The Atlanta Falcons needed some help at the running back position after seeing Steven Jackson struggle in a big way over the past couple of seasons. Tevin Coleman was selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, and is expected to have a big role immediately to start his career. Atlanta has a few other options, but Coleman has the most upside of any of them.
What can the Falcons expect their rookie running back to do during the 2015 season?
During the 2014 season with the Indiana Hoosiers, Coleman ended up being one of the best running backs in college football. He came out of nowhere to being a third-round pick, which is impressive to say the very least. Atlanta is hoping that he can be the big playmaker that he was during his collegiate career.
Coleman ended up rushing for 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns on 270 carries last season. Those numbers round out to being an impressive 7.5 yards per carry. He has the speed and explosion to be a big play threat, but he also has a very sturdy body and can pick up tough yardage which makes him look like a legitimate workhorse running back.
At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he is big for a running back but that won’t phase him at all at the next level. Matt Ryan simply needs a running back that can take some pressure off of him and keep opposing defenses honest against the running game, and that is exactly what the former Hoosier standout can do. He will also be a threat as a receiver out of the backfield, and the Falcons will likely do what they can to get him into space and let him make plays.
More than likely, he will be asked to carry the football around 15-20 times a game. The Falcons need around 90-120 yards per game on the ground to round out their offense perfectly, and he is more than capable of doing that.
Atlanta does have some other talent at the running back position that Coleman will have to compete with for touches. He will have to beat out players like Devonta Freeman and Antone Smith for the starting job. That isn’t going to be easy, but there is no question that Coleman has the most upside of any running back on the Falcons’ running back depth chart.
Looking ahead at the 2015 season, it isn’t likely that Coleman will hit the 1,000-yard mark. It would be fair to expect 700-800 yards in the offense that the Falcons are expected to run, although he’ll have to put up consistently solid production in order to stay ahead of both Smith and Freeman. Atlanta definitely has a talented running back to help build their offense with, and he is going to be exactly what they were needing long-term.
Expect to see him win the starting job this season as a rookie, and there is a good chance that he could end up exceeding these predictions.
