New Denver Broncos RB Jonah Coleman eager to show NFL his worth

From youth football through high school and college, opponents often praised running back Jonah Coleman for his competitiveness.

Now in the NFL, Coleman has no plans to ease off the accelerator.

Drafted by the Denver Broncos on Saturday in the fourth round (108th overall) of the NFL’s signature offseason event, the former standout at Arizona and Washington is eager to show the league both how hard he works and how hard he runs. He’ll get his chance soon – just perhaps not soon enough for Coleman.

“I’m ready to go right now,” the powerful runner said in a phone interview recently. “If the season started tomorrow, I’d be ready. That’s just my approach. Always work hard to always be ready. That’s my way.”

Coleman’s approach has served him well.

As a sophomore at Arizona, Coleman averaged an impressive 6.8 yards per rush while leading the team with 871 rushing yards and six touchdowns (five rushing). He helped the Wildcats improve to 10-3 after they went 5-7 during his freshman season.

After transferring to Washington for his junior season, Coleman continued to thrive, rushing for a personal-best 1,053 yards with a 5.5-yard-per-carry average and 10 touchdowns. His senior season was a smashing success: Coleman led the Huskies with 17 touchdowns (15 rushing) and 758 rushing yards while averaging 4.9 yards per rush. Washington improved from 6-7 to 9-4.

Along the way, Coleman received many pats on the back for his aggressive running style.

“I mean, pretty much for as long as I can remember, every team we’ve played, defensive guys or opposing coaches have come up to me after games,” he said. “They give me props for the way I play.”

Reflecting on his time at Arizona and Washington, Coleman took pride in being a catalyst for positive change.

“I felt like I helped leave both places better than I found them,” he said. “And that starts with being a great person, a great teammate who people can rely on.

“It’s about being someone who sets a standard. And from there, just being able to live by that and having integrity.”

Coleman set a high standard on the field and in the classroom. Last season, he was selected academic All-Big Ten as well as an academic All-American.

He reached the NFL by maximizing his combination of power and smarts.

“I’m definitely proud of the things I’ve accomplished, but I always go back to being a great teammate because that’s what it’s all about,” Coleman said. “When you hear people talk about the greats, the first thing they say is that they make the people around them better.

“Over my years in college, my goal was to make the people around me better. Obviously, if you’re a great teammate and people know they can rely on you, that’s a great foundation. From there, the personal success is gonna pop.”

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