Running back prospect could give the Patriots' offense a dangerous new identity

The New England Patriots had an eventful offseason, shelling out the sixth most money of any team in the entire league. Despite a multitude of additions throughout the roster, the running back position is slightly less deep than it was previously.

TreVeyon Henderson emerged in the latter half of the year, and Rhamondre Stevenson had a significantly better rest of the season and playoffs after the bye week.

Behind their backfield duo, the 2025 Patriots featured Antonio Gibson, who was the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 2. The former Commander had a limited role in Josh McDaniels' offense, but was efficient with his opportunities.

On 25 carries through 5 games, he totaled 106 yards and a touchdown. He also returned 12 kicks for 342 yards and a touchdown, for an average of 28.5 yards per return.

The Patriots have limited running back depth, which should push them toward drafting another

The Patriots released Gibson after he tore his ACL in Week 5, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. In his absence, Terrell Jennings was promoted from the practice squad. He had 23 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown across seven games in his sophomore campaign.

D'Ernest Johnson was later signed and utilized primarily as a kick returner (13 total attempts between regular and postseason). On 13 carries, he gained only 25 yards. He returned 5 kicks for 128 yards, 25.6 per return. Now 30, the Patriots allowed the former UFL star to hit free agency. He remains unsigned.

Additionally, the Patriots' roster features Lan Larison and Elijah Mitchell. Larison totaled over 2,300 total yards during his 2024 campaign with the Aggies of UC Davis. Mitchell, a fifth-round selection from Louisiana in 2021, has struggled with injuries and has played just 17 games since his rookie campaign.

In 2021, he totaled 963 rushing yards on 207 carries in 11 games. He'd play just five games in his second season, but he still showed promise with an efficient 6.2 per carry. His production fell off a cliff in 2023, and he hasn't taken a carry since.

Henderson and Stevenson offer a strong base, but Jennings, Larison, and Mitchell don't offer much in the way of proven depth as things stand. Perhaps adding to their stable via the draft could be the best option.

Jonah Coleman could be an excellent pick for the Patriots in the upcoming draft

In a recent article for NBC Sports, Phil Perry suggests that one player the Patriots could look to add to strengthen their running back room is Washington's Jonah Coleman. Standing at 5-foot-8, 220 pounds, he profiles somewhat similarly to the Bills' Ray Davis, a fourth-round pick in 2024.

Coleman was a productive player in college, totaling over 3,000 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns from 552 carries with only two fumbles. He began his career in Arizona, but transferred to Washington ahead of the 2024 season, where he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time.

This past season, he ran the ball 156 times for 768 yards and 15 touchdowns. He saw a reduced workload, fewer yards, and fewer yards per carry this past season than in 2024, but his 15 touchdowns were a career high.

Against top competition, Coleman didn't shy away. He had 96 combined rushing and receiving yards against No. 1 Ohio State, 91 and a touchdown against Michigan, and 107 with two touchdowns against No. 23 Illinois.

Jonah Coleman is a legitimate three down back that the Patriots could use in their backfield

Aside from his impressive rushing statistics, his receiving acumen is certainly a plus. Coleman had 31 catches for 354 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season, and against Washington State, he hit the century mark. He had 79 catches for 814 yards and a trio of touchdowns over the last three years.

Furthermore, his ability as a blocker is quite impressive. He allowed just an 8% pressure rate this season as a pass blocker, allowing only one sack.

Coleman's potential as a three-down back is exciting, and if he can make the immediate impact Davis did, New England's selection of him in the fourth round could pay major dividends. He is about ten pounds heavier than Davis, but their NextGen Stats athletic scores are nearly identical.

Davis took more carries than Coleman, but the UW back had more yards, carries, and touchdowns. They each grade out within the mid to high 70s range of NextGen Stats' overall draft score (out of 99) and, as mentioned, have nearly identical athletic scores. They are shorter, stockier backs with collegiate-level receiving acumen. Davis was a far more productive player in his final year, but he was also older.

Gibson, as mentioned, acted as the team's top kick returner in 2025. Davis didn't return a kick in college, but with the dynamic kickoff being a key change in the NFL's third phase, it led Davis to become a key piece to Buffalo's special teams over the course of last season.

On 31 returns, he totaled 943 yards (30.4 yards per return), including a 97-yard touchdown.

If New England believes Coleman is as similar a player to Davis as I think he is, deploying him as a kick returner could be a great way to immediately involve him. Henderson, who had 9 returns, won't likely retain the role due to the risk of him getting injured.

Kyle Williams could be a candidate, but Efton Chism III led the way last season as a return man, with 16 during the regular season. He averaged less than a touchback (23.9 during the regular season, 22.7 in the postseason), however, and could no doubt use upgrading. Even if Chism is utilized in that same role, the team needs two returners.

From three down potential to a potential special teams ace, Jonah Coleman could prove to be an excellent pick for the New England Patriots.

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