Since we are in the NFL offseason and training camp is almost underway, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at past and present NFL athletes and where they are now.

This first segment will discuss former Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson.

Quick Biography:

James Robinson was a multi-sport athlete playing both basketball and football at Rockford Lutheran High School in Rockford, Illinois. His high school football career was quite impressive, earning him a two-star recruiting rating. When Robinson was a senior at Rockford Lutheran, he amassed 2,461 total yards and 44 touchdowns.

After high school, Robinson committed to Illinois State where he was there from 2016 to 2019. He ended up becoming the team’s starting running back as a sophomore and his play on the field made him a three-time First-team All-MVFC player.

Setting his eyes on an NFL career, Robinson went undrafted in 2020 and joined the Jacksonville Jaguars where he played fourteen games and surpassed over 1,000 rushing yards becoming the fourth undrafted player in NFL history to accomplish this feat.

School Details: 

• Rockford Lutheran High School (2011-2015)
• Illinois State College (2016-2019)

NFL Career History: 

• Jacksonville Jaguars (2020-2022)
• New York Jets (2022)
• New England Patriots (2023) – Offseason/practice squad member
• New York Giants (2023) – Offseason/practice squad member
• Green Bay Packers (2023)
• New Orleans Saints (2023-Present)

NFL Statistics: 

2020: Jacksonville Jaguars: 240 Carries | 1,070 Rushing Yards | 4.5 Average | 7 Rushing TDs | 344 Receiving Yards | 3 Receiving TDs

2021: Jacksonville Jaguars: 164 Carries | 767 Rushing Yards | 4.7 Average | 8 Rushing TDs | 222 Receiving Yards | 0 Receiving TDs

2022: Jacksonville Jaguars: 81 Carries | 340 Rushing Yards | 4.2 Average | 3 Rushing TDs | 46 Receiving Yards | 1 Receiving TD

2022: New York Jets: 29 Carries | 85 Rushing Yards | 2.9 Average | 0 Rushing TDs | 5 Receiving Yards | 1 Receiving TD

2023: Green Bay Packers: 1 Carry | 2 Yards | 2 Average | 0 Rushing TDs | -2 Receiving Yards | 0 Receiving TDs

Total: 515 Carries for 2,264 Rushing Yards, 4.4 Average, 18 Rushing TDs, 615 Receiving Yards, 5 TDs

Where is he now?

The good news is that Robinson is still in the NFL and on a football team currently. He signed with the New Orleans Saints on December 13, 2023 and was a practice squad player. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, the Saints resigned Robinson to a reserve/future contract in January 2024.

While early on in his career he exceeded expectations and was thought to be the next big thing at the running back position, that slowly has faded away over the last several seasons. Robinson’s rookie campaign in 2020 will be remember for just how impactful he was on a 1-15 football team. He is only 25-years-old and will be turning 26 in August.

We have seen over the last decade how the running back position gets treated in the NFL. Prime time athletes who were the face of the league slowly fizzle out.

Even though it seems as though Robinson’s spotlight has dimmed over the years, one thing is for certain – he is still in the NFL and working on securing an NFL roster with the Saints in 2024… and for that, we all should appreciate his love and dedication to the game and bringing a never giving up mentality.