Former Lincoln High star running back Jonah Coleman always knew it was meant to be.
The 5-foot-9, 229-pound Stockton native took pre-draft visits with the Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings and others, but his April 13 visit with the Denver Broncos left the strongest impression.
Speaking Wednesday with Yahoo Sports’ Woody Wommack, Coleman reflected on that visit and why it felt different.
“When a team has a situation, a plan or something mapped out for you,” Coleman said. “Like, they literally had an idea, mapped out a plan for me if I was to get drafted to Denver Broncos, and that’s ultimately what you want. You wanna be put in a good situation.”
That ideal situation became reality Saturday, when the Broncos selected Coleman No. 108 overall in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Broncos Country, it’s Jonah Coleman here,” Coleman said in a video posted to Instagram later that day. “I’m so excited to be a Bronco. Can’t wait to get to Denver and see everyone. Go Broncos.”
Part of Coleman’s excitement also comes from understanding how short the average NFL career can be for running backs.
“It’s not about when you get drafted, what round,” Coleman said. “It’s about where you go, where you fit and what prolongs your career. Because at the end of the day, NFL stands for ‘Not For Long.’
Just as important was finding the right culture, which he said was reflected in coach Sean Payton and the rest of Denver’s staff, as he shared with Rich Eisen on April 16.
“Just the whole Broncos’ organization was ultimately in great spirits when I was there, and I felt all the love they have to give,” Coleman said. “And just the camaraderie that they have. As far as a coaching staff and the culture that they’re building there is amazing. I would definitely say that’s been the highlight of the draft. They showed the most love and utmost respect when I visited there. It was just an amazing experience.”
‘I’m from Stockton’
St. Mary’s High was originally where Coleman planned to go. He grew up playing on its youth teams.
But during his first days of practice, he was disappointed after being placed on the freshman team.
Looking for a chance to play junior varsity football, he searched for another opportunity and eventually found far more than he expected at Lincoln.
As a freshman on varsity, Coleman rushed for 545 yards and nine touchdowns on 77 carries while adding 30 catches for 298 yards and three receiving touchdowns.
His sophomore season, however, was when everything took off.
He rushed for 1,587 yards and 30 touchdowns on 143 carries that season, which earned him TCAL Most Valuable Player honors.
More recognition likely would have followed if not for COVID-19.
Even so, Coleman still earned three-star recruiting status from Rivals and 247Sports as part of the Class of 2022. He also landed 10 offers: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Colorado State, Fresno State, New Mexico, Oregon State, San Diego State, San Jose State and Tennessee.
He ultimately committed to Arizona.
There were chances, though, for Coleman to leave Stockton after his sophomore season.
Like former Edison running Raleek Brown, who transferred to Mater Dei High School “to get him ready for the next level on and off the field,” Coleman could have followed a similar path.
Instead, he stayed rooted in the city that shaped him, later giving back with a $10,000 donation to his alma mater on Oct. 28, 2024, through a name, image and likeness deal with Cheez-It and the Extra Yard for Teachers initiative.
Stockton was, and will always be, home.
“That meant a lot to me,” Coleman told The Seattle Times. “To make it out and still be able to represent that. I’m from Stockton, California. I went to Lincoln High School. I didn’t need to go anywhere else to be in the position I’m in now.”
‘Not trying to get too cute’
Hours after Day 3 of the NFL Draft, Payton made it clear why Denver wanted Coleman.
“We’re not trying to get too cute here,” Payton said. “We’re trying to find — who’s the best runner, and does it fit us? We felt strongly it did with him.”
Coleman first showed that in two seasons at Arizona, where he rushed for 1,243 yards, added 307 receiving yards, scored 10 total touchdowns and earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention as a sophomore.
Then, after following Jedd Fisch to Washington in 2024, he took it even further.
As a junior, Coleman rushed for 1,053 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 23 receptions for 127 yards. He became the 15th player in Washington history to record a 1,000-yard rushing season and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors from the media, along with honorable mention from the coaches.
He backed that up as a senior with 156 carries for 758 yards, 15 rushing touchdowns and 17 total. The 17 touchdowns tied for sixth in Washington single-season history, while his 102 points made him the first non-kicker to lead the Huskies in scoring since 2017.
“He can play on third down,” Payton said. “Normally, you have to project that. A lot of these guys, in college, maybe the protection plan’s different or limited. So, you have to develop that and that’s fine. But his frame is such when you see him, that he does a really good job in blocking pressure looks. He’s smart, he’s tough. There was a lot to like with him.”
What stood out even more was ball security — Coleman fumbled just once in his entire college career.
“It takes an athlete who’s talented, and you also see how they’re being coached,” Payton said. “So, it’s that combination. It certainly makes the decision easier, if they’re not having trouble with it.”
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton’s Jonah Coleman selected by Denver Broncos in 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
