After trading for Antonio Brown and signing Tyrell Williams to a huge deal, all eyes will be on the Raiders’ passing game. However, the key for success on offense may be another player; rookie running back Josh Jacobs.
With their second first-round pick, the Raiders waited anxiously to see if the former Alabama runner would fall to them at No. 24. The front office was nervous that some team could jump them and steal arguably the best back in the class.
Now that he is on the roster, Jacobs could very well be one of the most critical players on the roster this season. In a recent piece by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, Jacobs was named the Raiders’ “X-Factor” for the 2019 season. Take a look at Knox’s thoughts on the team’s first-round pick.
While (Tyrell) Williams and (Antonio) Brown will almost certainly boost Oakland’s 18th-ranked passing attack, Jacobs is the real offensive X-factor. He’s a versatile back who can run hard between the tackles, create in space and catch balls out of the backfield.
If Jacobs can make the kind of rookie impact backs like Alvin Kamara, Kareem Hunt and Ezekiel Elliott have had in recent years, the Raiders offense should be a formidable and fun-to-watch unit in 2019.
If Jacobs can become a dynamic weapon like some of those other players mentioned, the Raiders could quickly become one of the most dangerous and balanced offenses in the NFL. Given how potent the passing attack should be, Jacobs should be in a great situation right away. Look for him to be one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year in 2019.
