Silver Minings: Josh Jacobs ranked as Top 10 running back

Even though he’s only 23 years old, Josh Jacobs is already viewed as one of the best running backs in the game. In two years for the Raiders, he’s rushed for more than 2,200 yards with 19 rushing TD.

CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker recently listed the top 10 running backs heading into the 2021 NFL season, and Jacobs found himself on the list coming in at No. 9.

Here’s what Walker had to say about Jacobs:

“A breakout rookie season for the Raiders put Jacobs on the radar for this list, but a bigger sample size was needed before listing him as one of the 10 best in the league at his position,” writes Walker. “One year later, he’s earned the right to be listed here, to say the least. Yes, the Raiders are having difficulties on offense, but it’s not because of the run game. Jacobs has been consistent in his ability to punch opposing defenses in the mouth on a weekly basis. Two years in, he already has two 1,000-yard seasons without the benefit of a dominant pass game to complement him and to take pressure off of him a a snap-to-snap basis.

“All Jacobs did with that complication was pretend it didn’t exist, rushing for 2,215 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns in his first two years as a pro and he’d add an extra 404 receiving yards to his stat line in the process. Maybe the addition of Kenyan Drake shaves some of his numbers in 2021 and maybe not, likely the latter. The bottom line is Jacobs will get his reps and he’ll make the most of them when he does, as has been the case heading into Year 3. And with looming contract talks on the horizon, he has an added reason to continue elevating his game.”

Jacobs finished the 2020 season eighth in rushing yards. Out of the players who finished top 15 in the league in that category, only two were younger than Jacobs.

The future is bright for the young running back, who won’t even be 24 until next season.

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