Broncos Draft RB Jonah Coleman: What Fans Need to Know

The Denver Broncos added some help for their running back room early on the third day of the draft by selecting Jonah Coleman out of Washington. What does he bring to the table?

Today, we'll break down Coleman's strengths and weaknesses, and lay out exactly how he fits in the Broncos' backfield.

Background

Coleman will turn 23 in August. He is a former three-star recruit who received many offers before committing to Arizona.

Jedd Fisch left Arizona to take the Washington job, and Coleman was quick to follow him as the first Arizona-to-Washington transfer.

Stats

Coleman has at least 20 receptions and 20 targets in each of the last three years, with three touchdowns. He only had two fumbles in his career.

Coleman averaged 4.12 yards after contact per attempt over the last four years, with a high of 5.09 yards in 2023. Almost one-fifth of his carries went for 10-plus yards.

Pros

Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) rushes against Colorado State Rams defensive back Jahari Rogers (4). | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Coleman has a short, compact frame that is well-built and full of power. He has a thick base, and he keeps his legs churning through contract. He has a low center of gravity when he runs, and his contact balance is exceptional; both factors make it difficult to bring him down.

Coleman has solid short-area quickness and agility that make defenders miss in tight spaces, and he can throttle up and down with ease, making tackling angles harder to gauge. His vision is some of the best in this class, and he is quick and decisive with his runs. He doesn’t waste movement as a runner and doesn’t dance around playing games with defenders.

As a receiver, Coleman has natural hands and runs good routes to be a threat out of the backfield. There is also enough for him to motion outside and still pose a threat as a receiver.

Coleman is one of the best pass protectors in the class, has excellent ball security, and is praised for his attitude, character, and leadership. If it weren’t for a couple of unteachable concerns, he would easily be the second-best back in this class.

Cons

First and foremost, Coleman isn’t a dynamic athlete. He isn’t a fast back who threatens to take it all the way every time he touches the ball.

Coleman is a grinder, and teams have significantly less value for backs that lack home-run speed and athleticism. Quickness is great, but the speed has to be there for running backs, as it can help dictate things on defense.

Coleman plays tight, which hurts his change of direction and can limit his usage when working outside the tackles as a runner. As a power back, he shows inconsistent power and drive at times, and he can be easily brought down. His overall explosive play rate is low, reflecting his dearth of athleticism.

However, Coleman has a good build to his frame, but there are concerns about his weight, as he has been down to 215-220 pounds and up to 240-245. That fluctuating weight is a concern and will need work with the team nutritionist to keep things in check.

While Coleman doesn’t have any injury concerns entering the NFL, his play style opens the door for a beating at the NFL level, which is something the Broncos will have to monitor closely.

Fit With the Broncos

The Broncos could really use some power to round out the room, and there isn’t a back in this class that brings that quite like Coleman does. His receiving ability, pass protection, and ball security check a lot of Sean Payton’s boxes.

There were only two or three backs in this class who made as much sense for Denver as Coleman does. The fit is seamless.

When it comes to the 2026 draft class, I had Coleman ranked as the No. 1 power back and a fourth-round pick. The Broncos drafted him at No. 108 overall in the fourth round.

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