Inside The Panthers

Where Pitt RB Israel Abanikanda Fits with New York Jets

Pitt Panthers running back Israel Abanikanda is entering a wide open running backs competition.

Stephen Thompson

Where Pitt RB Israel Abanikanda Fits with New York Jets
Where Pitt RB Israel Abanikanda Fits with New York Jets /
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PITTSBURGH -- Brooklyn native Israel Abanikanda won't have to travel far to find his new home. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and will bolster an already strong running backs room.

He will start his professional career sitting behind a pair of immensely talented backs but Abanikanda did the same while at Pitt for two seasons before breaking through for more than 1,500 total yards and an FBS-leading 21 touchdowns in 2022. He likely won't have to wait as long to get his shot in the pros. 

The Jets made it clear they will center their offense around the pass next season by adding former MVP and Super Bowl champion Aaron Rodgers, but they simply have too many good running backs to keep the ball out of their hands. Breece Hall is clearly the top dog in the room, but the Jets have yet to name a bellcow back with either their words or their distribution of carries. 

Both Carter and Hall have missed significant time with injuries during their short careers and neither cracked 500 yards rushing last season. The beauty of the situation for Abanikanda is that his speed makes him a potentially game-changing talent coming out of the backfield. That's not to say he doesn't bring anything else to the table, but absurd speed makes him a weapon right off the bat - you don't need to develop that. 

Abanikanda has some areas that need varying improvement - pass-catching, horizontal cuts and pass protection (that last one will be the most important) - but he has all the necessary strength and speed to compete for snaps and a major role right away. 

It's not uncommon to see rookie running backs contribute, especially when they have baseline physical skills that really jump off the page. Abanikanda will have plenty of opportunities to make an impact right away - either from the backfield or on special teams. He was a Day 3 pick built to contribute right away. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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