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Former Washington Huskies stars, wide receiver Denzel Boston and running back Jonah Coleman, are among adidas' 14 signings as part of the company's 2026 NFL draft rookie class, the company announced on Monday.
The two now-ex-Husky football standouts join wide receiver Rome Odunze and quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who were part of the 2024 adidas draft class and became the first two NIL football athletes in October 2023, something that is tied to the agreement UW and the apparel company have as the school's official partner.
"This class reflects where adidas Football is headed and the type of athletes we’re committed to supporting as they enter the next stage of their careers," General Manager, US Sports & Creation Center, Portland, Aaron Seabron said in a statement. "Our focus is on giving them access to the innovation, product, and platform that help them succeed at the highest level. Bringing them to Portland to experience our Innovation Lab and meet the teams behind our performance products is an important step in building those relationships from day one.”
In the release, adidas stated that as new additions to the brand's professional athlete roster, the players will receive access to performance innovation, partnership support, and product development programs. Recently, the players visited the adidas campus in Portland, Oregon, for the first-ever Football Pro Day, which included an immersive blend of apparel fitting, brand knowledge, and education as they prepare to embark on their professional careers.
Boston, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound product of Emerald Ridge High School in South Hill, finished 57 yards shy of tying former UW tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins for No. 15 all-time in career receiving yards, but managed to find himself No. 14 all-time for single-season receiving yards with 881 yards racked up this past season.
His first two seasons as a Husky limited Boston's overall career numbers as he waited his turn behind future NFL draft picks Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja'Lynn Polk, while the trio helped lift the program to its first national title game appearance in over two decades.
Boston is viewed as a potential first-round pick next month, although some projections have the two-year starter as an early second-round pick when the 2026 NFL draft gets underway April 23-25.
Coleman, a 5-foot-9, 229-pound native of Stockton, California, began his career with Jedd Fisch and running backs coach Scottie Graham at Arizona in 2022-23 and became the first official player to transfer from Tucson to Seattle when the former Wildcats' coach took the Huskies' job in January 2024.
In his brief time at UW the two-year starter left his mark on the football program and made the most of his last year with 15 rushing touchdowns—tied with Rashaan Shehee for 6th most in a single season in school history—totaled, despite an injury suffered in a 13-10 loss at Wisconsin in early November that limited Coleman to 758 rushing yards at the end of the season.
Coleman is viewed as a likely second-round pick and as one of the first five running backs expected to hear his name called. He would be the first UW running back to be drafted since Myles Gaskin went in the seventh round (No. 234 overall) in the 2019 NFL draft to the Miami Dolphins.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: adidas Signs UW WR Denzel Boston, RB Jonah Coleman to 2026 Draft Class
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The two now-ex-Husky football standouts join wide receiver Rome Odunze and quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who were part of the 2024 adidas draft class and became the first two NIL football athletes in October 2023, something that is tied to the agreement UW and the apparel company have as the school's official partner.
"This class reflects where adidas Football is headed and the type of athletes we’re committed to supporting as they enter the next stage of their careers," General Manager, US Sports & Creation Center, Portland, Aaron Seabron said in a statement. "Our focus is on giving them access to the innovation, product, and platform that help them succeed at the highest level. Bringing them to Portland to experience our Innovation Lab and meet the teams behind our performance products is an important step in building those relationships from day one.”
In the release, adidas stated that as new additions to the brand's professional athlete roster, the players will receive access to performance innovation, partnership support, and product development programs. Recently, the players visited the adidas campus in Portland, Oregon, for the first-ever Football Pro Day, which included an immersive blend of apparel fitting, brand knowledge, and education as they prepare to embark on their professional careers.
Boston, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound product of Emerald Ridge High School in South Hill, finished 57 yards shy of tying former UW tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins for No. 15 all-time in career receiving yards, but managed to find himself No. 14 all-time for single-season receiving yards with 881 yards racked up this past season.
His first two seasons as a Husky limited Boston's overall career numbers as he waited his turn behind future NFL draft picks Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja'Lynn Polk, while the trio helped lift the program to its first national title game appearance in over two decades.
Boston is viewed as a potential first-round pick next month, although some projections have the two-year starter as an early second-round pick when the 2026 NFL draft gets underway April 23-25.
Coleman, a 5-foot-9, 229-pound native of Stockton, California, began his career with Jedd Fisch and running backs coach Scottie Graham at Arizona in 2022-23 and became the first official player to transfer from Tucson to Seattle when the former Wildcats' coach took the Huskies' job in January 2024.
In his brief time at UW the two-year starter left his mark on the football program and made the most of his last year with 15 rushing touchdowns—tied with Rashaan Shehee for 6th most in a single season in school history—totaled, despite an injury suffered in a 13-10 loss at Wisconsin in early November that limited Coleman to 758 rushing yards at the end of the season.
Coleman is viewed as a likely second-round pick and as one of the first five running backs expected to hear his name called. He would be the first UW running back to be drafted since Myles Gaskin went in the seventh round (No. 234 overall) in the 2019 NFL draft to the Miami Dolphins.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: adidas Signs UW WR Denzel Boston, RB Jonah Coleman to 2026 Draft Class
Continue reading...
