To me, Bhayshul Tuten is a back we should be considering. I’m optimistic about how the Jaguars will use him in the passing game.
It’s a backfield that’s wide open, with Travis Etienne signing with the Saints. Most likely it will be a combination of Tuten and Chris Rodriguez. The Jaguars selected Tuten in the fourth round a year ago, and they signed Rodriguez this year to a two-year deal worth at least $10 million, with $6.2 guaranteed.
They’re different styles of backs. Rodriguez is bigger, and he played for Liam Coen at Kentucky. Tuten had a modest rookie season, running for 307 yards and 5 TDs while averaging only 3.7 yards per attempt. Tuten is a smaller back but ran a 4.32 at the combine. That ties with De’Von Achane as the fastest of any running back at the combine in the last 10 years.
But it’s the receiving that catches my eye. Specifically, Coen has a history of featuring his running backs on pass plays around the goal line. Two years ago, Rachaad White caught 6 TDs for Coen in Tampa Bay, and Etienne caught 6 TDs last year. Only four running backs have caught 6-plus touchdowns in the last two seasons, and two of them belong to Coen.
| RUNNING BACKS WITH 5 TD CATCHES (last 2 yrs) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2025 | Christian McCaffrey, S.F. | 102 | 924 | 9.1 | 7 |
| 2024 | De'Von Achane, Mia. | 78 | 592 | 7.6 | 6 |
| 2024 | • Rachaad White, T.B. | 51 | 393 | 7.7 | 6 |
| 2025 | • Travis Etienne, Jac. | 36 | 292 | 8.1 | 6 |
| 2025 | Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 77 | 616 | 8.0 | 5 |
| 2025 | Chase Brown, Cin. | 69 | 437 | 6.3 | 5 |
| 2025 | RJ Harvey, Den. | 47 | 356 | 7.6 | 5 |
| 2025 | Ashton Jeanty, L.V. | 55 | 346 | 6.3 | 5 |
Admittedly, there’s some extrapolating here. But I think Tuten has a good chance to be plugged in for some of those kind of plays. He caught a pair of touchdowns last year, and he caught 81 passes in his final three college seasons. Certainly, he’s a much better pass catcher than Rodriguez.
Rodriguez in 35 games as a pro has caught 6 passes, with zero touchdowns. (Rodriguez in his big season for Coen at Kentucky in 13 games caught 13 passes for 61 yards, with 3 TDs.)
But I think Tuten will be the pass-catching back for the Jaguars. Particularly in PPR formats, that gives him a very good chance of outperforming his draft position. I think he’s got a good chance of catching 5-plus touchdowns.
—Ian Allan
