No quarterback in modern NFL history has ever led the league in rushing. Could reigning MVP Lamar Jackson become the first to do so this year? Here are Jackson’s odds at Mybookie to lead the NFL in rushing yards in the 2020 regular season as well as his over/under yardage total.
Of course, Jackson won the Heisman Trophy at Louisville in 2016 and was the final pick of the first round in the 2018 draft by the Ravens. GM Eric DeCosta traded back into that round to get Jackson, which has proven brilliant. When Jackson was still on the board, the Ravens then sent the Philadelphia Eagles a second-round pick (No. 52), the 125th pick, and a 2019 pick for the 32nd pick and the 132nd pick (fourth round). They used No. 32 to select Jackson.
“We didn’t even interview Lamar at the combine because we didn’t want to be associated with him,” DeCosta said. “We didn’t want rumors about us and him to start. They didn’t. We were proud of that.
“We felt like there was a pretty good chance that Lamar might be there later in the first round, early part of the second round,” DeCosta added. “We were willing, if we could, to trade back, trade back, accumulate capital, and then possibly either try to trade back again or in a second round, make a play and get Lamar at that point. But, you know, it was a risk.”
Baltimore has molded its offense around his talents. The Ravens took Jackson out of the offense he ran at Louisville. In college, he was a pocket passer in a pro-style, pass-first attack who just happened to be the most productive runner in football. John Harbaugh’s Ravens moved Jackson into an offense that emphasizes his unique abilities as a runner while using that threat to create plays in the passing game.
Jackson was inconsistent as a rookie but was incredible last year in leading the NFL in touchdown passes, setting a single-season rushing record for a quarterback with 1,206 yards and won NFL MVP. He posted the highest first-down rate (39.8%) for any player with at least 150 carries going back through 2001 and produced more expected points as a runner than any running back in the league.
Jackson would become the second player in history after Tom Brady to be voted unanimously and the second-youngest player to win, behind only Jim Brown. Jackson, along with Patrick Mahomes, Cam Newton and Steve McNair, is one of the four African-American quarterbacks to win the AP MVP award.
In the Divisional Round playoff upset loss to Tennessee, Jackson completed 31 of 59 passes for 365 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. He also rushed 20 times for 143 yards becoming the first player to throw for 300+ yards and rush for 100+ yards in a playoff game.
Then Jackson started in the Pro Bowl and threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns with one interception and was named the offensive Most Valuable Player. He became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to start a Pro Bowl.
Jackson says he expects to run less in 2020: “I doubt if I’m going to be carrying the ball a lot going on in the future. We’ve got dynamic running backs. We’re going to have even more receivers.”
Jackson’s 176 carries in 2019 broke his own single-season record for quarterbacks by 29. It stands to reason the Ravens would like to dial that number back a bit and try to limit Jackson’s exposure to big hits. Jackson definitely noticed the record-setting contract that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes just got.
“I’ve got to win me a Super Bowl. I’ve got to get where he’s at,” Jackson said. Asked about Mahomes’ new contract, Jackson noted it’s “a crazy number,” but added, “he deserves it though.”
Similar to Mahomes, Jackson sat the start of his career. The Ravens QB took over down the stretch in 2018 when Joe Flacco went down due to injury.
The Ravens are 8.5-point home favorites for Week 1 vs. Cleveland.
