Former Indiana 2,000-yard rusher Tevin Coleman was well aware of the other talented, draft-bound running backs he was surrounded by in the Big Ten.

Of course, there was Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon, who led the nation with 2,587 rushing yards (29 touchdowns) in 2014, topping Coleman's 2,036 (15 touchdowns). Then there were a couple of 1,600-yard rushers in Minnesota’s David Cobb and Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah. Not to mention Michigan State’s Jeremy Langford and Purdue’s Akeem Hunt, both of whom averaged 5.5 yards per carry.

All signs point to the Falcons prioritizing running back in the draft, and Tevin Coleman could be the primary target. AP Photo/John Sommers II

Gordon is projected as a first-round pick while Coleman and Abdullah are viewed as second-rounders. Cobb and Langford are considered third- or fourth-rounders, while Hunt could be a mid-round sleeper.

"They are amazing backs," Coleman told ESPN.com. "But I am the best running back coming out of this 2015 NFL draft because I can run the ball, catch the ball and for the most part, pass protect."

Coleman just might be the guy targeted by Atlanta with the 42nd overall selection. If Coleman isn’t available, the Falcons could pursue one of the other backs out of the Big Ten.

The Falcons hosted Coleman on a visit last Wednesday and conducted private workouts with Cobb and Abdullah. Hunt, from Covington, Georgia, was part of the locals workout hosted by the team. Hunt ran a 4.37 in the 40 at Purdue’s pro day, plus he has the ability to double as a kick returner.

"I talked to the head coach a lot during the local workout," Hunt said, referring to Falcons coach Dan Quinn. "He liked the way I caught the ball out of the backfield. He actually asked me if I played receiver before because I caught the ball so well out of the backfield, so that was a good sign."

All signs point to the Falcons prioritizing running back in the draft. Although the coaches and front office have plenty of faith in second-year player Devonta Freeman and realize the explosiveness they have in a healthy Antone Smith, having another back to carry the load in offensive coordinator Kyle Shahanan’s outside-zone blocking scheme will only help achieve the desired offensive balance. Last year, the pass-happy Falcons finished 24th in the league with 93.6 rushing yards per game and were dead last in 2013 at 77.9 rushing yards per game.

Just because the Falcons cut ties with their big, bruising back in Steven Jackson does not necessarily mean they're solely focused on securing a 6-foot, 215-plus pound back such as Gordon or Cobb.

"All these running backs are so unique," Quinn said. "There are so many good players that come in different sizes. And I think it’s that aggressiveness with and without the ball. Sometimes, a guy can line you up and 'I’m going to try and run this guy over' and he’s an effective player, just as effective as the guy who can catch it and go make plays.

"For us, we’re going to be wide-zone team, so we like guys who can make the cut and then play aggressive with the ball in their hands. Does that mean the guy is 230, 215? It’s a little different in that way. … It’s really one of the most fun positions to evaluate, in my opinion, because they’re coming from different schemes. Once you see the ball in their hands and that aggressive style comes out, that’s the guys that I love to evaluate at running back. And to see them pass protect, that’s what I’m talking about with the aggressiveness with and without the ball. That mindset, I love seeing those guys."

Coleman likely is the key guy to watch in the equation. The Falcons have a tough decision to make in the second round with needs also at linebacker, safety, offensive tackle and even receiver. If Coleman somehow fell to the third round, it would be a no-brainer for the Falcons.

Indiana coach Kevin Wilson, who previously was the co-offensive coordinator at Oklahoma, mentioned Coleman in the same breath with former Sooners Adrian Peterson and DeMarco Murray.

"He’s got tremendous speed when he hits it," Wilson said of Coleman. "There are fast guys, but he plays fast. It’s one thing to have legitimate track time -- he ran decent (4.4 in 40) at his pro day coming off of a foot injury -- but I told him he didn’t need to run a 40 because he had so many long touchdowns the last two years. Everybody knows he has good speed.

"Tevin has done it against good teams. He’s done it consistently. So to me, when he gets in the open field, he’s dynamic. There are going to be guys, I’m sure, that are going to be better between the tackles. But he’s young kid with a tremendous upside. He just has the uncanny ability to run by guys."

Maybe Coleman will get his chance to keep the Falcons in the running.