College football is, and always has been, a process. That’s why more freshmen take a redshirt year and preserve eligibility than not. That’s why often slender offensive lineman, in particular, have to live in the weight room for much of their first and even second years in a program rather than play immediately.
Unless you’re Jonah Coleman.
While the University of Washington running back no doubt could have put his name in the recent NFL draft and heard some franchise call it out recently in Green Bay, the 5-foot-9, 223-pound Coleman chose to play a fourth college season, and a second with the Huskies.
Asked if he felt he had a chance to get drafted recently, the senior running back from Stockton, California, paused for a moment and the responded this way, “I think I’m good enough to get drafted, so I would say yes.”
Highest Graded Returning Running Backs in College Football🔥 pic.twitter.com/Q2vSyFrstr
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 10, 2025
Coleman, however, is the smart one, choosing to wait another year to improve his draft standing. Rather than be a third-day pick, he’s on a pace to make himself into a first- or second-day selection.
Coming off an 1,053-yard rushing season, which was highly admirable considering the patched-up offensive line he had to run behind, Coleman possibly is looking at something more in the 1,500-yard range.
Jonah Coleman has been one of my favorite RBs to watch in college football over the last two years at Arizona & Washington this past season. I thought he would declare in 2025 but instead heads back to school and I think he has a chance to finish as a top 3 RB in the 2026 draft pic.twitter.com/w3XYPl5ga5
— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) May 11, 2025
Besides, he seems to be gaining more and more attention now in the run-up to the coming season, which is just over three months away.
Pro Football Focus over the weekend pointed out that Coleman is the nation’s second-highest graded running back, with his 86.3 assessment second only to Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love’s 91.1.
An outfit named the Chicago Football Connection just pointed out that Coleman’s 4.63 yards after contact over the last two seasons on 319 carries would have been second best among the rushers taken in the recent draft, trailing only Ashton Jeanty, who went from Boise State to the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 6 overall pick.
Again, Coleman will just a little longer to cash in on pro money, which should be worth the wait.
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