3 mid-round running back prospects Jacksonville Jaguars can consider

Khalil Herbert would be a solid addition to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While Khalil Herbert will not garner as much attention as Najee Harris and Trevis Etienne, the top two running back prospects in 2021’s draft, he could be as productive as them in the NFL. In his lone season at Virginia Tech, the Florida native racked up 155 yards per 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns. Moreover, he averaged 7.6 yards per carry and amassed the most yards after contact per carry in college football last season, per Pro Football Focus.

A three-star recruit coming out of high school, Herbert committed to Kansas but didn’t play much much for the Jayhawks, racking up 320 carries for 1,735 yards and 14 touchdowns in a four-year span. It wasn’t until he joined the Huskies as a graduate transfer that he had his chance to shine and made the most out of it. He’s a running back that can break tackles and has the balance and the explosiveness to generate big plays. On the other hand, he wasn’t much of a receiver in college and it’s uncertain who much of an impact he could have in the running game.

Herbert stood out during Reese’s Senior Bowl Week, registering the fourth-fastest max speed on Day 2 of practice. Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network thinks he looks like a Day 3 draft pick that has the potential to go in the fourth round. If the Jaguars’ coaching staff think he can polish him as a receiver, they should take a flyer on him.