, and then he had just five more throughout the rest of the year. That limits the big-play potential with him as a ball carrier.
That breakaway speed isn’t the only issue as Coleman lacks a certain twitchiness and lateral quickness that teams will be looking for in a true RB1 in today’s NFL.
The patience that Coleman uses in the backfield can also bite him sometimes as there are occasions where he waits a bit too long to make a move, allowing defensive pressure to swallow him up in the backfield.
NFL Draft Projection
- Draft Projection: Day 2 (Late Second Round-Mid Third Round)
- Team Fits: Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Washington Commanders
Coleman’s ceiling won’t be a top-5 RB in the NFL, but he has the floor to at the very least be a very strong complimentary running back for a long time. Durability isn’t a concern with his build and lack of injury history, and he is a player I am confident can put together a 10-year NFL career at the running back position while being an impactful player.
Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.
