Indiana running back Tevin Coleman was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round (73rd pick) of the 2015 NFL Draft on Friday evening at the Auditorium Theater of Roosevelt University in Chicago.
Coleman, who will join former teammate Adam Replogle in Atlanta, is the highest IU running back drafted since Vaughn Dunbar went 21st overall to the New Orleans Saints in 1992. He is the fourth Indiana player picked by the Falcons and the first since DE Nathan Davis in 1997.
This marks the second straight year a Hoosier went on the second day of the draft – Cody Latimer, Denver Broncos, second round (56th pick) in 2014.
Coleman became the program’s third unanimous consensus All-American in 2014, joining Anthony Thompson – 1989 and Vaughn Dunbar – 1991. He finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting, the best placing by a Hoosier since Antwaan Randle El’s sixth-place showing in 2001.
One of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, Coleman became the 18th player in FBS history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a single season with his 130-yard effort in the team’s 23-16 Old Oaken Bucket victory over Purdue. He ranks 15th on the all-time list and tops the school’s list with 2,036 yards.
A first team All-Big Ten selection, Coleman (264 attempts) became the fourth-fastest rusher to reach 2,000 behind Melvin Gordon (241), Larry Johnson (251) and Mike Rozier (258), besting Barry Sanders (268). He is just the third Big Ten rusher to reach the milestone in the regular season, joining Gordon and Johnson (2002). Coleman’s 7.5 yards per carry is the fifth-highest among the 18 2,000-yard rushers.
The Tinley Park, Ill., native finished second nationally in rushing yards (2,036), rushing yards per game (169.7), all-purpose yards per game (181.4) and yards from scrimmage per game (181.4), third in yards from scrimmage (2,177), fifth in all-purpose yards (2,177) and rushing yards per carry (7.54), tied for 19th in rushing touchdowns (15) and tied for 25th in total touchdowns (15).
