Broncos RB Jonah Coleman ranked among mid-round OROY candidates

Although new Denver Broncos running back Jonah Coleman has yet to play a snap in orange and blue, there is significant excitement around the heralded youngster out of Washington.

Coleman will likely enter the year as the third option in the backfield behind J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, but he could still make some noise as a dark-horse Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, according to Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo.

Melo named Coleman as one of three mid-round players who could win the award. "The Denver Broncos entered the NFL Draft pretty dissatisfied with their situation at running back," Melo wrote. "That was reflected in their decision making. General manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton selected former Washington running back Jonah Coleman with their second pick, No. 108 overall in the fourth round.

"The Broncos finished 16th in rushing last season. That's fairly disappointing considering dual-threat quarterback Bo Nix averaged more than 20 rushing yards per game. The challenge here for Coleman is how crowded the position room is. J.K. Dobbins was re-signed this offseason, and last year's second-round pick RJ Harvey should continue developing. If injuries or performance issues push Coleman up the depth chart, he has a pro-ready, ."