After back-to-back 1,300-yard seasons, Josh Jacobs has firmly cemented himself as one of the league’s best running backs. He’s extremely versatile as he can be used out of the backfield as a receiver or in protection to help the offensive line. And of course, he’s one of the most physical runners in the NFL.
That is why it’s nice to see him get the recognition he deserves from his peers and NFL decision-makers. In a recent piece by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he talked to dozens of league decision-makers, executives, coaches and players and asked them to rank the top-10 running backs heading into the 2021 season.
Jacobs appeared on the list for the second-straight year, coming in at No. 10. Here is a small snippet of what Fowler (and the NFL decision-makers) had to say about Jacobs entering Year 3:
“Meanwhile, Jacobs, despite a sluggish 3.9 yards per carry in Year 2, is a determined back, with 479 rushing yards after contact last year (sixth in the NFL). And Jacobs has 46 broken tackles since 2019, ranking no lower than eighth in either season.
One AFC exec said Jacobs is more decisive between the tackles than Taylor at this point, though Taylor is coming. “Jacobs is a load,” the exec said.”
The Raiders brought in Kenyan Drake to help spell Jacobs some this year, likely in the passing game. But expect Jacobs to post yet another 1,300-yard season as the lead back for Las Vegas. At just the age of 23, Jacobs is in his prime and should be in for another monster season.
