MAURICE JONES-DREW

About me:

Maurice Jones-Drew was selected in the 2006 NFL Draft out of UCLA by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2nd round (60th overall). He was drafted to eventually replace Fred Taylor. In the beginning he was used mostly for kick-off returns, but he eventually became the Jaguars' primary third-down back. After a relatively slow start, Jones-Drew suddenly exploded. Against the Colts on December 10, 2006, Jones-Drew set a franchise record with 166 rushing yards and 303 All-Purpose Yards, which included a 93-yard kickoff return for touchdown. He already has broken Jaguars team records by scoring at least one rushing touchdown in eight consecutive games (the previous record was four straight games) and by gaining 2,250 all-purpose yards. He finished 3rd in the NFL in both kickoff returns (27.7 yd avg) and touchdowns scored (16). One of only two players in the NFL to score at least one TD rushing, receiving, and returning kicks (Reggie Bush was the other). He also led all AFC running backs in scrimmage yards per touch. Narrowly missing 1,000 yards for the season, Jones-Drew's rushing average of 5.7 yds per carry led the NFL and was the highest for an NFL running back since Barry Sanders averaged 6.1 yds per rush in 1997. In addition, he had the third-most all-purpose yards of any rookie in history. He was nominated five different times for NFL Rookie of the Week in 2006. According to one NFL scout, "Maurice Jones-Drew should be rookie of the year. He's got the biggest legs for a shorter guy and way more power than anybody gives him credit for. And he's got outstanding speed. He's just a little dynamo." (Source: The Sporting News, Jan. 8, 2007, edition, p. 33.) Nevertheless, he finished tied for 2nd in the balloting for Offensive Rookie of the Year (Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans was the winner). Experts believe he could be another Joe Morris type running back with short stature but blazing speed. On a more humorous note, Mojo says he likes wearing #32 because it reminds him each and every time he steps on the football field just how many NFL teams bypassed him in the draft because of his height (all of them, in fact). On January 3, 2007, Jones-Drew was as the Runner-up in the voting for Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.