Scouting Report: Tevin Coleman

This was one of the reports I had written during my 2018 Spring Semester with the Scouting Academy.

Tevin Coleman

RB #26

Atlanta Falcons

Stats:

• 40 games played, 6 started. 15 & 3 in 2017.
• 41.4% of offensive snaps in 2017.
• Best season 2016: 118 rushes, 520 yards (4.4 avg), 8 TDs. 31 rec, 421 yards, 3 TDs.
• Increased carries each year, 87, 118, 156.
• 3 fumbles rookie year, 1 in each of the past 2 seasons.

Injuries:

• 2015: Hamstring strain, preseason week 2, out 2 weeks. Fractured rib, week 3, missed 2 games and played 9 snaps in return. Concussion, week 16, missed 2 games.
• 2016: Hamstring strain, week 8, out 3 games.
• 2017: Concussion, week 15, missed 1 game.

Context: 

3^rd year RB who has started 6 of 40 games, splitting backfield duties with Devonta Freeman (alternating possessions). Accounted for 41.4% of offensive snaps in 2017. Missed a handful of games in each of his first 2 seasons but was able to stay relatively healthy this past season, only missing Week 15 with a concussion. 3-down back who has played primarily in a zone run scheme at the pro level, first under Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan in 2015 & 2016, and then under Steve Sarkisian in 2017.

Athletic Ability:

Solid height and adequate weight. Good play strength. A bit of a narrow build, but stronger than what his weight and appearance would make it seem. Very good athletic ability including quickness, agility, balance, and acceleration. Elite play speed.

Strengths:

Good mental processing. Pre-snap can see defensive alignments and prepare for how they’d be able to attack the running play. Understand short-yardage situations and the need to gain the necessary yards over taking a chance for the home run. Very good vision in a ZONE running scheme. Patient coming out of stance and to the mesh point, allowing blocks to set up. Executes with a good path and tempo on outside zones. Has a great feel for the running lane and whether to bend, bang, or bounce. Very good cutback runner, turning his shoulders toward the sideline to press the outside run and set up defenders who are anticipating the edge. Smooth lateral jump cut when working in the backfield and to the hole. Able to weave through traffic effortlessly. Very good burst through the hole. Plants outside foot and accelerates while staying skinny. Once he makes one cut, squares his shoulders to the LOS and attacks north-south. Very good run finisher who isn’t afraid of contact, displaying very good physical toughness and aggressiveness. Breaks through tackles by opening hips and wiggling through. No hesitation to lower his shoulder. Continuously falls forward. Solid weapon in the passing game as a receiver. Can be split out wide in addition to running short routes out of the backfield. Can get separation on LBs due to elite speed. Comfortable catching with his hands away from his body. A willing blocker in pass protection. Steps up into the gap to meet pass rushers head on. Very good overall competitive toughness. Shows good mental toughness by not losing focus or execution when struggling at the beginning of the game. Consistent and is patient and confident enough in his game to wait for the big play to come.

Weaknesses:

Gets confused and unsure of blitz pick up assignments pre-snap. Can fall in love with the cutback on outsize zone runs too much at times instead of continuing path and waiting for outside lane to develop. Struggles at creating yards on his own when blocking breaks down. Doesn’t show the same burst through the hole on inside zones. Not very elusive in open space at the 2^nd and 3^rd levels. Would rather continue north-south and lower his shoulder than use his agility and quickness to run around LBs and DBs. Doesn’t get much separation when running routes as a receiver. Adequate in pass protection. Goes for too many cut blocks instead of squaring up with the pass rusher and gets predictable. Pass rushers either jump over or use swim move to avoid his block. Doesn’t maintain good pad level the times he does engage.

Projection:

A starter you can win because of. A great zone runner who is a threat to take it the distance on any play and can be used on 3^rd downs as a weapon. Although he hasn’t had many starts so far and has spent most of his career splitting time, he has shown the ability to carry the workload of a lead back in the few games he has gotten the start. He would be best used in ZONE run schemes but he does have the aggressiveness and physicality to be successful in GAP run schemes as well. Cannot be used often as a pass blocker and should be limited to chipping and being a receiver on passing downs.