Jaguars training camp Day 2: Trevor Lawrence shines, other takeaways

Jaguars training camp: James Robinson’s trying to avoid a sophomore slump.

Nobody would have blamed you if you thought that running back James Robinson wasn’t going to cut it in the NFL. After all, the Illinois State product went undrafted and faced a steep high to climb to make the Jaguars’ roster.

Not only did Robinson make the team but he became the starting running back as well. Moreover, he didn’t disappoint, totaling 1,414 yards from scrimmage in 2020, the most by an undrafted rookie in league history. As productive as the former Redbird was last year, the Jaguars’ brass believed their running back room could still use a boost and drafted Travis Etienne with the 25th overall pick in this year’s selection meeting.

After Day 2 of training camp, Robinson had a sitdown with the local media and talked about some of the differences he sees ahead of his second NFL season. The sophomore doesn’t see the addition of the former Tiger to the backfield as a bad thing. In fact, he thinks it will help him become even more productive.

"They always talk about having legs players coming out. I know once the season comes, having those fresh legs are going to help out a lot. A big play happens, get a couple more, then come out and then go back. You can have another big play just by having fresh legs."

Robinson says he feels a lot faster, “I’m able to move a little more and I feel like I’ve gotten stronger. I’m trying to slim down a bit”. Later, he told the media he’s still working hard in spite of the success he had as a rookie.

"You’re always being watched and I think about it like I can lose my job and it’s like I can get cut I can do any of that stuff so I try not to look at it like that and I just go come out and work and do what I have to do every time."

It’s refreshing to hear Robinson is not taking anything for granted and also doing everything he can to avoid a sophomore slump in 2021.