FROM THE FILM:
Coleman knows just one speed: full. This usually serves him well; he accelerates quickly to the second level, and when he faces a linebacker or safety one-on-one, his raw speed often helps him burst away, turning 5-yard gains into gallops of 30 yards or more. This helped him average 7.5 yards per carry last year en route to a 2,036-yard season.
A remarkable aspect of Coleman's big year was his consistency. He broke 100 yards in all but one game. He also showed an ability to exploit shrinking holes for big gains, as opponents keyed on stopping him at all costs. With the exception of Penn State, which held him to 71 yards on 20 carries, they didn't succeed.
When Coleman gets a head of steam, he's tough to bring down. But he's so fast that at times he ends up being too quick; at times he doesn't show enough patience waiting for holes to develop, instead opting to attack. If he can learn to read developing plays -- particularly the stretch -- better and improve in the passing game, he could become a complete NFL back.
An added benefit is Coleman's kickoff return ability. He averaged 23.0 yards on 30 return during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
**
OF NOTE:**
Coleman answered all questions about his persistence and durability by playing most of the 2014 season through a toe injury. He underwent surgery to repair it after the campaign and was limited to interviews and the bench press at the Scouting Combine.
"It helped build me so I can obviously put pressure on my toe and still be able to run hard without having to worry about it getting worse," he said at the Combine.
Coleman averaged 8.01 yards per carry before injuring his toe, with three of the five foes in that early-season span coming from outside the Power 5 conferences. After the injury, the Hoosiers faced nothing but rugged Big Ten competition, and he averaged 7.24 yards per carry -- and increased his per-game pace from 168.2 yards to 170.7. He ransacked eventual national champion Ohio State for 228 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 8.4 yards per carry, in a Nov. 22 game.
The biggest concern about Coleman is his small (8 5/8 inches) hand size, which could lead to a greater risk of ball security issues. Coleman fumbled once every 67.5 carries last year; the NFL's average for running backs in 2014 was one fumble every 112.4 attempts.
COMBINE MEASUREMENTS:
Height:5-foot-11
Weight:206 pounds
Arm:32 inches (T-7th among 36 Combine RBs)
Hand:8 5/8 inches (T-32nd among 36 Combine RBs)
Bench press:22 repetitions (T-10th among 30 Combine RBs)
PROJECTION: Round 2.
