The Jaguars Rookie Poised to Make an Impact—Bhayshul Tuten
History of The Late Round Running Back
Over the past three years, late-round rookie running backs have consistently broken out. Kyren Williams, Devon Achane, and Bucky Irving—all drafted in the later rounds—have quickly proven themselves as reliable NFL contributors. That raises an exciting question: who’s next? With the 2025 NFL Draft class being hailed as a deep crop of running backs. Fans should keep a close eye on Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Bhayshul Tuten in the coming weeks.
Meet Bhayshul Tuten
Bhayshul Tuten was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft. Tuten is an explosive, athletic running back with the power to absorb contact and the vision to run through tackles. At this year’s NFL Combine, he clocked a 4.32-second 40-yard dash, the fifth-fastest time in the entire class. Tuten also shows significant potential as a receiver, with reliable hands and the ability to adjust to throws outside his frame. As a prospect, Tuten has the potential to develop into a reliable running back for the Jaguars. However, he isn’t without his flaws.
Running Back Combine Standouts
Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten (RB30) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
One of Tuten’s major weaknesses is ball security, a problem that consistently haunted him during his Virginia Tech career. It’s an issue that must be corrected if he’s going to succeed as an NFL running back. Another concern is his vision—at times he bounces runs outside rather than hitting the open lanes inside for guaranteed yardage. He also has secondary concerns, including a limited route tree, average lateral agility, and inconsistent pass protection. The encouraging part about Tuten’s flaws is that all of them are correctable with the right coaching.
Fortunately for Tuten, Jacksonville’s coaching could be the key to unlocking his breakout season.
The Formula for Bhayshul Tuten’s Breakout
Liam Coen might be the perfect coach to steer Tuten through the challenges of his rookie season. In his lone season as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator in 2024, Coen guided the Buccaneers to a top-five ranking in both passing and rushing offense. Coen’s history with late-round backs is proven—just look at how he helped Bucky Irving break out last season. Now with the fastest running back in the draft at his disposal, Coen has a strong chance to unlock Tuten’s potential just as he did with Irving.
Tuten will also share the backfield with Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby, which could be seen as a potential downside. Instead of being a drawback, the shared backfield gives Coen the flexibility to showcase Tuten’s strengths in the right moments. Ultimately, this strategy could unlock Tuten’s full potential as an NFL running back.
Considering the coaching and his backfield role, a rookie breakout for Bhayshul Tuten feels inevitable. Watch for him to make waves this season.
Main Photo: [Matthew Hinton] – Imagn Images