Chris Rodriguez Jr. + Liam Coen: The Late-Round Reunion I Want to Bet On

Chris Rodriguez Jr. is one of my favorite late-round running backs this year.

Not because I know he's Jacksonville's RB1.

I don't.

That's exactly why he's affordable.

What I do know is that Liam Coen already coached this player before.

And Rodriguez was really good.

Go Back to Kentucky in 2021

Coen was Kentucky's offensive coordinator in 2021.

Rodriguez handled:

225 carries

1,379 rushing yards

9 rushing touchdowns

He also caught:

13 passes

61 receiving yards

3 receiving touchdowns

That's the type of coach history I care about most.

Same player.

Same coach.

Actual production.

I don't need to compare Rodriguez to some completely different NFL running back because Coen already has a history with Rodriguez himself.

Why the Reunion Happened

Jacksonville signed Rodriguez this offseason.

Rodriguez has openly discussed the familiarity.

Coen knows him.

Rodriguez knows what Coen expects.

That matters when a player is entering a new team and fighting for touches.

There is less discovery involved.

Rodriguez Is Coming Off a Solid NFL Season Too

This isn't just a college nostalgia bet.

Rodriguez ran 112 times for:

500 yards

6 touchdowns

with Washington last season.

That's 4.5 yards per carry.

For his NFL career, he's averaged 4.6 yards per carry.

He's already shown he can run effectively at this level.

Travis Etienne Leaving Changes Everything

Jacksonville's backfield looks different now.

Etienne left for New Orleans.

That opens touches.

The current room includes players such as:

• Bhayshul Tuten • Chris Rodriguez Jr. • LeQuint Allen Jr. • other depth options

Tuten absolutely matters.

I'm not pretending C-Rod has no competition.

The uncertainty is the entire reason we're getting him late.

What Coen Likes About C-Rod

The Jaguars have repeatedly emphasized his physicality.

Downhill runs.

Contact balance.

Keeping the offense on schedule.

Turning a two-yard crease into five.

Those aren't necessarily exciting fantasy-football buzzwords.

But they're exactly the kind of traits that earn an NFL running back touches.

Coaches like backs who keep the offense out of second-and-11.

Camp Has Reinforced the Role

Coen has talked this summer about Rodriguez getting better as the physicality increases.

That's logical.

Pads help a player whose game is built around running through contact.

This isn't a player who needs seven yards of space to be effective.

He can create the extra yards himself.

The Receiving Limitation

This is the biggest reason I'm not pushing Rodriguez way up the board.

His NFL receiving résumé is tiny.

He has only a handful of career receptions.

In full PPR, that matters.

Tuten or another back could get more passing-down work.

Rodriguez himself says he can catch and run routes, but until we actually see that become part of the NFL role, I'm treating it as a bonus rather than projecting it.

Why I Still Want Him

Late RB picks are not about finding safe players.

They're about finding paths to much larger roles.

C-Rod has multiple paths:

• He wins more early-down work than expected • Jacksonville uses a committee and he becomes the goal-line back • Tuten misses time • Coen trusts Rodriguez in important situations because of their history • Rodriguez simply runs too well to keep off the field

Any one of those can increase his value.

Where I Would Draft Chris Rodriguez Jr.

ESPN: 140 overall, RB46

That's right in the range I want.

My target:

Round 13 or Round 14

I am willing to draft him slightly before his exact ESPN slot because at the turns I might not get another chance.

This is the exact type of player I want with one of my final skill-position selections.

I don't care if my RB5 has a safe eight-point ceiling.

I care if my RB5 can become somebody I actually want to start.

C-Rod has that path.

And the Liam Coen reunion is one of the strongest reasons to believe he'll get a real chance to earn it.