Is T.J. Yeldon a Second Round Sleeper?

T.J. Yeldon was a second round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was drafted 36th overall in the 2015 NFL Draft.

That doesn’t sound anything like a sleeper.

But as we look at the coverage of the Yeldon selection, all we seem to hear is how the Jaguars reached for Yeldon at 36th overall and he will really have to struggle to live up to his higher draft slot.

The fact of the matter is that the Jacksonville Jaguars front office thought that Yeldon was worth getting at 36th overall. They thought he could help their football team and that he was the best available at his position. He’s ready to come in and work and he has plenty of opportunities to be successful with the Jacksonville Jaguars, probably carrying the load from here on out.

Yet nationally it is the pick is still sending some people reeling.

I blame it on the pre-draft process in which T.J. Yeldon flew under the radar a bit while names like Jay Ajayi and Tevin Coleman were thrown around more. While I was certainly guilty of the latter, and when looking at what other running backs accomplished in college, don’t be shocked that Yeldon didn’t jump off the page in pre-draft articles. 3322 yards in three years is nothing to scoff at, however and 37 touchdowns to go along with it is something special.

So when we’re talking about Yeldon being a sleeper, it’s because the expectations right now – crafted around the narrative of him being drafted too early – aren’t high for the young running back. At least not nationally.

The Jaguars expect big things out of their new running back from Alabama. If his collegiate career is any indication, Yeldon will certainly come in and deliver. Just don’t listen to the confused media about it.

Next: Michael Bennett Is the Jaguars' Biggest Draft Gem

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