NFL Draft 2015 Prospect Profile: Running Back Tevin Coleman

The 2015 NFL Draft will be held on April 30 through May 2 in Chicago, and it is a time where the 32 NFL teams will look to add some pieces to improve both this year and in future years.  The Indianapolis Colts currently have nine picks in the Draft, including at least one in each round, and therefore they should be active on Draft day.  Who might they target?  We're taking a look at a number of different prospects, and today we take a look at Indiana running back Tevin Coleman.

Background

Coleman, a 6-1, 210 pound back out of Indiana University, had a spectacular junior season in 2014, rushing for 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns to lead the Hoosiers' offense.  During his three seasons at IU, Coleman played in 33 games and rushed for 3,219 yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, while also adding 54 receptions for 383 yards in the receiving game.  He was a unanimous All-American in 2014 and a finalist for a number of prestigious awards nationally as well.

Pros

Coleman is a tough runner with a high motor who won't give up on plays and will display the physicality necessary to make plays up the middle.  At the same time, however, he shows good speed in his burst to make some defenders miss and to create some opportunities.  Despite what the stats might indicate, he is a solid player in the passing game, able to both catch the football and protect the quarterback - not excelling at either but doing a solid job at both.  He's also a very tough player, as he played through a broken bone in his foot for much of the 2014 season.

Cons

He isn't going to be the most athletic player on the field, so he will need to get better at making players miss on tackles, as he's not the most elusive back.  He also will need to become more patient - it is a strength of his that he is very aggressive and doesn't give up, but this can sometimes lead to impatient running from him, which isn't ideal.  Also, he lost several fumbles in 2014, so that's something to keep an eye on and something that needs to improve.

Big Board Rankings

NFL.com - not on list of top 50 prospects

CBSSports.com - 62nd overall, number 6 running back

Mocking the Draft - number 4 running back

Mock Draft Predictions

Stephen Reed's most recent mock draft:  selected by Tennessee Titans, 52nd overall (2nd round)

Josh Wilson's most recent mock draft:  not selected in the first round

How Would He Help the Colts?

Many Colts fans would love it if the team were to draft Tevin Coleman, as he played collegiately at Indiana University and would therefore be staying in Indiana to play football.  From that standpoint, it would make a lot of sense - but what about on the field?

The Colts do need a running back, as despite the signing of Frank Gore they could use a depth back this year and a starting back for the future - something that can be had this year in the draft if the Colts so choose.  One of the strong points of this year's draft class is the depth at the running back position and therefore it's not necessary for the Colts to take a back in the first round, such as Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon.  Those two players are the top two running backs in this year's draft and for good reason, but the Colts will be able to get a good running back in the second, third, or even fourth round of the draft if they want - and that's the most likely option of what will actually happen.

So with all of that said, Tevin Coleman will likely be one of those backs who is selected in the second round of the draft and therefore could draw the attention of the Colts.  But I think it's pretty likely that Coleman will be gone by the time the Colts' second round pick comes up, and even if he is available then, the Colts might be able to do better at both the position and at the pick.