Subscribe
Follow Us
The Oakland Raiders owned a million first-round picks (three to be exact) after trading two of their cornerstone players in 2018. Among the three first-rounders, Josh Jacobs has the most hype surrounding him coming into the season.
The Raiders drafted Jacobs with the 24th overall pick out of Alabama. Unlike most Alabama running backs, Jacobs actually was used sparingly in Nick Saban's offense.
Over the course of his three seasons at Alabama, Jacobs only received 251 carries while he averaged 5.9 yards per rushing attempt. Jacobs also exhibited an ability to be a receiving threat out of the backfield with 48 receptions for 571 yards in his collegiate career.
Jon Gruden loved the idea of adding Jacobs, as he could be an every-down back for the future Las Vegas Raiders. Additionally, Jalen Richard will continue to be utilized in the offense in certain situations.
The expectations are sky-high for Jacobs as he begins to embark on his first season in the NFL. His first official game will come when the Raiders take on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1 of the preseason.
The Raiders rookie running back will line up against the reigning NFC Champs for his first test in the NFL. Here are three goals for Jacobs in his first time suiting up in the black and silver.
3. Protect the Quarterback
If you ask any former or current NFL running back, they would tell you one of the most important aspects of playing running back is pass-protection. Some running backs fail to earn a role on a team due to struggling in this area of their game.
With that being said, Jacobs will want to show the Raiders coaching staff that he isn't afraid to put his hands on a defender to protect the quarterback. With question marks surrounding the offensive line, Jacobs could impress by picking up blitzes from the Rams.
In today's NFL, if you expect to be an every-down back, you have to be able to pass protect. Jacobs showed some upside as a blocker during his three years at Alabama.
To begin his NFL career, Jacobs should focus on doing his best to keep Derek Carr and the other quarterbacks clean as Wade Phillips will be sending exotic blitzes throughout the contest.
2. Don't Fumble the Ball
One way to lose the starting job as a running back is to form a tendency of fumbling the ball. Jacobs should be practicing holding a football at all costs—including in his sleep.
If there's anyone who won't put up with fumbling, it is Jon Gruden. Gruden wouldn't be afraid to sit Ezekiel Elliott if he had fumbling issues. That's crazy man (in my best Jon Gruden voice).
The workload for Jacobs in his first preseason game is unknown but every time he touches the ball, he should be focused on keeping the ball tightly secured. Putting the ball on the ground can weaken a rookie's confidence from the very beginning.
The defensive players of the Rams know that Jacobs is a rookie and will try their best to strip the ball from him. Jacobs will need to be prepared to get adjusted to every player in the NFL trying to snatch the ball from his hands.
1. Score a Touchdown
When a player first steps on the field, their focus is to find a way to get into the end zone. As a rookie, players are even more inclined to get into the end zone for the first time in their careers.
For Jacobs, it's not any different as the Alabama product will want to celebrate with his team after running it in for the first time. There's no doubt that Jacobs has practiced some celebrations ahead of time.
Getting the first touchdown in your career can alleviate some of the jitters that come with playing in your first NFL game. Once you see the end zone for the first time, you will want to keep seeing it again and again and again. You get the picture.
If the Raiders give Jacobs a chance to score, the rookie running back will want to seize the opportunity. The preseason stats may be meaningless but building momentum as a running back in the preseason can be beneficial.
