The Oakland Raiders selected Josh Jacobs with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he could end up being the top offensive rookie in the NFL.
Prior to the 2019 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders received word that former feature back Marshawn Lynch would be headed towards retirement. The loss of Lynch hurt the offense last season, which had to turn to Doug Martin to be the main man in the backfield after Beast Mode went on injured reserve.
To be fair, Martin had a solid season for the Silver and Black, and was actually brought back to serve a role behind their prized rookie running back in 2019.
That prized rookie is Josh Jacobs, a stellar offensive talent out of the University of Alabama. The Raiders drafted Jacobs with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he will have the distinction of being one of the first pieces to be brought in with the draft capital gotten from the Chicago Bears for future Hall of Famer Khalil Mack.
In Jacobs, head coach Jon Gruden has that feature back that he has been looking for, as not only is he adept at making plays in the run game, but he is also fantastic as a pass-catcher. He is the total package, and in a revamped Raiders offense this Fall, he could end up taking home some hardware after year No. 1 in the NFL.
The Vegas odds are already out on who they feel will win Rookie of the Year honors on both the offensive, and defensive side of the ball, and Jacobs is right up there. In fact, outside of quarterbacks Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals), and Dwayne Haskins (Washington Redskins), Jacobs is the favorite to win the award this season, coming in at 9/1 odds.
Picking Jacobs for this kind of hype is warranted, as he has plenty of tread on the tires heading into the NFL, as he was not used too much during his college days. In addition, Gruden is an offensive-genius, and with a weapon like this, you know he is going to get every bit of production out of his young workhorse.
In 2018, Jalen Richard was one of the better pass-catching running backs in the NFL, as Gruden loves to utilize his backs in the passing game. With Jacobs aboard, expect Gruden to use him more in that role as well, making him the kind of dual-threat running back that should have a major impact in year one.
There are so many outstanding new pieces on this Raiders offense, including wide receiver Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, and offensive tackle Trent Brown. In Jacobs, the Raiders will have the kind of back they have been lacking in recent years, and if he is as good as advertised, he gives this offense an added dimension that should take a lot of pressure off of Derek Carr.