Washington RB Jonah Coleman Boosted His Stock At The NFL Combine With One Simple Answer

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Washington running back Jonah Coleman boosted his draft stock at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. But he didn’t even need to work out in order to do so.

Coleman, who stands at 5-foot-8 and 220 pounds, is a projected mid-round pick who rushed for 3,054 yards and 34 touchdowns across four seasons at Arizona and Washington under Jedd Fisch.

He didn’t go through athletic testing at the combine, and one of his weaknesses is that he’s expected to run a 40-time in the 4.5-second range, if not higher.

But that doesn’t mean that Coleman didn’t improve his draft stock.

Jonah Coleman Nails Question About Pass Blocking At NFL Scouting Combine

In addition to his prowess in the run game, Coleman is also a huge asset on third down, both as a pass catcher and blocker. The Stockton, California native caught 31 passes for 354 yards and two scores last season, and protected quarterback Demond Williams Jr. admirably.

That ability as a receiver and pass blocker has NFL teams high on Coleman as a rotational running back at the next level.

During the combine, he asked why he puts such an emphasis on his blocking, and his answer was an absolute home run.

“You’re not gonna play if you can pass pro(tect), it’s simple,” Coleman said. “Can’t play if you ain’t gonna protect the quarterback. I’m paying him $100 million, you(‘re) getting paid $2M. Who’s more important? And that’s part of being selfless, part of the game.”

While the answer may seem self-effacing, it’s exactly what NFL scouts and coaches across the country dream about when they hear a running back discuss pass protection.

Sure, there are plenty of mid and late-round NFL Draft picks who go on to become star running backs. But even more are rotational pieces who are brought in to help protect the quarterback.

If Coleman backs up his talk, he’ll play both early and often in the NFL, and his coaches will absolutely love him for it.