Atlanta Falcons: Top 5 Rookies Heading Into Camp

May 26, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman (26) on the field during OTA at Falcons Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

He was an All-American tailback at a basketball school.  He went in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft.  He doesn’t like his Madden rating as a rookie.  Expect RB Tevin Coleman to use those things as motivation in what could be an All-Rookie season for the new Falcons tailback.

This man single-handedly beat Mizzou at their place last fall.  Since that exciting non-conference game between Power 5 schools, I have been a big fan of Tevin Coleman’s game.  I love how he runs with both conviction and grace.  Though he might not have the lateral agility of a Barry Sanders (who does, honestly?), I think that Tevin Coleman is more than capable of being a feature back for the Atlanta Falcons.

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The only thing standing in his way is carries as he will likely split them with second-year RB Devonta Freeman in Kyle Shanahan’s backfield.  As a unit expect the Atlanta Falcons to rush for more yards than last year.  If the offensive line doesn’t leak like a sieve again, maybe the unit gets close to 2,000?

If I was Kyle Shanahan, during training camp I would tell Tevin ‘no’ a bunch just to see how angry he can run.  I absolutely love how Coleman is a self-motivator.  On a team that was soft the last two seasons, expect Tevin Coleman to make sure that it does not continue on the offensive side of the ball in 2015.

Should he outperform Freeman in camp and in the first quarter of the regular season, Coleman could contend for an All-Rookie RB spot with the likes of St. Louis’ Todd Gurley and San Diego’s Melvin Gordon.  The best thing about Tevin Coleman is that he’ll never get complacent.  He’ll never be satisfied until he’s the best and I’d love to see him get there.

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