Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
The Indianapolis Colts haven’t had a legitimate rushing attack since Edgerrin James left town, but that will change heading into the 2015 season. Frank Gore was signed earlier on in the offseason, and he is expected to be an every-down back for the Colts and to see plenty of work. Indianapolis still has Vick Ballard and Dan Herron coming back next season as well.
Ryan Grigson decided to bring in another player to compete for a roster spot at the running back position, and that player is Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Josh Robinson.
Robinson is a very nice value pick-up for the Colts. He was a key contributor to the Bulldogs’ success last season, and was one of the better running backs in the nation. While he isn’t going to become an NFL star by any stretch of the imagination, he’ll be a dangerous back for the Colts to utilize in short-yardage situations.
At 5-foot-9 and 215 pounds, he was given the nickname “Bowling Ball” for a reason. He is nearly impossible to bring down due to his low center of gravity, and he has above-average strength for a running back as well. During his junior season with Mississippi State last year, Robinson totaled 1,203 yards and 11 touchdowns on 190 carries.
Is he going to compete with Gore for the starting job? Absolutely not. Despite that fact, he still could end up winning the backup running back job and the right to get some carries when the Colts need a yard or two for a first down or in the red zone.
Not only is he a solid player on the field, he is going to make the media fall in love with his personality. He is a very nice person away from football, which is one of the qualities that the Colts have focused on. Robinson won’t be a distraction off the field, assuming he doesn’t get in with the wrong crowd and sticks to his morals.
Indianapolis could very well see Robinson flourish learning behind Gore. They are very similar backs with similar running styles, and sitting behind Gore and watching him play might be exactly what Robinson needs. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him become a starting running back at some point in his career, especially with the work ethic that he has displayed throughout his career.
Following all of the offseason moves that the Colts have made, their offense is even better this season than it was last year. Andrew Luck‘s job has gotten a lot easier with the addition of a running game, and they have excellent depth in case of injury as well.
There is always a chance that the Colts won’t end up keeping Robinson on the regular season roster, but that doesn’t seem all that likely. He is without question an NFL running back, and will likely be able to play his way onto the team in training camp and preseason action. Don’t expect to see Robinson be given a huge role this year, but he could end up being a very big surprise to a lot of people over the next two or three seasons.
