On the evening of Oct. 24, news broke that the New York Jets would be sixth-round pick for Jacksonville Jaguars’ starting running back James Robinson. The pick could become a fifth-rounder pending Robinson’s playing time. The news came the same day as it was reported that Jets rookie running back Breece Hall suffered a torn ACL and within a week of the news of star Panthers back, Christian McCaffery, being traded to the San Francisco 49ers.

Robinson was an undrafted free agent out of Illinois State University in 2020. Robinson rushed for 4,444 yards and 42 touchdowns in college and was a Walter Payton Award finalist (awarded to the most outstanding offensive player in Division 1 college football).

Robinson rushed for 1,070 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie as well as catching 49 passes for 344 yards and another three touchdowns. He followed that up with 767 rushing yards and eight touchdowns before tearing his Achilles late in the season.

His highlight of the season came in week three as the Jags traveled to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers. Robinson rumbled for 100 rush yards and a touchdown.
Robinson ranks sixth all time in rushing yards in franchise history. 2021 first-round pick Travis Etienne inherits the starting job just a day after running for a career high 114 yards and hits first career rushing touchdown in the Jags 23-17 home loss to the New York Giants. Etienne, the ACC rushing yards leader, has shown himself a capable back so far this season rushing for 415 yards (which leads the team) on 6.1 yards per carry.