Jonah Coleman Enters the Chat for Vikings
Are you ready for the Minnesota Vikings to draft a dynamic young running back for the first time in eons? The club took a step in the right direction this week, meeting with rookie tailback Jonah Coleman.
The Vikings keep doing homework on this deep 2026 running back class, and that is excellent.
Coleman is considered the third- or fourth-best running back in this year’s class, and there’s a small chance that he transfers his purple uniform from Washington to Minnesota.
Coleman Fits Minnesota’s Search for Backfield Juice
The Vikings have nine draft picks in 2026.
Vikings Meet with Coleman
In all likelihood, the Vikings will draft a halfback somewhere in April’s draft, and the franchise now has a meeting with Coleman on record.
SI.com‘s Will Ragatz wrote this week, “The Vikings will host Coleman on a Top 30 visit, per Arye Pulli. The former Arizona and Washington standout has recorded over 1,100 yards from scrimmage in each of the last three seasons and scored 27 touchdowns in 25 games for the Huskies.”
“He’s been an efficient college runner who can also catch the ball (87 career receptions) and pass protect. There’s a lot to like about Coleman, but he’s also undersized at 5’9″ and isn’t particularly explosive.”
At the moment, Coleman is projected as a 3rd-Round pick, and Minnesota has two of those in the chamber.
A Superb Landing Spot
In Minnesota — if the Vikings press the button on Coleman — he’ll strut into a wonderful situation, not oozing with the pressure of an immediate RB1. The Vikings have Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones back in 2026, and they figure to take the bulk of rushing attempts next year if healthy.
With a man like Coleman, he can mature for a season as the RB3, be promoted to RB2 if an injury emerges — it probably will — or win the RB1 job outright if he’s that damn effective at training camp and in the preseason.
Coleman will also have offensive teammates as weapons, including Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and the aforementioned running backs. The spot is ideal for Coleman, and he might be ideal for the Vikings.
The Green Bay Packers could give Coleman a peek, as well.
Zone Coverage‘s Mitch Widmeier on Coleman to Green Bay: “A true three-down back with the Huskies, Coleman could be an every-down back if he reaches his ceiling in the NFL. For Green Bay specifically, two things stand out. Coleman had a grand total of two fumbles in 551 career rushing attempts. That covers two years with Arizona and another two with Washington. Coleman protects the football as well as any college running back has in the last four years.”
“If you want to play running back in Green Bay, you need to protect the rock, have some capability to pass block, and possess a certain level of character. Check, check, and check. Coleman could be selected as early as Round 2, or he could fall into Round 4. If nobody selects him in the second round, he will be an awfully tempting option for Green Bay.
Coleman’s Scouting Report
Coleman is 5’8″, 220 pounds, has 4.5 speed, and has a style similar to Ray Rice from the Baltimore Ravens (without the spotty reputation) 15 years ago. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, and he scored 27 touchdowns at Washington in the last two years.
NFL Draft Buzz on Coleman’s rookie profile: “Coleman is not going to test his way into a higher draft slot, and his game does not need him to. His vision between the tackles finds creases before they fully develop, and his patience within zone schemes lets linemen finish their work before he commits.”
“He averaged over five yards per carry in 2024 behind an offensive line ranked 105th nationally in run-blocking grade, which speaks louder than any combine drill. Zone-heavy offenses are the natural fit. Where Coleman separates from other power backs in this class is ball security paired with receiving ability. One fumble across 396 career touches keeps you on the field in December.”
Power backs who can act as receivers are somewhat rare.
NDB added, “He caught 31 passes for 354 yards in 2025 and looked comfortable on underneath routes, giving coordinators the option of leaving him in on passing downs. Pass protection needs refinement; he brings effort against blitzers but his technique is still developing.”
“His floor is a reliable early-down grinder who handles 15 to 20 touches and controls tempo without putting the ball on the ground. His ceiling is a three-down back in a system that values patience over home-run speed.”
The Alternatives
Assume the Vikings want a rookie running back, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love isn’t available, and a different team picks Coleman. These would be the options before the end of Round 5:
- Jadarian Price (Notre Dame)
- Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas)
- Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)
- Nick Singleton (Penn State)
- Kaytron Allen (Penn State)
- Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest)
The Vikings have also formally met with Johnson from Nebraska and Claiborne of Wake Forest.
Coleman will turn 23 in August. Minnesota hasn’t drafted a game-changing running back since Dalvin Cook, and that was nine years ago.
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