Ever since he entered the NFL, Josh Jacobs has been one of the most difficult running backs to tackle. Whether it be due to his size, power or quickness, defenders seem to have a hard time bringing him down.
But where does he rank among the league’s most elusive backs? In a recent article by Bryant Horn of Pro Football Focus, he ranked the most elusive running backs in the NFL last season based on missed tackles forced.
Jacobs came in at No. 4, just behind Javonte Williams, Kareem Hunt and Michael Carter. Here is what Horn had to say about Jacobs during the 2021 season:
“The Alabama product forced 57 missed tackles across the 2021 regular season, which was tied for third-most. He turned 217 rushing attempts into 872 yards, 617 of which came after contact. Jacobs found the endzone nine times, which was the fifth-most, and moved the sticks for 45 first downs, which was around the middle of the pack.”
Ability has never been a problem for Jacobs as he has proven to be a highly effective back. However, he has had problems staying on the field. And even when he does play, he seems to get banged up relatively often.
Still, Jacobs is among the best pure runners in the NFL and is a real weapon in the backfield. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, look for this to be the best version we’ve seen jet of Jacobs as he is a perfect fit in the offense under Josh McDaniels.