The Raiders drafted Josh Jacobs out of Alabama as the lone running back taken in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The decision to grab an RB in the first round has slowed through the years. A look at how first-rounders since 2000 have performed in their rookie season.
Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis got off to a splendid start for the Ravens. The fifth overall pick out of Tennessee in 2000, Lewis rushed for 1,364 yards — at 4.4 ypc — and scored six TDs.
Thomas Jones
The seventh overall pick out of Virginia in 2000, Thomas Jones only gained 373 yards on the ground as a rookie.
Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne went 11th overall to the Giants after winning the Heisman at Wisconsin in 1999. He rushed for 770 yards and five TDs as a rookie, but only gained 3.4 ypc.
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander made one start for Seattle as a rookie in 2000 after being the 19th overall pick out of Alabama. Alexander rushed for 313 yards and two TDs, but gained at a 4.9 ypc clip.
Trung Canidate
Trung Canidate was the 31st overall pick out of Arizona by the Rams. His career was short. The rookie season showed what little was going to come for St. Louis as he gained six yards on three carries in 2000.
LaDainian Tomlinson
The Chargers drafted LaDainian Tomlinson out of TCU fifth overall in 2001. He paid instant dividends, rushing for 1,236 yards and 10 TDs as a rookie.
Deuce McCallister
Deuce McCallister did throw a TD pass as a rookie after being selected 23rd overall out of Ole Miss by the Saints. That was his most memorable rookie contribution. McCallister only had 16 rushes for 91 yards in 2001.
Michael Bennett
Michael Bennett went to the Vikings 27th overall in 2001. The RB from Wisconsin rushed for 682 yards and a pair of TDs as a rookie.
William Green
William Green went 16th overall to the Browns out of Boston College in 2002. He had his best season as a rookie, rushing for 887 yards and two TDs.
T.J. Duckett
The Atlanta Falcons grabbed T.J Duckett out of Michigan State with the 18th pick. He rushed for 507 of his career 2,814 yards in the rookie season of 2002.
Willis McGahee
After battling knee injuries in college at Miami, Willis McGahee went to the Bills with the 23rd pick in 2003. The Hurricane had an immediate impact in Buffalo, gaining 1,128 yards and scoring 13 TDs as a rookie.
Larry Johnson
Larry Johnson came to the Chiefs as the 27th overall pick in 2003 out of Penn State. Johnson had 20 carries for 85 yards as a rookie after being chosen against the desire of then-coach Dick Vermeil.
Steven Jackson
In 2004, the Rams chose Steven Jackson 24th overall out of Oregon State. The Beaver made three starts as a rookie. However, he gained 5.0 ypc while rushing for 673 yards.
Chris Perry
The Bengals took a chance on Michigan’s Chris Perry with the 26th overall pick in 2004. His rookie season was derailed by injuries and he only had two carries to a total of one yard.
Kevin Jones
Kevin Jones came to the Lions with the 30th overall pick out of Virginia Tech. He had his best season as a rookie, rushing for 1,133 yards and a handful of TDs.
Ronnie Brown
Cedric Benson
Cedric Benson was killed in a motorcyle accident Saturday in Austin, Tx. He had a superstar career at Texas and was chosen fourth overall by the Bears in 2005. He only made one start that season, rushing for 272 yards on 67 carries.
Cadillac Williams
Off a stellar career at Auburn, the Bucs chose Cadillac Williams fifth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. Williams was workhorse as a rookie, gaining 1,178 yards on 290 carries. It was by far his best season.
Reggie Bush
People expected Reggie Bush to have an historic NFL career after his star-studded days at USC. The Saints grabbed him second overall in 2006. He rushed for 565 yards and caught passes for another 742 as a rookie.
Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney went to New England 21st overall in 2006. He was busy as a rookie with 175 carries for 745 yards.
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams came to the Panthers from Memphis with pick No. 27 in 2006. As a rookie he ran up more than 800 yards in total offense while scoring one TD each on the ground and through the air.
Joseph Addai
The Colts selected Joseph Addai 30th overall out of LSU in 2006. He made an immediate contribution, rushing for the first of his two 1,000-yard seasons as a rookie.
Adrian Peterson
Incredibly, Adrian Peterson was the seventh overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2007. The Vikings got a great one and they knew it immediately as he rushed for 1,341 yards and 12 TDs in his first season.
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Lynch was the Bills’ choice when they picked 12th overall in 2007. The RB from Cal rushed for 1,115 yards on 280 carries and scored seven TDs as a rookie.
Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden went to the Raiders fourth overall in 2008. The Arkansas star got off to a sluggish start for such a high pick, rushing for 499 yards and four TDs as a rookie.
Jonathan Stewart
The Panthers drafted Jonathan Stewart 13th overall out of Oregon in 2008. The Duck ran for 836 yards on 184 carries despite not making a start as a rookie.
Felix Jones
Dallas drafted Felix Jones 22nd overall out of Arkansas in 2008. The Razorback battled injuries as a rookie and only rushed for 266 yards on 30 carries. The ypc of 8.9 is astonishing.
Rashard Mendenhall
Pittsburgh grabbed Rashard Mendenhall out of Illinois at the 23rd slot in 2008. He suffered a fractured shoulder when tackled by Ray Lewis early in his rookie season and wound up with only 58 yards on 19 carries.
Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson brought his speed to Tennessee from East Carolina with pick No. 24 in 2008. As a rookie, he carried the ball 251 times for 1,228 yards and nine TDs. That set up the next season when he broke the 2,000-yard mark.
Knowshon Moreno
Knowshon Moreno is another Georgia RB who is on the list of first-round selections. He went 12th overall to the Broncos in 2009 and rushed for 947 yards and seven TDs as a rookie.
Donald Brown
The Colts drafted Donald Brown 27th overall out of UConn. The Huskie RB gained 281 yards and scored a trifecta of TDs as a rookie.
Beanie Wells
Beanie Wells played for Ohio State in college and was chosen by the Cardinals with the 31st pick in 2009. He rushed for 793 yards as a rookie, his second-best NFL season.
C.J. Spiller
The Bills selected C.J. Spiller with the ninth overall pick out of Clemson in 2010. His biggest contribution as a rookie was as a kick returner, not an RB. He returned 44 for kickoffs for 1,014 yards. As a running back, Spiller gained 283 yards on 74 carries.
Ryan Mathews
San Diego grabbed Ryan Mathews 12th overall out of Fresno State in 2010. He got nine starts as a rookie and gained 678 yards on the ground, scoring seven TDs.
Jahvid Best
Jahvid Best’s career was curtailed by concussions. The Lions chose him out of Cal as the 30th overall pick in 2010. He rushed for a career-high 555 yards and four TDs as a rookie.
Mark Ingram
Mark Ingram won the Heisman at Alabama and was taken 28th overall in 2011 by New Orleans. Ingram’s career had a slow build. He rushed for 474 yards and five TDs as a rookie.
Trent Richardson
Trent Richardson came to the Browns with the third overall pick out of Alabama in 2012. He wound up going from boom to bust. As a rookie, Richardson gained 950 yards and scored 11 TDs, by far his best production in the NFL.
Doug Martin
The Bucs drafted Doug Martin out of Boise State 31st overall in 2012. He looked like quite the steal after rushing for 1,454 yards and 11 TDs on 319 carries as a rookie.
David Wilson
David Wilson’s career was cut short by spinal stenosis. As a rookie after being chosen 32nd overall out of Virginia Tech in 2012, Wilson showed potential by rushing for 358 yards and a quartet of TDs.
Melvin Gordon
Melvin Gordon came to the Chargers from Wisconsin at the 15th slot in 2015. He rushed for 641 yards as a rookie and did not find the end zone on any of his 184 carries.
Todd Gurley
Todd Gurley once was a teammate of Sony Michel at Georgia. The Rams grabbed him 10th overall in 2015 and he was an instant hit, rushing for 1,106 yards and 10 TDs.
Ezekiel Elliott
The Dallas Cowboys went all-in when they drafted Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in 2016. He proved to be a beast as a rookie, leading the NFL in rushing with 1,631 yards and scoring 15 TDs. He also caught 32 passes for 363 yards.
Leonard Fournette
Leonard Fournette appeared to be the bell-cow RB for Jacksonville, which took him fourth overall in 2017. As a rookie, the former LSU star rushed for 1,040 yards in 13 games and caught passes for another 302.
Christian McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey was drafted eighth overall by Carolina in 2017. He had a solid rookie season, rushing for 431 yards and catching passes for another 651. McCaffrey blossomed in his second season, accounting for nearly 2,000 total yards.
Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley came to the Giants with the second overall pick in 2018 from Penn State. He became an immediate star, accumulating more than 2,000 yards of total offense. A generational back if he can remain healthy.
Rashaad Penny
The 27th overall choice out of San Diego State, Rashaad Penny was part of a crowded and efficient Seattle backfield in 2018. He rushed for 419 yards and a pair of TDs while not making any starts last season.
Sony Michel
Sony Michel came to the Patriots from Georgia with pick No 31 in 2018. After suffering a knee injury that cost him training camp, Michel came back as an important element for the Pats’ offense. He rushed for 931 yards and six TDs in the regular season. Throw in another 336 yards and six rushing TDs in the postseason and you have a steal of a selection.
Josh Jacobs
Which brings us to the 2019 NFL Draft when one rookie went in the first round, Alabama’s Josh Jacobs to Oakland Raiders. Jon Gruden is looking at Jacobs as his No. 1 back. It will be an intriguing watch because Crimson Tide running backs don’t get overused in college and Jacobs ran the ball 251 times in three seasons with Nick Saban. Could Gruden have plans for the 5-foot-10, 219-pounder to get close to that many carries as a rookie?
