who had a Seattle Seahawks 30-visit<\/a> during the pre-draft process, brings a unique blend of experience, versatility, and football intelligence to the table. With stops at Bucknell, Rice, and Kennesaw State, his path hasn\u2019t been traditional \u2014 but it\u2019s precisely that journey that has helped shape a well-rounded prospect with a mature approach to the game.<\/p>\nIn an exclusive interview with Field Gulls, Bennett opened up about his background, playing style, and what he believes he brings to the next level.<\/p>\n
1. You come from a family with NFL ties. How has that shaped your mindset and preparation?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
Growing up in a family with NFL ties had a big impact on me early on. My dad built my football IQ and instilled the work ethic it takes to compete at the highest level. I\u2019ve always carried a mindset of never letting anyone outwork me, on or off the field. I take pride in my preparation, making sure I know as much as possible about the game and my opponent. That preparation allows the game to slow down for me when I\u2019m out there.<\/p>\n
2. You played at Bucknell, Rice, and Kennesaw State. How did that journey shape you as a player and as a person?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
Every stop in my college career helped shape me into a better man and a better football player. I\u2019m truly blessed for my time at Bucknell University, Rice University, and Kennesaw State University. At each place, I gained valuable lessons from coaches, professors, administrators, teammates, and fellow students that have helped me both on and off the field. Every experience taught me something new, and I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today without those programs.<\/p>\n
3. You\u2019ve had multiple leadership experiences, including serving as a team captain. What does being a leader mean to you?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
Being a leader means everything to me. There\u2019s a saying that how you do anything is how you do everything, and that\u2019s how I carry myself every day. I take pride in leading by example and holding both myself and others to a high standard. To me, leadership isn\u2019t just about being in charge. It\u2019s about being accountable and making sure everyone around you is moving with purpose.<\/p>\n
I enjoy being a leader because I\u2019m in the people business. I\u2019ve been led before, so I understand the impact a strong leader can have, and that motivates me to step up for others. At the same time, I never put myself above anyone. I make it clear that we\u2019re all equal, nobody gets special treatment, and I make mistakes just like everyone else.<\/p>\n
Being a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated has also played a big role in shaping my leadership. It\u2019s taught me how to lead with discipline, accountability, and purpose in every aspect of life.<\/p>\n
4. How would you describe your playing style to someone who has never seen you play, and do you see yourself as more of a physical, agile, or complete running back?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
I\u2019d describe my playing style as a true complete running back. I combine shiftiness with power, so I can make defenders miss in tight spaces or run through contact. I play with strong football IQ, vision, patience, and quick feet. I\u2019m reliable in pass protection and effective catching out of the backfield, which allows me to stay on the field in any situation.<\/p>\n
5. Do you feel more comfortable in a zone or gap\/power scheme, and how do you expect the transition between shotgun and under center alignments to impact your game at the next level?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
I\u2019m comfortable in both zone and gap schemes. I grew up running 16 power, learning it from my father, and in little league we called it about 97% of the time for an entire season, so it became second nature to me early on. I\u2019ve carried that foundation throughout my career while also gaining experience in a variety of zone concepts, which allows me to adjust to any system.<\/p>\n
I expect my transition between shotgun and under center to be smooth. I\u2019ve taken reps under center at Rice University and again at the 2026 Hula Bowl (Editor\u2019s note: He also meet with the Seahawks here) under Jay Gruden, where I operated that way most of the time. In both situations, I performed at a high level and showed I can adapt and execute in any scheme.<\/p>\n
6. What is your read process like before and after the snap?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
My read process stays consistent before and after the snap, depending on the play. Pre-snap, I start with the safeties since they\u2019re the free hitters in the run game. Their alignment and rotation help me identify potential blitzes and give me a good idea of the coverage, whether it\u2019s one-high or two-high. From there, I look at the box to see if it\u2019s loaded or if we have a numbers advantage, and I identify the front, whether it\u2019s odd or even, under or over, to understand leverage and how the blocking scheme will play out.<\/p>\n
Once the ball is snapped on run plays, I get my eyes to my read key, make my decision, and react off that. I also make sure I understand the full play, knowing whether receivers have a run tag, are blocking MDM, or working a push crack, so I can have in my head how the play is designed to develop and be ready to react when necessary.<\/p>\n
In the pass game, I identify whether I\u2019m matched or unmatched. If I\u2019m matched, I look my defender in the eyes and win the rep. If I\u2019m unmatched, I locate the flat defender and run my route accordingly, whether that\u2019s sitting in a zone window or out-leveraging the defense. Every route I run is with the intention to win or to create opportunities for my teammates.<\/p>\n
7. Your game blends physicality and agility. Is that something natural, or something you developed over time?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
That\u2019s something I\u2019ve been blessed with by God, but I\u2019ve also put in the work to develop it. Size, speed, and strength only go so far. It\u2019s about knowing how and when to use them. I\u2019ve worked to get my body to a point where I can be both physical and agile, and perform at a high level in both areas.<\/p>\n
8. How important are pass protection and the passing game for an NFL running back, and how do you evaluate your growth in those areas?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
Pass protection and the passing game are critical for an NFL running back. If you can\u2019t protect the quarterback, you won\u2019t see the field. It takes a mindset and a willingness to do it every single play.<\/p>\n
The passing game is also what separates you. At that level, everyone can run the ball, so being able to win one-on-one matchups out the backfield or lined up at receiver (Bennett is a former WR) is what sets you apart. I\u2019ve continued to grow in both areas through reps and experience, and I understand that to compete in the NFL, my pass protection and receiving ability have to be elite.<\/p>\n
9. What is the main thing you are working to improve before the draft?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
I want to be in the best shape of my life when it comes to this next chapter in my life. So just getting my conditioning in as well as keeping my strength. I want to be able to carry the ball 20-30 times a week for a 18 week season and the playoffs and super bowl.<\/p>\n
10. What will an NFL team be getting in you, on and off the field?<\/p>\n
Coleman Bennett:
An NFL team is getting a leader first and foremost, someone who can step into any locker room and make an impact on and off the field. I\u2019m ready to compete right away, whether that\u2019s on offense or special teams.<\/p>\n
Off the field, I\u2019ll represent the organization the right way as a role model, a teammate, and a mentor in the community. On the field, I\u2019m a playmaker with the ball in my hands, and when I don\u2019t have it, I\u2019m doing everything I can to help the other playmakers succeed.<\/p>\n
Thanks to Coleman for the interview! Check out some of his highlights in the video below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After a journey that took him through multiple college programs and into a leadership role at Kennesaw State,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":862457,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2081],"tags":[7,6,238,237,261,59395,2635],"class_list":{"0":"post-862456","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-seattle-seahawks","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-nfl","10":"tag-seahawks","11":"tag-seattle","12":"tag-seattle-seahawks","13":"tag-seattle-seahawks-draft","14":"tag-seattleseahawks"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116375869443057546","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=862456"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862456\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/862457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=862456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=862456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=862456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}