Washington Huskies RB Jonah Coleman Projected To Get Selected by Emerging NFC Team in 2026 NFL Draft
The upcoming 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 23 to April 25, and there is no shortage of talent. One name projected to have a significant impact on his future team is Jonah Coleman, a running back at the University of Washington.
In a mock draft, Coleman is projected to land with a running back-needy NFC team. Here’s what it would mean for that team and for Coleman.
Arizona Cardinals Predicted to Select Jonah Coleman with 40th Pick in 2026 NFL Draft
In a mock draft by PFSN’s Alec Elijah, the Arizona Cardinals are projected to select Coleman with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft.
In PFSN’s College Football RB Impact metric, Coleman ranks 22nd with an impact score of 83.6 and a letter grade of B. In 11 games this season, the running back rushed 144 times for 673 yards and 14 touchdowns. Additionally, he caught 30 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns. Across four years (two with the University of Arizona and two with Washington), Coleman has rushed for 2,969 yards and 33 touchdowns on 540 attempts, while catching 86 passes for 828 yards and three touchdowns.
The pick makes sense for the Cardinals, primarily because the team has not had a healthy running back room all season. Veteran James Conner would have been the primary back for the team, but he suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 3 against San Francisco.
Trey Benson also injured his knee and was placed on injured reserve earlier this season. Earlier this week, the team needed to activate him from injured reserve to make him eligible to return; however, it did not, meaning he cannot play again this season.
READ MORE: 2026 3-Round NFL Mock Draft: Browns Build Around Shedeur Sanders, While 4 Ohio State Stars Go Early
Currently, the Cardinals’ depth chart is led by Bam Knight, followed by Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, and Corey Kiner. All of these players have missed games this season, and none has shown the ability to take over a game.
In PFSN’s NFL RB Impact, only Carter and Knight have logged enough snaps to qualify for the metrics. Carter ranks 52nd with a letter grade of D and an impact score of 65.2. Knight ranks just behind him at 53rd with a letter grade of D and an impact score of 65.0.
Given the Cardinals’ lack of consistency in the backfield, using a second-round pick on Coleman could provide the stability the team needs. Coleman offers a threat in both the running and passing games.
