The Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking to running back Bhayshul Tuten to have a bigger role in the offense this year, after the departure of Travis Etienne in free agency. The expectations are going to be sky-high for his sophomore season, particularly after analysts directed so much criticism towards the Jaguars about the running back position this offseason.
Many have expressed skepticism that Jacksonville’s trio of RBs — Tuten, Chris Rodriguez, and LeQuint Allen — can’t make up for Etienne’s production. But in a new interview, CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco had a very different view, particularly on Tuten.
Appearing on 1010XL’s The Frangie Show, Prisco said he’s a long-time fan of Tuten and is expecting big things from him in 2026.
“I’m bullish on Tuten,” he said. “I think Tuten has star potential. I really do. I thought it coming out of school. I loved him at Virginia Tech. He was one of my favorite guys. And I don’t think he got used quite enough last year. And I know the fumbling early on was a concern. They were concerned about his fumbling. But I think he’s got a chance to be really special in the backfield.”
As noted by Prisco, Tuten impressed in college, with back-to-back 500+ yard rushing seasons. He set the Virginia Tech record for the most single-game rushing yards (266), earned All-ACC honors, and racked up over 3,000 career rushing yards.
After being drafted by the Jaguars, Tuten immediately made a big impression. The team’s belief that he was ready for a larger workload could have been a factor in the team’s decision to trade Tank Bigsby. As Etienne’s backup, Tuten had limited snaps but still proved to be efficient and reliable, rushing 83 times for 307 yards and five touchdowns.
There is obviously still room for improvement. As Prisco noted, Tuten has had some history with fumbles, particularly in college. But he did better with ball security his rookie season, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t continue to improve in his sophomore year.
It’s still not known who will end up as RB1, but all signs seem to point to Tuten. Regardless, the Jaguars’ committee approach to the position will ensure that he sees regular playing time regardless of his official spot on the depth chart, and as Prisco said, it could end up being a big year for him.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Analyst believes Jaguars’ second year player can have big impact
Reporting by Casandra Chesser, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Casandra Chesser, Jaguars Wire | USA TODAY Network
