Sean McDermott: Bills Rookie RB Raheem Blackshear Has 'Great Juice'
There's a reason the Buffalo Bills are widely considered the favorites to win Super Bowl LVII, and that is a stacked roster, especially offensively.
Led by the superstar duo of quarterback Josh Allen and receiver Stefon Diggs, the Bills are poised to potentially have the best offense in the NFL. While Allen and Diggs will command a lot of the headlines, the top four of the Bills' running back room is likely already locked in.
Running back Devin Singletary is the clear cut starter, followed by Zach Moss and second-round pick James Cook. Joining that trio will be Taiwan Jones, as he has shown to be a commodity on special teams.
However, throughout training camp and preseason another running back has thrown his hat into the ring for a possible spot on the 53-man roster. Undrafted rookie Raheem Blackshear out of Virginia Tech has quickly made a name for himself in the Bills' first two preseason games.
Against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, Blackshear recorded a pair of rushing touchdowns to go with four receptions for 60 yards, proving to be a threat in the passing game as well.
He would follow that performance up with another impressive showing in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos, leading the way for the Bills with 58 rushing yards. Blackshear's back-to-back performances caught the eye of Bills coach Sean McDermott, who had plenty of praise for the young running back after the Broncos game.
“He’s got great juice. You can just feel him when he’s going there,” McDermott said. “You feel the burst, whether it’s in the return game or when he’s carrying the ball on offense or catching the ball out of the backfield.”
Blackshear showed in his final season at Virginia Tech what he's capable of with the ball in his hands. He would lead the Hokies with 757 rushing yards and six touchdowns, adding 25 receptions for 249 yards and a touchdown through the air.
Ultimately, Blackshear is likely facing an uphill battle to make the Bills final 53-man roster ahead of the regular season with four running backs seemingly locked in to a spot on the depth chart.
While the Bills would like to keep Blackshear on the practice squad should he not make the 53-man, there is no guarantee another team wouldn't be picked up by another team. Wherever Blackshear ends up this season, that team will have a potential undrafted gem on their roster to work with.