Getty New Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.
Raiders running back Josh Jacobs didn’t have anything growing up, but now he’s got everything he could want.
Even before he was the first running back taken in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jacobs was turning heads with his shoe choice.
Josh Jacobs’ shoes on the day before the draft.
On the day of the draft, Jacobs was wearing a pair of silver and black shoes, which was maybe meant to foreshadow who he was going to get drafted by.
After wearing silver and black shoes last night to the NFL draft, Alabama RB Josh Jacobs was selected by the #Raiders in the first round. We were on the same flight early this morning from Nashville. I caught up him in the airport.
Jacobs has been using that first-round pick contract to acquire some even more interesting shoes. Plus, he’s got an endorsement from Nike which should keep the shoes coming his way for a while.
JUST IN: Nike announces top endorsers in NFL Draft Class
Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
Dwayne Haskins, OSU*
Parris Campbell, OSU
Daniel Jones, Duke
Devin White, LSU
Josh Jacobs, Bama
Drew Lock, Missouri
Miles Sanders, Penn St.
Hunter Renfroe, Clemson
Bryce Love, Stanford
*Jordan Brand
It wasn’t long ago that Josh Jacobs was spending his nights sleeping in his dad’s car. What a difference just a few years can make. Spending a ton of money on shoes may seem over-indulgent, but Jacobs doesn’t see it that way. According to Adam Kilgore, who wrote an extensive piece on Jacobs at the Washington Post, “Jacobs treasures shoes. He owns more than 150 pairs, because he carries with him the hurt of owning none.”
From zero to 150 is an impressive gain by Jacobs. With a potential movie deal coming his way, Jacobs is poised to be raking in the big bucks for some time to come.
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More Than a Heartwarming Backstory
Jacobs is much more than a great story, he’s also an exceedingly talented football player. Though he didn’t get a lot of usage while at Alabama, he still made a big enough name for himself to get selected in the first round of the draft. He’s also expected to make a splash during his rookie season.
Several outlets have named him a top offensive rookie of the year candidate.
#Raiders RB Josh Jacobs led the nation by converting 41% of his rushes into either a first down or a touchdown last year at Alabama ☠️
PFF’s top Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates for 2019 🔽
t.co/2FZzDhDMrf
#Raiders Josh Jacobs among early favorites to win Offensive Rookie of the Year
Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds
Kyler Murray (Cardinals) +260
Haskins (Redskins) +750
Hollywood Brown (Ravens) 10-1
Josh Jacobs (Raiders) 12-1
TJ Hockenson (Lions) 13-1
Drew Lock (Broncos) 17-1
N’Keal Harry (Patriots) 21-1
via @FDSportsbook
His new head coach Jon Gruden has also had many nice things to say about the talented back:
“He’s physical, he’s dynamic, he’s a great story indeed. Where this kid has come from. There is something inside of him that I didn’t go through as a young man, and I think he’s going to be a centerpiece at some point. I’m not going to put any pressure on him, he’s got a lot to learn. But we do have a good offensive line, we’ve got an experienced quarterback in our system now, we’ve got a couple of receivers that if you want to double them, perhaps this running back can do some damage. So we’re excited at this addition to our team.”
With last year’s starter Marshawn Lynch retired, Jacobs will have every opportunity to win the starting job. The Raiders can certainly use the help as they’ve only had a single running back run for over 1,000 yards since 2010.
Jacobs isn’t just known for his running ability either – he’s also a very skilled receiver out of the backfield. He’s exactly the dual-threat the Raiders need for today’s NFL. Jacobs has been a grinder his whole life and that’s not going to stop anytime soon. He’ll be putting up big numbers as a receiver and rusher for years to come.
READ NEXT: Hollywood is Coming for Raiders Rookie Josh Jacobs
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Raiders’ Rookie Josh Jacobs has a Serious Shoe Obsession