Philadelphia Eagles Draft: 4 Names to Watch in First Round

Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama

This is one of the more popular picks as of late, and there aren’t many that disagree the Eagles should address the running back position in the 2019 NFL Draft. Where there are differing opinions though is how early it should be addressed.

The argument can be made that the running back position is being devalued – and unless there is a player like Ezekiel Elliott or Saquon Barkley, then teams should wait. Combine that with running backs typically averaging a three-year career, and you could have a recipe for trouble.

However, one of the key benefits that Joshua Jacobs has is his number of college touches. Jacobs only had a TOTAL of 251 rushing attempts at Alabama. Saquon Barkley, by comparison, had 272 in 2016 alone. Now while this may seem like a negative, it actually means that Jacobs has less wear and tear on his body than a rookie running back traditionally would.

While he only had 120 carries in 2018, he made them count, by averaging 5.3 yards-per-carry and scoring 11 touchdowns on the ground. That works out to approximately be a touchdown every 11 carries. The Eagles did just trade for Jordan Howard, but depending on how well he performs this year, he could be one and done. Jacobs would be an excellent addition to the backfield and would give the Eagles a solid starter for the next 4-5 years.