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Position
Running Back
School
Indiana
Size
5'11, 206 pounds
Strengths
Coleman is productive because of his burst. He has good vision and doesn't hesitate when he sees daylight. He gets up to speed very quickly. He isn't a shifty guy, but he's a slasher. Once he puts that foot in the ground, Coleman uses angles nicely. He uses his burst to get to the edge and beat safeties that are coming downhill. The clip below is a perfect example. It seems like defenders misjudge his burst, causing them to take bad angles to the ball. Coleman is able to accelerate to the sidelines here, outrunning everyone to the endzone.
This next clip highlights his vision. He sees the alley open up, sticks a foot in the ground and explodes. Note how much faster he gets up to speed than all of the defenders. He's a homerun hitter.
Despite his thin frame, Coleman is not afraid to put his head down and ram defenders for extra yards. He's constantly falling forward, maximizing yardage on every play. His power isn't great by any means, but he delivers more of a blow than you think a 206 pound back would.
Coleman shows nice hands coming out of the backfield. He will have no problems getting involved in the passing game at the next level. He's a willing blocker and actually delivers a nice punch to incoming pass rushers.
Weaknesses
I wouldn't call Coleman elusive. He's more of a one cut guy, but he really lacks lateral agility. He can't change direction very quickly. I'd like to see him run lower. He appears to be very upright with the ball, causing some balance issues. I think this is a big reason why he struggles to fight through arm tackles. He's a bit too light, weighing in at just over 205 pounds.
Summary
Coleman has some issues, but it looks like they're all fixable. He's got one thing that you can't teach, which is great burst. He's a game breaker, ripping off huge run after huge run. If he can get his pad level down at the next level, I think Coleman could be something special. The popular comparison for Coleman has been DeMarco Murray, which I happen to agree with. Coleman has a lot to work with, but is buried in a deep running back class.
Draft Projection
Late 2nd