JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- In his brief time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Denard Robinson has been a wide receiver, a Wildcat quarterback, and, finally, a running back.
After what he did on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns at EverBank Field, he may have added another role: Building block.
The Jaguars are trying to find some young playmakers to grow and develop with rookie quarterback Blake Bortles. They've got pieces at receiver in rookies Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns. Denard Robinson's 127-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Jaguars' 24-6 victory over the Browns shows he has the potential to be considered a part of the offense's foundation going forward.
Robinson's potential is intriguing because it's hard to put a cap on what he could become because he's still learning to be a running back. He's still somewhat relying on instincts and athleticism as he figures out how to carry the ball from the backfield and how to read blocks and find seams in the offensive line.
Robinson starred as a quarterback at Michigan from 2009-12 but the Jaguars, enamored with his speed and open-field ability, drafted him in the fifth round in 2013. Jaguars GM David Caldwell called him an "offensive weapon" and said he'd be used in a variety of ways.
That never materialized. Lingering nerve damage in his throwing hand from a hit to his elbow during his senior season at Michigan -- which the Jaguars and Robinson kept mum about -- prevented him from gripping the football. He struggled to throw it, had all kinds of problems trying to catch it, and couldn't keep from fumbling it.
By the time his rookie season ended, he had started to regain some of the feeling. That's when he started to really concentrate on becoming a running back. It wasn't an easy transition. Most of his big runs in college came off zone-read plays or scrambles. Robinson didn't know how to read blocks while taking a handoff in the backfield. He didn't know how to pick up blitzing defenders, either.
It was the first time Robinson hadn't had success on the field and it was hard to take.
"I came in not even knowing what position I was going to play, and they told me I was going to play running back," he said. "I didn't know how to do it -- how to make the right steps to come off, how to block a guy or anything like that. I had to work on how to get the ball in the backfield because I was used to getting the ball from the gun. It's a big difference."
He has come a long way since then, thanks to help from Toby Gerhart, Jordan Todman, Will Ta'ufo'ou and even Maurice Jones-Drew, who mentored Robinson last season. Robinson worked with running backs coach Terry Richardson throughout the offseason, too. When the feeling and strength in his hand returned completely, he was a different player.
He had one drop during organized team activities and minicamp and hasn't fumbled once in seven games. When Gerhart was forced to sit out his second consecutive game because of a right foot injury, Robinson showed how far he has come in less than a year.
His first carry against the Browns went for 14 yards and he ended up averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He had 160 career rushing yards coming into Sunday's game. Robinson sealed the Jaguars' first victory since Dec. 5, 2013, with his 8-yard touchdown run with 5:58 remaining.
"I saw the opening and hesitated a little bit and bounced it outside," Robinson said. "I was like, 'I can't get denied.' It was my first touchdown, and it was amazing. It's a great feeling to experience something that you've dreamed about your whole life.
"As a little kid, I thought about scoring a touchdown in the NFL, and I did it."
Now maybe the Jaguars should start thinking about making him a piece of their foundation.
