Jacksonville Jaguars: James Robinson lands on unique list of players

When the Jacksonville Jaguars signed running back James Robinson as an undrafted free agent in 2020, they probably thought they had acquired a camp body. However, the Illinois State product didn’t get the memo and went on to run for over 1,000 yards last season. Heading into the 2021 season, his peers recognized the impact he had in his rookie campaign.

Robinson cracked the NFL’s Top 100 list, landing on the 100th spot. You could argue that he barely made the list but the fact he did over other hundreds of players is worth recognizing. Former teammate Joe Schobert, who was recently traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, said that it was “a privilege to watch him grow as an undrafted free agent rookie”, and added that he’s “an easy guy to cheer for”. Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew was also asked to weigh in on Robinson. He complimented the running back’s balance and his vision.

"His balance. He jumps over a guy, and doesn’t fall right there he keeps his feet go keeps going for about 30 more yards. A few things that he does really well is, his vision is amazing. I think he really has a knack for pressing blocks, cutting right off the block."

If you think Robinson’s teammates are biased, the NFL Media producers got you covered. Division rival linebacker Darius Leonard also talked about the Jaguars’ running back, “He’s got a very strong lower body, his contact balance is very good”. Here’s the clip if you want to watch it.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a stud in James Robinson.

During the sitdown, Robinson said that former Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was “one of his favorite guys to watch”. The narrator goes on to say that some of his runs “sure do look like Beast Mode”. That’s some lofty praise, as Lynch was responsible for some electrifying runs over the 2010s. Keep in mind that Robinson is barely entering his second year in the NFL and should be even better in 2021, as he feels stronger as faster than he did last year.

Although Robinson will now be sharing the Jaguars’ backfield with rookie Travis Etienne in 2021, he should still be a productive player. As a rookie last year, he had 86 percent of the Jaguars’ carries. Having a lighter workload could help him increase his efficiency.

The former Redbird missed the last two games of the 2020 season with an ankle injury, and Jacksonville’s rushing game suffered a drop in production. If Robinson has to miss time again, the Jags can now turn to Etienne or veteran Carlos Hyde who has starting experience, and the running game won’t have a dropoff in production.

In spite of the additions the Jacksonville Jaguars made to their running back room, Robinson will still get a good amount of playing time. Even though the Jags had trouble putting points on their scoreboard, the then-rookie running back showed up week in and week out. It’s clear that the NFL took notice and rightfully recognized him in their most recent Top 100.