Getty J.K. Dobbins celebrates a touchdown.
The Baltimore Ravens are counting on another big season from J.K. Dobbins running the ball, but the team probably didn’t figure Dobbins to be poised to make an impact catching the ball.
After a solid career as a pass catcher at Ohio State, Dobbins didn’t make a huge difference through the air last season, snagging 18 passes for 120 yards. Heading into 2021, though, there is visual evidence that the Ravens might be able to count on their runner for a bit more in the passing game.
During a camp practice, Dobbins made an incredible catch which was captured as an image. Dobbins stretched out over a defensive back to reel the catch in.
Here’s a look at the play:
That man is no joke.
(via @Ravens)
Dobbins can make an incredible impact on the game and this is another example of that. If the Ravens decide to throw him the ball in the red zone more, this might end up being the reason why.
Dobbins Called Under-Appreciated Talent
Even though the Ravens have a great running back in J.K. Dobbins, is it possible that the runner is flying under the radar more than a bit? That could be true as he gets set to transition into another season on the field and his second in the league.
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Recently, NFL.com writer Cynthia Frelund took a look at picking out the most under-appreciated player for every single team in the league. When it came to the Ravens, Dobbins was on the list, if only for one more season thanks to what he could be set to do in 2021.
She wrote:
“I am guessing I won’t be able to include Dobbins on this list after the coming season, so I am going for it now. Next Gen Stats credit Dobbins with the fourth-most rushing yards over expected last season (222), and his 7.0 yards per rush outside the tackles was not only the highest average but he was also the only running back to have an average over 6.0 yards on such runs (min. 50 attempts). His seven rushing touchdowns against stacked boxes were tied for fifth in the NFL. If that weren’t enough, when he wasn’t the subject of a play (ball-carrier or target), Dobbins was still extremely productive. To approximate a measurement for pass-protection impact, I counted all running backs making contact and at least holding their defender for one second. Dobbins ranked 10th-best at holding his defender for at least a second by percentage last season and got better in each game he played.”
When Dobbins got work last year, he was very impressive and managed to be one of the more interesting players on the roster. Coming into this season, it’s easy to see how he will not be overlooked as much as he may have been last season.
Dobbins’ Stats and Highlights
Dobbins entered the Ravens as a player who seemed to be on track to become one of the stars in the league, and he’s wasted no time getting this done. In his rookie season, Dobbins rushed for an impressive 805 yards and 9 touchdowns, and that was while dealing with others in the backfield. This coming season, Dobbins should be on track to be even more productive, given the team is banking on him to be the lead dog.
Here’s some of the top plays from Dobbins’ rookie season on the field:
Obviously, Dobbins has the chance to stand out in the future given the good start to his career. This is the kind of play that could help the Ravens out plenty if he could make it during the season.
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J.K. Dobbins Makes Amazing Catch During Ravens Minicamp