FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.– The running game has been a problem for the Falcons over the last couple of years and Friday night they took a step towards bolstering that part of their game by selecting running back Tevin Coleman out of Indiana. He comes to the NFL, after rushing for 3,219 yards with 28 touchdowns during a three year career for the Hoosiers.
Last season, Coleman became the 18th player in FBS history to run for over 2,000 yards in a season. This included his 228 yard performance against Ohio State and 307 yard game against Rutgers. He reached that point by 264 carries.
The Falcons now have a new offensive coordinator, with Kyle Shanahan taking over that spot. Coleman says when he visited with the coaches he liked how the talks went.
“When I came to visit there it was just a great fit and a great feel for my style of running in their plays and their team,” Coleman said via conference call. “It’s just a good experience for me to be an Atlanta Falcon.”
In terms of the type of runner he is, Coleman seemed to gain confidence in knowing what that means while he was at Indiana.
“I’d say I’m an all down back,” Coleman said. “My style is everything. That’s running inside zone, outside zone, pass protection, (and) catching the ball. I can basically do it all. So I think that’s what they were looking for.”
When it comes to playing a lot early on in his career, Coleman is used to doing that. He got to Indiana in 2012 and played all 12 games his freshman year. He was named Honorable Mention BTN.com All-Freshman Team.
He would run for just under 1,000 yards in 2013 in only nine games played that season. He missed three games with an ankle injury.
With all of these numbers and the amount of time he played in his career in the Big Ten, it’s no wonder that Coleman is so confident in his abilities.
“I’m going to come in there and get a starting spot,” Coleman said. “That’s what I’m going to do. Whoever is the starting back, they’re going to have to work. I’m coming in there and working right away.”
The numbers back up his confidence and now it’s time for him to come in to compete for that starting spot.
There is one more day to go in the draft. Stay tuned to ScoreATL.com to see who the Falcons select.
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