Jonah Coleman Might be the Toughest RB in the 2026 NFL Draft

Jonah Coleman is one of those guys who looks good even when everything isn’t blocked cleanly.

He’s the kind of back who keeps producing even when the play is already half broken. That’s one of the many reasons I think he is one of the more underrated running backs in this draft class.

If you look at his numbers, they aren’t just empty stats, they tell a pretty clear story about the type of player you would be getting.

Jonah Coleman Shows Who He is Through His Play

Jonah Coleman finished his college career with 552 carries for rushing yards 3,054 and 34 rushing touchdowns, plus he added 83 catches for 838 yards and three receiving touchdowns.

While at the University of Washington, he had 1,053 rushing yards on 193 carries and 10 rushing touchdowns in 2024. He followed that up with 758 rushing yards on 156 carries, 15 rushing touchdowns, 31 receptions for354 yards, and two receiving touchdowns in 2025.

I like the production and even though his rushing numbers were down in 2025, he still showed he was able to affect the game in more than a rushing capacity.

These are the Numbers that Make Jonah Coleman Interesting

I like this section because it really jumps off the page, showing his play style.

Jonah Coleman posted:

A touchdown or first down on 33.85% of his runs

71% of his rushing yards were after contact

He had 11.1 yards after the catch for his career

No.1 in the class in all three of those classes

4.08 yards after contact

No. 1 in the class in first-down rate when hit at or behind the line of scrimmage

He had 525 career touches with just one fumble

123 career targets with just one drop

The NO. 4 pass-blocking grade in the class

I like those numbers, especially for a backup and eventual starter.

The thing I might like the most is he’s not just a “big effort” running back. There is actual efficiency and utility in those numbers.

He gives you chain-moving production, explosive creation after the catch, and the kind of ball security that gets him on the field.

Jonah Coleman May Be More than a Back-up

Jonah Coleman may be more than just an early-down, between-the-tackles guy.

The receiving numbers are solid, and his 2025 receiving stats stand out for a back who is not always talked about like a full three-down player.

Washington’s official bio credits him with leading the team in carries, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and scoring in 2025.

Then you stack that with the low number of fumbles, drop rate, and his strong pass-protection, it starts to look like he is the kind of back an NFL team can leave on the field.

Jonah Coleman’s Draft Range

Jonah Coleman’s value will be difficult to get a good range on because his production is great, but his size will scare some teams away. He is only 5’9”, but weighs 228. He’s definitely a bowling ball back.

Several draft experts and sites have him as running back four in this draft with a big board ranking from 78 to 99.

I think he will be a fringe second round pick, but a solid third round pick for a team needing help at running back.

Round two will happen if a team believes in his contact balance, reliability, and a three-down back usefulness.