With 3,054 collegiate rushing yards, Washington running back Jonah Coleman heads into the NFL as one of the most productive backs in the 2026 draft class.
The 5-foot-8, 220-pound power back was an All-Big Ten player during his time with the Huskies, and he was also an impact player for Arizona in his two seasons there before his transfer. As one of the toughest and strongest running backs in the 2026 NFL Draft, Coleman projects well as a hard-nosed runner in between the tackles at the next level.
In the three seasons he was eligible for grading, Coleman graded in the top six among all running backs in his conference by PFSN’s CFB RB Impact Metrics. Most notably in 2025, he tied for the Big Ten lead with 17 touchdowns from scrimmage.
PFSN spoke exclusively with Coleman about sticking with head coach Jedd Fisch in the move from Arizona to Washington, his preparation for the 2026 NFL Draft, and much more.
You started off at Arizona and followed Jedd Fisch and some of his staff over to Washington. Can you speak to the relationship you guys have together?
Jonah Coleman: “What we’ve built is something that we’ve been pretty much building since I was 16 years old. I don’t know if a lot of people know that I was the first in the class of 2022 to commit to Arizona, going there [when they were 1-11] and I committed, and I hadn’t seen the school yet. I hadn’t seen campus. I hadn’t known anything about Arizona.
“I just committed based off the relationship and vision. What they talked to me about in the plan, obviously being developed into a pro, is the main reason why I’m standing right here today, and why the interview process, and the whole process of this pre-draft thing has been feeling like I had an advantage.
“As far as talking with these teams, it’s literally the same offense with a little bit of different terminology. When I’m talking about pass protection, it’s the same. Some people may teach me a different type of protection, but it’s still the same.
“Being able to live what we talked about when I was 16 years old is just amazing. Obviously, the player they developed me into on and off the field is [something] not a lot of people really understand.
“It’s only an “if you know us” thing, and we understand that. All the love that I have from them, it goes beyond football, as far as how family-oriented Coach Fisch is, how family-oriented [running backs coach Scottie] Graham is. Being able to spend time around them and their families, and they spend time around my family, also brought our relationship closer.”
You mention talking about pass protection, and you went viral at the Combine talking about the importance of pass protection at running back. When you’re back there in pass pro, what are some of the first things you’re looking for pre- and post-snap?
JC: “Pre-snap, it’s gameplan-based, honestly. Anytime it’s two high, you always want to alert that corner….depending on how far off the half he is. You need to make sure that you are keying, depending on what team you play for, like what details they give you that they’re going to bring a pressure.
“Like, if that nickel is stacked in two-high, you have to alert that nickel. Or maybe, if you see like a triangle in the middle of the defense between the linebackers and the safety, you already know that that cross dog is coming.
“That’s the base of how most teams run cross dog, when they built that triangle in the middle. Being able to look at your keys, sometimes the cadence helps us out. As far as people showing their fits, it’s easier to identify, but just making sure that you stick with your rules, your fundamentals, listen to what the center is calling so you know exactly who you got and where they’re going.
“Being able to understand what your teammates are doing on the field makes your job a lot easier. I feel like my ability to do that, as soon as I come to the line of scrimmage, I’m kind of like the o-line.
“We meet week in, week out, just to make sure that we are dialed in and detail-oriented when we do get in the game, as far as picking the pressure in the seven-man protection or six-man protection. Being able to have those guys communicate with me, and I communicate with them, makes our job a lot easier to protect the quarterback.”
You’ve always been a powerful runner. What advantages would you say your frame, from your height to your build, give you as a ball carrier?
JC: “I just feel like you have to hit all of me, and I don’t give people all of me to hit, so it’s hard to tackle me, because arm tackles are not gonna bring me down. I’m already small, I’m compact, and I feel like my size really gives me an advantage, because you can’t just grab a leg easily. You can’t just grab an arm easily.
“I feel like you have to fully get all of me, grab fully around me in order to move me down. Even then, you see me break tackles, where guys have me fully wrapped up, and I just [run through it].
It’s more about mentality and the way you go about things, you know what I mean? You have to have a mentality like, “I have a family to feed. You know I know where I want to be. I don’t know necessarily what he want to be.
I know how bad I want it. I don’t know how bad he want it, but I know about me, and I can control what I can control at the end of the day, and I can control if I want to run through somebody’s face or not.”
Having that mentality when you get the ball and that you’re dangerous and that you’re a weapon, that you’re the baddest man on the planet when you got the ball, you got a weapon. Grown men who were also chasing the same dreams and goals as you are trying to tackle you and get the ball away.
They get paid to do it. That’s their job. So I get paid to do what I do, and at the end of the day, it’s sticking to the details, fundamentals, and always having that mentality.
You got plenty of recognition in this pre-draft process, with invites to the Senior Bowl and the Combine. What do those honors mean to you, and how have your meetings been with teams so far?
JC: “The honors definitely mean a lot. I’m thankful for everyone who gave me the opportunity to even be a part of the Combine.
“It’s something that I grew up watching as a kid and even the Senior Bowl, even seeing some of my teammates from past teams, go there and stuff, all you hear about is the best of the best going there. It’s definitely an honor to be able to be in the talk for that. The meetings have been good. Like I said, being in Coach Fisch’s system is a pro system and the whole “being a pro” culture that Coach Fisch is about, it is identical.
“When I tell you, when I’m talking to these teams and we’re going over the offenses, I’m able to say, ‘oh, we call that play that, too. We call this formation that, too. We call this run that, too. That’s our read on this run, that’s our footwork on this run, that’s our landing landmark on this run.’ They may call it a different thing, but it’s the same exact thing.
“After I meet with teams, they were like, “being in this system has really prepared you tremendously to be an easy learner in any whatever NFL offense that you have,” because it’s all the same thing. It’s just people are branched in different areas. They all branch from the same person, but, they’re on different little tweaks and stuff.
“I’m a fast learner, so like something we can call different. Well, this one’s 18/19; that’s a wide zone for teams, maybe left, maybe right. It’s just like how we do our stuff. We call it even/odd, it could be the same thing. I guess my football knowledge is already really high in my IQ, so I feel like I pick up things really, really fast.
“I can see something. You can tell me something, I’m going to remember it, write it down. I’m a good notetaker, and I take notes during these meetings to be able to recite everything. It’s just my want-to; some people want to do it.
“Some people don’t want to do it. I feel like I’ve been dominating all my meetings and, based off the feedback that I get from the coaches after we meet and build a relationship with those guys, there are couple guys I’ve already talked to at the Combine, and we didn’t get to do much other than a conversation, and now they get the meeting, they’re like, ‘okay, I’m amazed.’ Being able to impress those guys, that’s what it’s all about.
“You only need one team, one person, to go back and vouch for you, and your life can change, so you want to leave your best impression. You only get one time to make one impression on someone, and I’ve been taking advantage of that by going to these meetings, being able to tell my story, being able to let them know my football knowledge, as well.”
How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?
JC: “Most of the time, I’m more of a chill person. I’m laidback. I’ve really been cooking a lot, though, probably a lot more. I’ve always had a passion for cooking.
“I grew up, my dad is always cooking in the kitchen, and I’m always in there, wandering around looking, seeing what he’s doing, being a sponge, soaking up information and stuff like that. Something that I really like doing, I like following a recipe. It’s hard work, cooking.
“I feel like it’s hard playing football, so being able to get the results when you’re done is something that I enjoy. But I love cooking. I love playing the game. I’m a gamer. I play all the games with my friends and stuff, so I like doing that.
“I like watching boxing. I used to box when I was younger. Boxing has been something that I’ve been passionate about, as far as watching and stuff like that. When it’s Fight Night boxing, I’m really tuned in. I like coloring. I’m a really good colorer. I bet I can color really, really good, better than most, in my opinion.
“It’s something that I realized when I was younger, but now I’m older, I can really perfect my craft. So sometimes, I need a little free time, and I got some brief time, and I just want to chill or something, I’ll be coloring or making food or watching movies, playing the game.
“I’m more of an inside the house person, but I like going to dinners with my friends, my family. That’s really chill stuff that relaxes me, being able to be around people that make me happy. I like traveling, as well. Any time I get free time to travel, I travel.”
What are some of your specialities in the kitchen?
JC: “So right now, I’ve been really in my salmon bag, trying to mix up different type of sauces. Right now, my favorite is this lemon cream salmon. It’s a sauce that I make from scratch and put it over my pasta or some rice with grilled asparagus or something like that.
“It’s a quick 30-minute meal, and I feel like it’s delicious. Being able to do that here and there, whenever I want, is something that I enjoy doing. I’m good at cooking breakfast, too. Breakfast is easy. I like making soul food, as well, like Thanksgiving food. The past couple years, I haven’t been able to go home for Thanksgiving, so I get a couple of the guys, and I pretty much cook Thanksgiving food for those guys, and they really enjoyed it.”
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Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?
JC: “You would be getting a great teammate. I feel like the biggest thing like a person can carry as an NFL player to be a draftable pick and be a great teammate. That goes a long way. Just being a great person in general goes a long way. I’ve always treated people good.
“The football aspect, I’ve been doing my whole life, so I know that I’m going to come in, dominate, compete, obviously make the team better, help win division. The ultimate goal’s to win the Super Bowl.
“Everyone’s gonna say that, but I feel like I bring the culture, I would bring the energy. The passion I have for the game will ultimately make the people around me better, as far as coming in with my leadership skills, the way I lead, getting to know people, being able to build that connection.
“I feel like you can’t really go hard for somebody if you don’t really know them, so being my full, authentic self, getting to know the guys, being a sponge…they’re older than me, and being able to pick their brains apart, and add it to my game, and also to have that growth mindset.
“I can always be better, you know what I mean? Most importantly, [you’ll be getting] a great teammate and someone who you want in your locker room that’s going to make people around him better and any team ultimately better. [I’m] really selfless, so I feel like that’s the biggest thing that I have.”
