Jonah Coleman’s hype train is still moving full steam ahead. While he might be buried in the Broncos‘ loaded backfield, many believe he has enough talent to carve out a significant role early on.
You can effectively add ESPN’s Mina Kimes and Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice to the list of analysts excited to see what Coleman can do with Sean Payton calling the shots. They both hyped up Denver’s fourth-round selection on Tuesday’s episode of The Mina Kimes Show.
“First of all; great situation. Shaky running back room. The coach loves him [Jonah Coleman],” Kimes said when prompted with finding which running back has the best chance to rise their respective depth charts. “He’s a very pro-ready back. He can pass-protect. He is extremely decisive.”
She added, “Yes, he’s not the most explosive back, but he will get you every yard he can. There was a run in the preseason where he spins out of a tackle, and then he lowers his shoulder and plows through three dudes. Sean Payton is going to love him.”
Tice agreed wholeheartedly with her analysis.
“That’s what Payton wants in his run game. He wants those guys to just pound it. Those are the backs he loves,” Tice said. “I’m big on Coleman. No offense to JK Dobbins, it’s just injuries are kind of his thing. But I do like Coleman better than [RJ] Harvey if I had to pick one.”
Jonah Coleman Has The Correct Mindset Going Into Broncos’ Opener
The Broncos have three running backs that are bound to contribute this season. Dobbins is a safe bet to lead the backfield in touches as long as he’s healthy.
However, Coleman has a strong chance to eat into those touches if he makes the most of the ones he does receive early on. While every player wants to lead their position group, he has the correct mindset heading into Week 1.
“I’m nervous before every game, so definitely nervous until the ball kicks off and then it’s just football until the end of the day,” Coleman said. “But I’m excited. I’m ready to go out there with my teammates and ultimately do the most important thing, which is winning.”
He also said that he wouldn’t have minded playing more in the preseason.
“Just my competitive standpoint, I wanted to still play. I still wanted to keep staying in games,” Coleman said. “I feel like I was just getting warmed up, getting used to it. So I feel like I still have more to show for sure, but I’m never going to go against coach’s will. He said he’d seen enough. Now it’s time to stay consistent and keep things rolling in the regular season.”
That’s a clear example of his competitive drive. The coaches certainly seem to have taken notice, as well.
Sean Payton Hyped The Rookie Up Last Week
Why didn’t Coleman play more in the preseason? Seemingly because Broncos head coach Sean Payton had already seen enough from him since training camp began.
Payton praised the rookie running back on Jo Madden’s 4th & Tuddy podcast on Monday.
“Yeah, I think he’s earned all of our trust. He’s had a really good camp,” Payton said. “Jonah, right from the beginning, you didn’t feel [like he was] a rookie. You felt someone who was 28 or 29 years old. The trick is with two [running backs] it’s easy to balance the touches. With three, it becomes a little more challenging. We’ll manage that though, and we’re really excited about that group in general.”
While there are only so many opportunities to go around, it’s safe to assume Coleman will receive a healthy dose of them. He might not have much relevance in the fantasy football realm (barring an injury to one of their other backs), but he could have a major real-life impact for Denver.
Broncos’ Jonah Coleman Hype Train Adds Two New Riders Ahead Of Week 1