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The Oakland Raiders made a rather puzzling move with the 24th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft last Thursday, taking University of Alabama running back Josh Jacobs.
Not only is it no longer commonplace to use first-round picks on running backs unless they are really special these days, but Jacobs?
For some perspective, Jacobs rushed for just 640 yards during his junior year at Alabama, and while he did score 11 touchdowns, his lack of overall production doesn't real line up with what you would expect from a first-round selection.
Nevertheless, Jacobs was one of the Raiders' three first-round draft choices, and with Isaiah Crowell now sidelined for the season, he will likely have to produce, regardless of what Jon Gruden is saying.
So, here are a few early goals for the rookie.
3. Learn from Doug Martin
Due to injuries, Doug Martin may no longer be the All-Pro running back he once was, but he still knows a thing or two about how to play halfback in the NFL, and Jacobs would be wise to learn from him.
Right now, it looks like Martin will be the featured back for Oakland, so Jacobs will get plenty of time to watch Martin and see what he does.
With both backs being similar in stature and athletic ability, Jacobs actually may have the perfect model to learn from in Martin, as neither player has breakaway speed and are very reliant on instincts and cuts rather than blowing the defense away.
It's questionable just how high Jacobs' ceiling is, but if he wants to maximize his potential, he is going to have to be a student of the game.
2. Rush for 600 Yards
Along with Jacobs, the Raiders have Martin, Jalen Richard, and DeAndre Washington battling for playing time in the backfield, so it's entirely possible that Jacobs will have to share carries with three other backs.
But, that being said, there is no reason why Jacobs shouldn't at least be top two on the team in attempts, so he should be able to come close to reaching the yardage total he posted during his final year at Alabama.
I'm not sure Jacobs will ever be a 1,000-yard back, but in this modern NFL where clubs split carries between multiple backs, he doesn't really have to. He just needs to make the most of his playing time.
Martin, who recorded 723 yards this past year, may end up getting the most burn of all of the Raiders' halfbacks, but it seems hard to imagine him getting a ton more carries than Jacobs.
1. Be Efficient
Jacobs averaged 5.9 yards per carry during his collegiate career, which is great, but the NFL is a different ball game.
We have seen a vast number of backs post around six yards per attempt in the NCAA only to enter the pros and struggle, as NFL defensive players are faster, stronger and smarter than their college contemporaries.
No matter how many touches Jacobs gets during his rookie campaign in the Bay, he needs to be efficient. So, let's say he should be hoping to tally around 4.5 yards per carry during his first season. That's a fine number.
Again, no one is asking for Jacobs to rack 1,000 yards, and I'm not sure anyone will ever expect that from him. But, expecting him to at least make the best of his attempts and squeeze every yard he can out of them is not too much to ask.
