Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs hasn't even stepped foot on an NFL field yet for a preseason game, but he is already making his goals clear, he wants to be one of the best to ever play the game. Asked about his goals, Jacobs said he isn't happy just being on the field he wants to be mentioned among the greats.
“I'm not just happy and comfortable being in the league. I feel like if I want to do it, I want to be one of the best to ever do it,” said Jacobs via 24/7 Sports. “If you go way to like Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders … Nowadays (Ezekiel Elliott), you go to Todd Gurley, Alvin Kamara, there's a lot of great running backs. I kind of try to steal from all of them.”
Jon Gruden has heard all the buzz about Jacobs and how many believe he can be a star, but he is trying to bring him along slowly and make him earn everything. During college at Alabama, he split carries and only had more than 20 carries in a game once.
“He hasn't been given anything. He won't be the feature back until he earns it,” said Gruden of Jacobs. “He's got to prove he can get up time and time again. These are car crashes, some of these hits these guys take. You've got to be one tough guy, and you've got to be able to do it down after down. When you are tired and sore and beat up, you've got to pick up a blitz, you've got to beat a linebacker on a route, and then you've got to make a third-and-one to win the game.
It is still early, but if Jacobs picks up on the NFL game earlier it's going to be hard to keep him off the field, and before long he could be the lead back getting most of the carries. Jacobs is hoping for a long career, and this season is only the beginning.
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