The Denver Broncos selected Washington running back Jonah Coleman with their first fourth-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, 108th overall, and it might just end up being the best pick of the entire process. He was not the most highly touted running back to be selected this past week, but he will get more than a fair chance to earn a role in the Broncos' offense heading into 2026 and beyond. With JK Dobbins on just a two-year deal, Coleman could quickly become the Broncos' running back of the future.
This year's class was fairly light on running backs, with just three taken in the top 100 and Coleman the fourth off the board. Still, several went in this year's draft. The Notre Dame duo of Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love were the first two off the board and the two first-round backs, but the lack of high-end talent at the position led to an overall lack of hype for the position this year. Arguably, no running back saw less hype despite deserving more than Coleman.
Broncos general manager George Paton has not been afraid to make unpopular selections on days two and three, but the Coleman pick might end up being the opposite. Coleman was widely viewed as a strong candidate to be one of the first backs off the board, but a few notable pre-draft comments make it clear that some view Coleman as better than a fourth-round selection. One comment specifically shows just how good some think Coleman can become, and how wise Paton was to use his highest fourth-round selection on the Washington product.
Todd McShay's pre-draft comments on Jonah Coleman show that George Paton might have pulled off the steal of the draft for the Denver Broncos
Todd McShay, one of the most respected scouting and draft voices in football media, is a very big fan of the newest Broncos running back. McShay has been one of the higher voices on Coleman's prospect status heading into the draft, but a quote of his from early April shows just how much he liked the newest Bronco.
In a spot with ESPN's Rich Eisen, McShay was asked about prospects who were not talked about enough entering the draft month, and sang the praises of Coleman.
.@McShay13 thinks we're not talking about Washington RB Jonah Coleman enough ahead of the NFL draft 👀
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 6, 2026
(via @RichEisenShow) pic.twitter.com/fIec9mgbE8
"The guy that everyone is sleeping on at this point, and he was a hot name early, but I look at Jonah Coleman, and I watch his run style after watching all the running backs, and I came back, and I watched him... he's a bowling ball. He's got these light feet, he always runs at pad level, he wears you down, he brings this energy to an offense. In a running back class that's not like a year ago, where we had 26 guys go, he'll fall to the fourth round, and a team is going to get a starter. I really think he is going to be that kind of player."
Hindsight, McShay nailed just about everything he said: 20 fewer backs went this year than last, Coleman fell to the fourth round, and there are already signs that the Broncos might have gotten a steal in their selection. Coleman figures to be in the Broncos' plans at running back and could be the starter as soon as the 2027 season.
If McShay's analysis of Coleman holds, he might end up as one of the best value selections in the entire draft. Day three running backs becoming high-end running backs is not a new idea in the NFL, and the Broncos are about to find out if they are the latest team to strike running back gold in the draft's final day.
Add us as a preferred source on Google