With the eighth selection in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Jonah Coleman, putting a cap on what figures to be one of the better running back rooms in all of football. Coleman joins starter JK Dobbins and the elusive RJ Harvey, giving Denver an incredibly formidable running back trio heading into the 2026 season. The running back spot figures to be one of the strengths for head coach Sean Payton's offense next year.
This year's draft class was loaded with running back talent, but the Broncos might have found one of the best talents in the entire class. Coleman should see immediate action in Denver, and is likely going to push out the duo of Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin, both of whom signed fairly easy-to-release one-year deals to return to Denver. Instead, the Broncos' third back is now going to have an incredibly important role in the offense, but also be someone that Payton can trust.
It was incredibly clear last year that the Broncos wanted to work in a third back, but simply were not able to based on the play of Badie and McLaughlin. There are plenty of reasons to believe that the Broncos' rookie running back will play a big role next year, but the underlying data paints an even better picture. A few stats in particular show that Coleman might be one of the true steals of this draft, and could be a key in offensive coordiantor Davis Webb's offense.
These key stats prove that Jonah Coleman is going to be a major piece of the Denver Broncos' offensive plans
In the modern world of sports and available data, fans can know more about players than ever before. Looking at a handful of stats thrown together on the Washington product, it is incredibly clear why the Broncos took him as the final piece to their running back trio.
LOVE THIS FIT, GREAT VALUE!
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 25, 2026
RB Jonah Coleman to the Broncos
1st down or TD on 35% of runs
#1 in class
71% of rushing yards came AFTER contact
#1 in class
12.4 yards after catch
#1 in class
when hit at or behind the LOS:
#1 YPC in class
#1 first down rate in class
639… pic.twitter.com/6d1w4zVcQs
On better than one out of every three carries for Coleman, he either scored or recorded a first down, showing how incredibly productive he is. His statistics also show that Coleman did incredible work as a rusher who was contacted early and often, ranking at the top of the class in yards-per-carry when first contacted behind the line of scrimmage. Arguably, most impressive is how good Coleman's hands are, with just one fumble and one dropped pass in his career. Drops were a major issue for the Broncos last year, and the hands of Harvey had issues at times during his rookie season
While it likely will not be next year, barring another Dobbins injury, Coleman won't be the starting back for the Broncos in 2026. However, the foudation appears to be very clear for the future of the Broncos' running back room, with Coleman at the heart of their plans. Expect to see him gain more trust and a bigger role overtime, especially as the season progresses. Coleman's arrival in Denver might not make all the noise in the world, but he will clearly be a huge piece to the future of Sean Payton's offense.