T.J. Yeldon a solid pick for Jacksonville Jaguars

By Luis Tirado Jr. | May 2, 2015

With their No. 36 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars made a solid decision when they selected running back T.J. Yeldon. At 6’1″ and 226 pounds, Yeldon will bring a nice dimension to a Jaguars’ offense that continues to evolve over time. As the third running back selected in this year’s draft behind Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon, Yeldon continues to prove that the position group can still be a force to reckon with as under the right system, it can be just as potent as any passing attack in the NFL.

Yeldon brings much to the table for a team that is trying to find its identity on offense. Over the past few years, they’ve been infusing top talent to really establish a foundation to hopefully have major success down the road. Yeldon adds another piece to the puzzle thanks to how consistent he can be.

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In his collegiate career at Alabama, Yeldon contributed 3,322 yards and 37 touchdowns. What he lacks in overall speed he makes up with a keen awareness to find gaps and run for daylight. He also has a knack at breaking tackles and becoming quite elusive as he’s running down the football field.

With his 5.8 yards per carry, there is no doubt in my mind that Yeldon will compete for a starting job this summer and actually win. No offense to Denard Robinson or Toby Gerhart that are hopeful in earning a starting spot at the position but Yeldon’s skill-set should definitely set him apart from the rest.

One of my most favorite attributes of Yeldon is his ability to be hard to bring down once the football is in his hands. It’s as if he glides through defenders and knows how to really push the envelope towards keeping the chains moving. Trust me when I say, he will provide a nice jolt to the Jaguars’ offensive attack.

He isn’t really a dual-threat kind of option but he could also be used as a last resort on certain passing plays if he uses his elusiveness to get open. At Alabama, he contributed 494 yards on 46 receptions for two touchdowns. His receiving numbers aren’t earth-shattering but his 10.7 average of yards per catch is pretty good to say the least.

Jan 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back T.J. Yeldon (4) runs with the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2015 Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Of course Yeldon isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination as he does have some issues with ball security. With 576 carrier carries, he’s fumbled 10 times which shouldn’t be too big a problem to course correct once he gets the right coaching and development once transitioning to the pros.

With a knack to convert key third down conversions, Yeldon is indeed a solid pick for the Jaguars who should be relatively better come next season thanks to all their offseason acquisitions. If they are to compete in the AFC South, they must field a competitive offense to keep up with how competitive the rest of the division will be.

Overall, I think this was one of the best draft selections in the 2nd Round as Yeldon fills an immediate team need and could very well end up as a nice sleeper pick over time. With all eyes on Gurley and Gordon, Yeldon slipped under the radar of many teams but could prove down the road that he was indeed the better option at running back.

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