The Las Vegas Raiders (then-Oakland) selected running back Josh Jacobs in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft (24th overall).
It is safe to say that Jacobs made them look pretty smart with that pick.
In his rookie season, Jacobs appeared in 13 games, rushing for 1,150 yards (eighth in the NFL) and seven touchdowns in that time. He even managed a fantastic 4.8 yards per carry (11th best), proving that he wasn't just putting up numbers due to a bulk of usage for the Raiders.
Jacobs was one of the favorites to win Offensive Rookie of the Year by the end of the season. It ended up going to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, but it still proved just how good of a pick Jacobs was.
That's an A+ rookie season, right? Well not according to the running back himself.
Josh Schrock of NBC Sports took to Twitter to give everyone what Jacobs himself thought of his rookie campaign.
Josh Jacobs said he would grade his rookie year a B. Felt he left some plays and yards out there.
Also says he’s lighter than he was last year and is 100 percent healthy
— Josh Schrock (@Schrock_And_Awe) August 12, 2020
So there you have it. Giving himself a grade, the running back is going with a “B.”
That has to excite fans. It's the perfect response if you think about it. A “B” is right in that sweet spot.
Jacobs is clearly acknowledging that he had a good season. He understands that he was fantastic and isn't trying to downplay it too much. The running back is going the humble route, but didn't overdo it with an “F” or something ridiculous and set expectations too high.
However, the Raiders sophomore rusher is also acknowledging that there are things he can do better. Maybe work on finesse moves or get a few more yards after contact (although he tends to just run through defenders anyways).
Of course, his receiving game leaves much to be desired. In 2019, Jacobs had just 20 receptions for 166 yards and no touchdowns. So maybe that's something upon which he feels he can adjust and improve.
It will be interesting to see on what he focuses. What we do know though, is that Jacobs is not completely satisfied with how he played in 2019. He feels improvements can be made. That is fantastic news for the Raiders.
For the rest of the league, it's kind of a nightmare scenario.
Follow Us
Subscribe