THE JACOBS FILE
Team: Las Vegas Raiders
Height: 5-10
Weight: 220
Birthday: 2/11/1998, 25
40-Yard Dash: 4.52 seconds
College: Alabama
Draft: Round 1, 24th pick, 2019 NFL draft
Contract: Raiders placed the franchise tag on Pollard for $10.09 million
WAG: Brittany Jacobs
Children: 3, daughter Delta with Brittany Jacobs; son Caden with Stacey Long; son Zion, with former wife Candace Cook.
Record/Accomplishments
· 1st Team All-Pro, 2022
· 2x Pro Bowl, 2021, 2022
· NFL rushing leader, 1,653 yards, 2022
· PFWA All-Rookie Team
· College football national champion, 2017
IS RAIDERS RB JOSH JACOBS THE FORGOTTEN MAN?
When the NFL season ended and free agency commenced, there was a ton of attention paid to Giants running back Saquon Barkley. Would the Giants be able to keep the player they drafted with the second pick in the 2018 draft?
And there was a ton of attention paid to Cowboys breakout back Tony Pollard. Pollard, not Zeke Elliott, led the Cowboys in rushing before suffering a broken leg in the team’s playoff loss to the 49ers. Would Dallas keep Pollard and Elliott?
And there was a ton of attention paid to University of Texas running back Bijan Robinson, the best back prospect since Barkley. Would a team use a Top 15 pick on Robinson, or would he slide in the draft?
Meanwhile, the man who actually led the NFL in rushing, Josh Jacobs, didn’t receive his ton of attention. Not only did Jacobs rush for 1,653 yards but at the age of 25 he’s got a lot of years left as an elite back.
The Raiders certainly were paying Jacobs attention. They slapped the franchise tag on the former Alabama star, meaning Jacobs will earn $10.09 million this season. He would then be an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season.
Jacobs will have to carry a huge load in 2023. The Raiders part ways with starting QB Derek Carr, who recently signed with the Saints. There is speculation the Raiders will the No. 7 in the April draft on a quarterback. But until that QB comes of age, Jacobs will be the man in the spotlight for the Raiders offense.
Hard to imagine he’ll be a forgotten man at the end of the 2023 season.