Jonah Coleman dubbed Denver Broncos' best 2026 NFL draft pick

Coming into the 2026 NFL draft, former Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman was one of the most popular prospects at the position.

In what was widely considered to be a weak crop of running backs, Coleman slipped to the fourth round and was the fourth player at his position to be picked behind Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, and Indiana's Kaelon Black. Now with the Denver Broncos, Coleman will join a crowded room that also includes J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey, but could quickly become a reliable member of coach Sean Payton's rotation.

After tallying 1,811 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground, as well as 54 catches for 531 yards and 2 scores through the air, he could make an impact quickly at the NFL level, to the point where NFL.com's Gennaro Filice called him Denver's best pick in the 2026 draft.

"At 5-8 and 220 pounds, Coleman has the aesthetic I’m consistently drawn to at this position," Filice wrote. "What can I say? I love bowling-ball backs! Like J.K. Dobbins, Coleman isn’t going to hit many home runs but will please Sean Payton by getting the most out of each carry."

While his reputation as a pass protector could get him on the field quickly, Coleman also made a name for himself as one of the nation's best ball carriers at making tacklers miss. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished his career with .316 forced missed tackles per carry, the fourth-best mark in college football since 2014 behind just Bijan Robinson, Ashton Jeanty, and David Montgomery.