The NFL preseason is ripe for overreactions, but it already looks like the Jacksonville Jaguars hit it out of the ballpark when they used a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on running back Bhayshul Tuten.
While Day 3 selections are rarely expected to make an impact, Tuten's impressive performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers is proof that he can have an impact early on for the Jags.
Bhayshul Tuten came through for the Jaguars vs. the Steelers
Travis Etienne got the starting nod at running back, but once Bhayshul Tuten stepped onto the football field, he wasted no time making his presence felt. The rookie out of Virginia Tech toted the rock six times for 24 yards and one touchdown.
All things considered, that's a solid statline. What's impressive about it is how he plowed his way to the end zone to score, getting an assist from his teammates along the way. Here's the clip.
BHAYSHUL TUTEN DID NOT GIVE UP ON THE PLAY 😤
He powers his way in for the TD
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/sQ5iIMUSLh
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2025
Aside from his jaw-dropping rushing touchdown, NFL analyst Laurie Fitzpatrick highlighted Tuten's elusiveness and ability to make defenders miss.
Bhayshul Tuten avoiding the defenders after the catch. He shows great balance pic.twitter.com/j0UNdkKW5Y
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) August 10, 2025
That's simply the kind of skill you cannot teach players. On top of that, it looks like Tuten has taken care of the fumbling issues that plagued him the past two seasons. When you add it all up, the Jaguars must be thrilled about Tuten following his impressive outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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What's next for Jaguars rookie Bhayshul Tuten?
Before the preseason, third-year pro Tank Bigsby appeared to be the favorite to be RB1 for the Jaguars in 2025, based on the amount and snaps and carries he got in training camp. Barring anything unexpected, he has a favorable chance to be the starter come Week 1. That said, it wouldn't be shocking to see Bhayshul Tuten get extended playing time early on and see his workload increase as the year progresses.
After all, a report surfaced after the 2025 draft that the Jags weren't sold on either Bigsby or Travis Etienne, and this, in turn, might've led them to pick Tuten. It looks like the team's brass has changed their stance the past few months, though.
After all, both Bigsby and Etienen have gotten a fair shake to show what they bring to the table. It's not like either one was a slouch, but new regimes tend to bring in their guys while overlooking the players they inherited. That's not the case with the Jags. In fact, they're making the right call for not pushing Tuten into a feature role and instead holding a legitimate competition to give all three a chance to stand out.
Having said that, Bhayshul Tuten is already proving that he's too talented to stay on the sidelines, so it will be a matter of time before he earns a big role with the Jaguars.
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