Everything to know about new Denver Broncos RB Jonah Coleman

**Post-draft NFL power rankings: Denver Broncos a top contender** The Broncos climbed to No. 3 in The Athletic’s post-draft power rankings, cementing their status as a legitimate Super Bowl contender heading into 2026. The reasoning: arguably the best defense in the NFL returns largely intact, the Jaylen Waddle trade gives Bo Nix a true No. 1 alongside Courtland Sutton, and fourth-round RB Jonah Coleman adds the short-yardage punch Denver lacked after losing Javonte Williams. The assessment boils down to one simple equation — continued improvement from Nix plus this roster equals a team nobody wants to see in January.

Potent quotables – Jonah Coleman focus

Paton and Payton Quotes on Coleman

**On if the two fourth-round picks, RB Jonah Coleman and OL Kage Casey, will define this draft class**

**Sean Payton:**“I think as you go through the reads on the runner [Jonah Coleman] for instance, both Jonah and then there was one other back we kept thinking… They were graded early in the third, end of the second. That’s that tough scenario, ‘Will they make it to 108?’ It helped they were both available because we had discussed even climbing back. So Jonah came in for a visit. We spent a lot of time with him. I saw something that compared his running style, and I think the comparison was [RB] J.K. [Dobbins], and I think that’s a compliment obviously to the way Dobbins runs. He’s a physical runner. So we were real familiar with him.

**On the evaluation of third-down traits in RB Jonah Coleman**

**SP:**“Great question. So we felt like—and every team is different. We felt like certainly the front of the draft, there were two really good players, uniquely both from Notre Dame [Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love and Seahawks RB Jadarian Price]. Then when you start putting up the tale of the tape—I’m not talking about their measurables—but the four-box production, yards after contact, average 10-yard runs, all of those things, you get to see on tape. I would say, probably with a number of teams, there may have been six. Then what’s the order when you get to three, four, five, six? Going home yesterday, coming in today and then the long wait, I think the thing I would say is he’s very physical. He can play on third down. Normally you have to project that. A lot of these guys, in college maybe the protection plan’s different or limited. So you have to develop that and that’s fine. But his frame is such when you see him, that he does a really good job in blocking pressure looks. He’s smart, he’s tough. There was a lot to like with him.”

**On if he liked RB Jonah Coleman based off of complementary traits in the current running backs room**

**SP:**“I think it still gets back to what George said earlier: We’re not getting too cute here. We’re trying to find… Who’s the best runner and does it fit us? We felt strongly it did with him. All the other stuff will take care of itself. But he’s put together. There are some positions that are more difficult, and I think this position is like, ‘Man, let’s just go look at it. What kind of scheme are they running?’ It was impressive.”

Jonah Coleman Quotes

**On his pre-draft communication with the Broncos**

“It was amazing. We just hit it off right off the bat. As soon as I walked in the meeting, I felt the energy and really the love from the start. I went in there, and we just talked some ball and just crushed it. When I went up there on a [Top 30] visit, all I kept hearing was they were really impressed with my interview at the Combine. Who would have ever known that I would be in this position now. I’m just so grateful to be part of the team.”

**On the Broncos’ vision for him**

“Well obviously just playing my role and doing what I do. The leadership that I bring to the locker room, the culture, how I can ultimately add to that culture that they have… Just being able to come in and be with guys like [RB] RJ Harvey, [RB] J.K. Dobbins and stuff like that. You ultimately have a three-headed monster in the run game. I believe that’s where it starts, in the trenches.”

**On his 2024 season versus his 2025 season**

“Well I was injured three games, really the whole back half of the season, so I wasn’t getting as many carries. I was just more so playing and doing whatever I could to help the team win, ultimately just do what I can to play my role. [Washington Head] Coach [Jedd] Fisch knew I was a Sunday player and ultimately it was about my future, so just being smart there.”

**On his decision to transfer to Washington from Arizona**

“I started this thing with [Washington Head] Coach [Jedd] Fisch. Coach Fisch, he recruited me out of high school and I was his first commit in the class of 2022 at Arizona. I believed in the plan and the vision that he had, and just the culture and how family oriented he was coming out of high school. When he left, it was a no brainer I was leaving.”

**On his thoughts on pass protection and how he will carry that to Denver**

“It’s really important. Now I get to go protect [QB] Bo Nix, and I take pride in that. I may not have all the exciting plays and all of that, but I do the dirty work. I do those things that not a lot of people pay attention to. Just being able to be well rounded. When I was a freshman, [former Arizona assistant coach/running backs] Coach [Scottie] Graham said, ‘The only way you’re going to get on this field is if you’re able to pick up blitzes.’ Just being able to be well rounded and not have to come off the field on third downs is what I bring. So just being able to be well rounded is something I take pride in. I can catch the ball, obviously pass pro is the big thing in my game and running the ball is what I do.”

**On his draft day moment**

“I always knew I was meant to be a Denver Bronco. Like right after the visit, I knew I was going to be a Denver Bronco. It was all in God’s plan, and it worked out how it was supposed to. When I woke up this morning and looked at the pick order and I saw that they were where they were at, it was no question in my mind, no doubt in my mind that I was going to be a Denver Bronco. I’m excited to be a part of Broncos Country, and do whatever I can to go win games and take things day-by-day and ultimately just be the best teammate ever.”

**On being a 2025 finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and what he most enjoyed about academics**

“Just being the first in my family to go to college, and then the first in my family to graduate is something that I take pride in. Just being able to walk around with that and know that I did that ultimately for my grandma, who I did make a promise to that I was going to graduate and get my college degree. Just being able to be the first in my family to do that is something that means a lot to me. Just going through that whole process, the academic staff and working with them and having a plan mapped out that ultimately helped me graduate early and stuff before I went to the NFL. That also did play a part in why I came back for my senior season at Washington.”

**On his reaction to seeing the Broncos call him to draft him**

“It was God’s plan. It was exactly how it worked out. It’s not about when you go, or how you go or how low you go, it’s about going to the right place. Ultimately in my heart, I felt like being a Bronco was the perfect place and the perfect situation for me. Like I said, I’m excited to get this thing rolling, and be the player that they drafted and ultimately come in and add value.”

Under the radar

This is either a great indicator of how strong the Broncos’ roster is … or its because they re-signed nearly their entire free agent class. Either way, its good to be running it back!

From the FEED

From TheNeutralMatt, this FEED post over the weekend to discuss which AFC West team won on draft weekend.

Everything Jonah Coleman

We here at Mile High Report covered each Denver Broncos draft pick in a variety of ways, but the news feed got deep fast and much of that coverage was buried in short order. Here is everything we did on running back Jonah Coleman over draft weekend ICYMI:

**2026 NFL Draft Profile: Washington running back Jonah Coleman** MHR’s pre-draft scouting report on Coleman paints the picture of a bowling ball runner with a low center of gravity, outstanding patience, vision, and footwork between the tackles. He carried the ball 552 times across his college career and fumbled only once — elite ball security. The knock is a 4.50 forty that caps his explosive play potential, and he’s not the kind of back who’s going to burst past second-level defenders in the open field. Pre-draft comps ranged from Frank Gore to Maurice Jones-Drew, and consensus mock boards had him as the fifth-ranked back and a third-round talent.

**Denver Broncos select Washington RB Jonah Coleman with 108th overall selection** Denver grabs its Dobbins insurance policy in the fourth round. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had Coleman ranked as his RB6 with a fourth-to-fifth-round grade, making this a solid value pick for a team that watched its run game collapse when Dobbins went down last season. Coleman is an instinctive, competitive inside runner who absorbs contact and provides value on passing downs as both a receiver and blocker — exactly the profile George Paton said he was looking for.

**Denver Broncos running back Jonah Coleman highlights** The tape shows a physical, downhill runner who finishes through contact and rarely goes down on first contact. Coleman’s highlights from Washington showcase his ability to churn out tough yards between the tackles, convert in short-yardage situations, and pick up blitzes in pass protection — the unglamorous work that makes an offense function. Not a home-run hitter, but a reliable chain-mover who does the dirty work.

**Why the Broncos drafted RB Jonah Coleman** The answer is simple: the Broncos couldn’t afford another late-season collapse in the run game. When Dobbins went down last year, Denver had nobody on the roster who could replicate his between-the-tackles style, and it showed in the playoffs. Coleman was targeted specifically as an RB3 who can step in and give the offense a similar run style if Dobbins’ injury history catches up to him again. At 5’9″, 220 pounds, Coleman is a self-described “thumper” — and that’s exactly the insurance policy this roster needed.

**Sean Payton compares rookie Jonah Coleman’s running style to J.K. Dobbins** Sean Payton sees it too. The head coach directly compared Coleman’s running style to Dobbins’, calling it a compliment to the way both backs attack the line of scrimmage with physicality and decisiveness. The comparison wasn’t accidental — Denver drafted Coleman specifically because he’s the closest thing on the board to what Dobbins gives them, ensuring the offense doesn’t skip a beat if the starter misses time. Having two backs who run with the same identity simplifies the scheme and keeps defenses honest.

**Coleman: ‘Now I get to go protect Bo Nix’** Jonah Coleman made it clear where his priorities are from Day 1. “Now I get to go protect Bo Nix, and I take pride in that,” the rookie said, adding, “I may not have all the exciting plays, but I do the dirty work.” It’s exactly the mentality Denver was hoping to hear — a back who understands his role isn’t about highlight reels but about keeping the quarterback upright, converting third-and-shorts, and doing the thankless stuff that wins playoff games.

**Jonah Coleman’s college stats** MHR breaks down Coleman’s full statistical profile across stints at Arizona and Washington. The numbers tell the story of a reliable, productive back: 1,053 rushing yards and 10 TDs in 2024, followed by 758 yards and a team-high 15 rushing touchdowns in 2025. The red zone numbers stand out — 119 career red zone carries with 32 of his 34 rushing touchdowns coming inside the 20. On third-and-short, he converted 26 of 37 attempts (70%). Not flashy production, but the kind of consistency and short-yardage dominance that translates directly to the NFL. How do you feel about Jonah Coleman?