The 2019 rookie class has already made some big splashes in the NFL. Between Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones, and Gardner Minshew, it’s the quarterbacks that have taken the league by storm.
However, nobody has had a more impressive start to their career than Raiders’ running back Josh Jacobs. Through four games, Jacobs has 364 yards from scrimmage on 65 touches to go along with two touchdowns. He’s immediately become Oakland’s workhorse, and his role and value grow each week.
In a recent article by a group of ESPN writers, the site put together a list of the best rookies through the first month of the season. To no one’s surprise, Jacobs finished at No. 1. Take a look at what Paul Gutierrez had to say about the Raiders’ first-round pick:
On one hand, Jacobs has been a revelation. He never carried the ball more than 20 times in any game at Alabama and only had 251 total rushing attempts in his college career. But on the other, he was a first-round pick. The speed of the NFL game has not overwhelmed him as his role has grown. “It’s not what everybody told me it was going to be, just to be honest,” Jacobs said. “Since camp, I feel like I got the pace of the game. And I know there’s levels — the playoffs come and things like that — it speeds up. But right now, it’s smooth.” Smooth like Jacobs’ ever-expanding game.
Jacobs is on pace to surpass 1,400 total yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns as a rookie. If he were able to reach those numbers, he would be a lock to make the Pro Bowl and win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
More importantly, if Jacobs continues to produce at this level throughout the rest of the season, it likely means Oakland was having success as a team. One of the best parts of Jacobs’ game is how efficient he has been in both the run and pass game. And with Gabe Jackson soon returning to the lineup, that should only make him more dangerous.
Despite running backs having less value than other positions, the Raiders have hit a home run with the No. 24 pick in the 2019 draft. Jacobs is on his way to stardom with the Silver and Black.
LINK: http://raiderswire.usatoday.com/2019/10/03/raiders-rb-josh-jacobs-named-best-rookie-by-espn-panel/
