Jaguars: 3 players that can’t take a step backward in 2021

James Robinson needs to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars’ running back room.

You might have heard a few scouts claim they knew back in the day quarterback Tom Brady was going to become great, but if that was the case, why did he last until the sixth round of 2000’s draft? By the way, Myles Jack wasn’t down but that’s a whole different matter. If you think a prospect is going to become a difference-maker you don’t wait for him to land on your lap. Instead, you trade up or do something but you don’t stay put. This brings us to back James Robinson.

If the Jags — or any other NFL team — knew the Illinois State product was going to become a top 10 running back as a rookie, he would have heard his name called in 2020’s selection meeting but undrafted he went. Robinson was so good that he made Leonard Fournette expendable. Playoff Lenny wasn’t a bad running back and in fact, he played a key role in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run last season.

Robinson went on to have a very productive rookie campaign in 2020, totaling 1,414 scrimmage yards, the most by an undrafted first-year player in NFL history. As good as the former Redbird was though, the Jaguars took Travis Etienne in the first round of 2021’s draft. Head coach Urban Meyer said the team will build the running back room around Robinson. That’s the right thing to do, as he’s a proven commodity while the Clemson product hasn’t played a down in the NFL yet.

Jacksonville needs Robinson to keep playing at a high level just in case Etienne struggles to make the transition to the NFL.