‘I Just Continued To Work Hard and Went out There and Played Football’: James Robinson Reflects on ROTY Nomination

No Jacksonville Jaguars has ever won the NFL's Rookie of the Year Award ... but then again, not many Jaguars rookies are like James Robinson.

Robinson was named a finalist for the 2020 Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year award in January, the cherry on top of what was a record-breaking rookie year for the running back. But what is most amazing about Robinson's candidacy can be easily observed when looking at his fellow finalists.

The other four finalists for rookie of the year? Chase Young (No. 2 overall), Justin Herbert (No. 6 overall), Justin Jefferson (No. 22), and Jonathan Taylor (No. 42). All but one was a first-round pick. All were picked within the top-50. But Robinson was the exception -- he earned a nomination for rookie of the year as an undrafted free agent, a rare honor.

"It means a lot. It just shows that me not getting drafted, it didn't really affect me as much, even though that was one of my biggest dreams -- to hear my name called," Robinson told Jaguar Report about the nomination.

"It just shows that I just continued to work hard and went out there and played football."

Robinson entered the NFL with a loyal following of fans and coaches who saw him dominate at Illinois State and in the Illinois high school football scene, but the undrafted running back wasn't a household name on a national level. Robinson made sure this changed with a record-breaking rookie season.

Overall, Robinson carried the ball 240 times for 1,070 yards (4.5 yards per carry) for seven touchdowns. He led rookie running backs in receptions (49) and touchdown receptions (three) while recording 344 yards. In 14 games, Robinson finished with 1,414 scrimmage yards (1,070 rushing, 344 receiving), the most scrimmage yards by an undrafted rookie in the common-draft era. He was also the only rookie in the NFL to average more than 100 scrimmage yards per game this season.

Robinson's fantastic production over the regular season earns him the distinction of being awarded for an award that past running backs such as Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara, and Adrian Peterson have won. Just being a candidate alone puts Robinson in rare company.

"Saquan Barkley, he just ... that guy is crazy. He's a freak of nature. But I mean, just being nominated for an award that he's won and other guys as well, it just means that the draft is just a number, but you still got to go out there and play football and that is exactly what I did," Robinson said. "So that means a lot to be nominated for this."

Robinson's tough style of play, incredible work ethic, and no-nonsense attitude quickly earned him the respect of his teammates, coaching staff, and even opposing players.

Throughout the year, opposing defenders would remark after the game how difficult it was to defend Robinson. His fellow offensive players such as Gardner Minshew, Mike Glennon, and Collin Johnson never shied away from his importance to the offense, either.

As a result, it was no surprise to see Jaguars players and coaches proclaim it was a mistake for the Pro Bowl to not include Robinson as one of the AFC's three running backs.

"I mean, those are my guys and I know they got my back. I know A lot of them were pretty upset about it -- me not getting in the Pro Bowl. But I mean, I can't control that, but I'm glad like, they have stuff to say about it," Robinson said.

"They always tell me what a great year I had and everything. But that's what I was supposed to do. Come out there and have a great year, because I really have no excuses to have a bad one."

That kind of determination is a big part of what made Robinson so successful as a rookie. It is also a major factor in him climbing from the ranks of an unknown undrafted rookie working for a spot on the roster to one of the NFL's most productive running backs.

Because of this, future undrafted players have a new player they can look to as a model for success and doing things the right way. Just as past undrafted success stories like Dominic Rhodes and Phillip Lindsay were role models for undrafted players after them, Robinson will undoubtedly be a shining example for those who come into the league after him.

"There are a lot of guys out there that weren't drafted that I know will probably make a name for themselves pretty soon. It means a lot to represent the undrafted guys," Robinson said. "And I mean, I would just like to thank the fans for nominating me for this award."