Josh Jacobs RB (Alabama)

[AllGasNoBrakes]

I firmly believe Rams take Jacobs with the 1st rounder this year. I know it sounds crazy with Gurley on the team but hear me out...

I think the arthritis murmurs with Gurley are unfortunately true, it just makes too much sense with the way the team has been acting and the sporadic benching and use of Gurley towards the end of the season. There’s even a quote where Gurley states he knew something was wrong with his knees and immediately wanted to give the Rams all the newly negotiated contract money back. That sounds like a longer term issue.

We’ve already invested a large amount of cap space on Gurley at this point though so the backup will have to come at a low cap hit in order to offset Gurley’s massive contract.

RAMS NEED:
Starting caliber (1B type) RB for a cheap cap hit.

31st pick, Rams 1st rounder, average contract value for 2019 is 1.866M.

Most of the 1st round defensive talent will go earlier than expected and allow Jacobs to be available at our pick. With the Rams filling holes via free agency and maybe having more confidence in the talent in the building (Kiser, Sheldon-Day, Franklin-Meyers) they may be more willing to spend the 1st to fill this specific need.

Jacobs is an unselfish and intelligent player who is shifty, tough between the tackles, hits you in the mouth when pass blocking, and can reliably make catches downfield as well.

We’ve all seen what the team looks like with a strong running game. A tandem of Gurley and Jacobs with Jacobs locked up for cheap not only secures the RB position for years to come but also addresses and solves the Gurley arthritis problem with having a capable and reliable 1B always on deck.

Last, for those arguing that you’d rather just grab a RB off the FA market for cheaper, good luck finding a RB of Jacobs talent for that price. You could argue Jacobs is better than Ingram and he just got paid $5M/yr. The emphasis is the need for a starting caliber RB since we’ll most likely have Gurley on a pitch count all year and maybe even out full games.

Jacobs is quick, decisive, an excellent pass blocker, and can run routes and make catches. He is the perfect piece for McVay’s offense and makes too much sense for our current RB situation.


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AnlxWfeQAJA

 

[AllGasNoBrakes]

Prospect Info

COLLEGE
Alabama

HOMETOWN
Tulsa, Okla.

HEIGHT
5' 10"

WEIGHT
220 lbs

ARMS
31 5/8”

HANDS
10 1/8”

NO COMBINE
4.60 40 yd Dash at Pro Day

“Josh Jacobs NFL Draft profile: Everything to know about pro day, measurements, strengths, team fits

Josh Jacobs runs angry. That's the most succinct -- and perhaps accurate -- description of his style. He's also has very low mileage, in running back terms, which makes him more attractive to NFL teams looking for a back who can block, catch passes coming out of the backfield, and, of course, carry the rock with purpose. And while Jacobs may be one of the best 32 players i this draft, is he worth a first-round pick? That's the question facing general managers, scouts and coaches around the league.

Strengths/weaknesses
Strengths: Jacobs is a compactly built, one-cut-and-explodes type runner who excels at setting up blocks. He is difficult to bring down with initial contact (see PFF metric above) and his play speed affords him the ability to bounce runs outside -- though he doesn't force it. He runs hard, with purpose, is an efficient pass blocker, shows good hands as a receiver and can also return kicks. He's the best running back in this class, 4.60 40 time or not.

Weaknesses: Straight-line speed may be a concern to some teams that wanted to see Jacobs run faster at his pro day. Alabama teammate Damien Harris ran a 4.57 40 at the combine and he's similar in height and weight. But if you watch Jacobs play, he doesn't look slow (see him trucking that poor Oklahoma defender above), and again, he runs with purpose, has a wicked jump cut, and shows the speed on tape to get around the edge. He's also a four-down player, and while he may need to refine his routes of the backfield, he has soft hands and in the process adds another element to an offense.”

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft...out-pro-day-measurements-strengths-team-fits/


Josh Jacobs vs. Clemson (2019)

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kw-sn-82Wfo


Josh Jacobs vs Miss. St. (2018)

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2xP5UXk6Yf4


Josh Jacobs Junior Year Highlights (2018)

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QmjZGYteap0

Josh Jacobs Sophomore Year Highlights (2017)

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=buUcfGPaB24

Josh Jacobs Film Room

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2B_1rWcdlyA

 

[Riverumbbq]

If Malcom Brown isn't brought back, given that he will be even cheaper now than before he received the offer sheet from the Lions, something will indeed be up, although going after Jacobs does seem quite a stretch. jmo.

 

[AllGasNoBrakes]

If Malcom Brown isn't brought back, given that he will be even cheaper now than before he received the offer sheet from the Lions, something will indeed be up, although going after Jacobs does seem quite a stretch. jmo.

You’re right, how they handle the Malcolm Brown offer sheet will be telling. Especially since they’ve done nothing to address the RB position thus far.

 

[Merlin]

If they go RB at 31 I'm gonna have a hard time with that. It just seems like they can get a cheap cap hit at RB later in the draft. But I guess if he's the best player on your board and you're really worried about TG it's a possibility eh?

 

[AllGasNoBrakes]

If they go RB at 31 I'm gonna have a hard time with that. It just seems like they can get a cheap cap hit at RB later in the draft. But I guess if he's the best player on your board and you're really worried about TG it's a possibility eh?

I understand your sentiments. Problem is though that Rams might have to sit Gurley out of games completely like they did down the stretch. With an offense so predicated on the play action having a real threat at RB makes the offense go.

IMO, for our offense and system, Jacobs is better value at 31 than say DT Tillery or EDGE Ferguson since I think most of the D talent will go higher than expected. Right now we’d be trotting out John Kelly for 4 quarters if we give Gurley’s knees a break...

I also think Snead/McVay may look at RB as a bigger need than we are all anticipating and since we don’t have a 2nd the available RB’s in the late 3rd just don’t cut it as a 1B.

 

[Malibu]

I have seen Jacobs consistently mocked higher than #31. I would not use #31 for him. We have bigger needs. I think Gurley/Brown or Gurley/Anderson combo will be fine

 

[jrry32]

Why do that? First, we could sign Spencer Ware or trade for Jordan Howard and keep our first round pick. Second, if we do want to draft a HB, why not take a guy in the 3rd? Odds are that we can land a guy like David Montgomery.

 

[AllGasNoBrakes]

Why do that? First, we could sign Spencer Ware or trade for Jordan Howard and keep our first round pick. Second, if we do want to draft a HB, why not take a guy in the 3rd? Odds are that we can land a guy like David Montgomery.

Gurley missed 2 entire games and was relatively useless in the postseason. It’s a bitter pill but his best football may be behind him. At the very least he will always be on a pitch count for the rest of his career. Rams were in the SUPERBOWL and they were still trotting out Anderson. If that’s not telling to Gurley’s condition I don’t know what is.

You do it because at 1.31 you get more value drafting a stud like Jacobs which acts as an insurance policy to Gurley at a low cap hit for several years in a position important in our scheme.

Ware or Howard? Howard doesn’t fit our scheme at all with his brick hands and that’s if you can get him to sign for 1.8M. Ware has a ton of miles on him and in the event Gurley needs games off you really want to roll with Ware as the #1 to carry the load..? Defenses won’t respect that and, as we’ve seen, kill our offense in dime coverages.

Montgomery won’t be there at our pick in the 3rd.

 

[OldSchool]

I don’t think a pick in the first would be worse in my book other than maybe a QB.

 

[jrry32]

Gurley missed 2 entire games and was relatively useless in the postseason. It’s a bitter pill but his best football may be behind him. At the very least he will always be on a pitch count for the rest of his career. Rams were in the SUPERBOWL and they were still trotting out Anderson. If that’s not telling to Gurley’s condition I don’t know what is.

How was Gurley such a monster for almost the entire regular season then? You're overreacting. I'm not throwing away a first round pick when we can get great value elsewhere.

You do it because at 1.31 you get more value drafting a stud like Jacobs which acts as an insurance policy to Gurley at a low cap hit for several years in a position important in our scheme.

No, you don't. You get more value drafting a stud like David Montgomery at 3.31.

Ware or Howard? Howard doesn’t fit our scheme at all with his brick hands and that’s if you can get him to sign for 1.8M. Ware has a ton of miles on him and in the event Gurley needs games off you really want to roll with Ware as the #1 to carry the load..? Defenses won’t respect that and, as we’ve seen, kill our offense in dime coverages.

Howard fits our scheme beautifully. He's one of the NFL's best ZBS runners. He's not a good receiver, but that's why we have Gurley. Ware doesn't have tons of miles on him. Yes, I'm willing to roll with Ware.

Montgomery won’t be there at our pick in the 3rd.

That's where he's projected, but if you're worried, trade up in the 3rd.

 

[den-the-coach]

Odds are that we can land a guy like David Montgomery.

That's the guy IMO, is a great fit for the McVay offense.