Sometimes, talent tends to get a bit overlooked when it’s tucked away in the Pacific Northwest. And according to one of the most well-known NFL Draft experts, that might be the case with UW Huskies running back Jonah Coleman.
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During a recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, The Ringer’s Todd McShay was asked which players aren’t being talked about enough heading into the April 23-25 NFL Draft. McShay, a former longtime ESPN analyst, listed off a few names before focusing on the 5-foot-9, 220-pound Coleman, saying he’s “the guy that everyone’s sleeping on at this point.”
“After I watched all the running backs, I came back and I watched him,” McShay said. “He’s a bowling ball. He’s got these light feet. He always runs with pad level. He wears you down. He brings this energy to an offense.
“He’ll probably fall to the fourth round, and I think a team’s gonna get a starter,” McShay added. “I really think he’s gonna be that kind of player.”
With his bruising frame, Coleman rushed for 1,811 yards and 25 touchdowns over the past two seasons after transferring from Arizona to UW. He also added 54 catches for 531 yards and two TDs during his time with the Huskies.
In 2024, Coleman became the 15th different player in UW history to rush for 1,000-plus yards in a season. His stats dipped a bit last fall, as he dealt with a lower-body injury that sidelined him for one game and limited him for several others. But he still finished his 2025 campaign with 758 rushing yards, 4.9 yards per carry and 15 TD runs, along with 31 catches for 354 yards and two TDs.
McShay ranks Coleman as the No. 5 running back and the No. 119 overall prospect in this year’s draft, which is widely considered to have a lighter running back class than usual. McShay’s top four running backs are Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love (No. 1 overall), Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price (No. 69), Arkansas’ Mike Washington Jr. (No. 96) and Penn State’s Kaytron Allen (No. 115).
Given the Seattle Seahawks’ need to bolster their backfield in the wake of Kenneth Walker III’s free agency departure and Zach Charbonnet’s torn ACL, some have mentioned the Hawks as a potential landing spot for Coleman. That includes Pro Football Focus lead NFL Draft analyst Trevor Sikkema, who told Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy last month why he thinks Coleman would be a good Seahawks fit.
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