A nice Brandon Jacobs article

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From the New Jersey Star Ledger

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ALBANY, N.Y. -- In the visiting locker room at Cleveland Browns Stadium shortly after midnight yesterday, Giants rookie running back Brandon Jacobs stood with his hands on his hips and his head shaking.

A concerned coach Tom Coughlin -- perhaps thinking Jacobs had injured a few square inches of his massive body -- stopped to check on him.

"What's wrong?" Coughlin asked.

"Penalties, man," Jacobs said with a sigh. "Penalties."

Like the thousands who had assembled to watch Saturday night's rain-soaked preseason game between the Giants and Browns, Jacobs had tired of seeing yellow flags fly through the air all night.

But Jacobs wasn't only irritated by the delay each of the 35 hankies caused. He had a much more legitimate gripe: three of those flags cost him 56 yards during his coming-out party. Twelve carries for 73 yards could have been 15 for 129.

No matter, though. After all, it's only August.

"It's preseason," Jacobs said. "That's why we have preseason is to get a lot of that stuff cleaned up. I had some good runs. The holes were also there, so my big boys really worked hard in there."

Time out. Big boys? Has he looked in the mirror lately?

Jacobs is one big boy himself: 6-4 and 266 pounds -- an extremely unusual build for a running back, especially in the Giants' backfield where 5-10, 200-pound Tiki Barber ran his way to a Pro Bowl last year.

Elsewhere around the NFL, players Jacobs' size usually wear numbers in the 50s or 80s. They're tight ends or linebackers. And if they do line up in the backfield, they're usually the ones doing the blocking.

But No. 27, who has run 4.4 40-yard dashes consistently in the past, is a running back. Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi made sure to send that message from the draft room to reporters seconds after the team selected him in the fourth round.

For some, though, the lines had clearly been blurred at the time.

"(Defensive end Michael) Strahan asked me after he first saw him, 'Hey coach, do you think I could get a carry on one of these third downs?'" said Giants running backs coach Jerald Ingram. "I said, 'Mike, I think we're going to let him rush the passer for you on third downs.'"

Ingram called Jacobs a "freak of nature." Keen-eyed observers immediately understood what he meant when Jacobs took his first handoff in May's rookie camp and bolted up the right sideline past four defenders.

A few quick scampers later, it became apparent that the new short-yardage back/fullback would probably be more than just a 3rd-and-1 option.

The intrigue carried into the start of training camp. And with more contact drills, Jacobs began to bounce around the University at Albany fields like an oversized, rambunctious child. He tossed Barber during a blocking drill on the first day of camp, bowled over defensive backs Curry Burns and Corey Webster a few days later and then steamrolled Jets corner Pete Hunter during the teams' combined practice.

"He loves contact," Barber said. "I, on the other hand, deplore it."

Still, many reserved judgment. They wanted to wait for his first live game.

Today, there are few doubters because Jacobs took his first handoff on Saturday and didn't stop running hard until he left the game in the fourth quarter.

His first carry was a run off right guard for 11 yards in the first quarter that was negated by a holding penalty. He got those yards back with another 11-yard scamper midway through the second quarter.

On the next play, Jacobs came out of the backfield like a bowling ball rolling down a mountain and went for 43 yards. Though that play was also negated by a penalty and the yardage was lost, Jacobs gained something else on the down: the respect of those who doubted his ability.

By the end of the night, Jacobs had five touches on which he gained 10 yards or more.

Oh, by the way, he also converted a 3rd-and-1.

"There was one time where he hit the pile, kept his feet moving and was just trucking guys," backup center Jason Whittle said. "It was pretty exciting to see that."

Browns fans were probably cursing their franchise from the stands for not taking a chance on Jacobs in the draft. But in fact, all 32 teams passed on him until the Giants took the chance in the fourth round.

One reason could have been his size. Because the NFL is a copycat league and many executives and coaches think big backs break down too quickly because they get hit too much, the prevailing prejudice against them could have hurt draft status.

But another factor was that Jacobs split carries with Terry Jackson for 1-AA Southern Illinois last year after transferring out of Auburn's crowded backfield. So despite his 19 touchdowns in 2004, he slipped to the second day of the draft.

"Maybe he would have been a first-rounder if he did get a shot (at Auburn), maybe he wouldn't have," said Giants linebacker Reggie Torbor, Jacobs' teammate with the Tigers in 2003. "But he has to take the situation he has now. You just have to get your foot in the door in this league. Once you get in and start playing, you can make a name for yourself. Look at all the guys that got drafted late that have become stars -- Tom Brady, Priest Holmes.

"Then you have a lot of guys come in as first-round picks and you never hear from them again."

Like Ron Dayne. From the moment the Giants drafted Jacobs to the day when he appeared on the roster with No. 27 next to his name, the comparisons were drawn.

Dayne, the former Heisman Trophy winner who was drafted 11th overall in 1999, never became the punishing back many thought he would become in five years with the Giants. In his last two seasons with the Giants, he was virtually nonexistent -- inactive for all 16 games in 2003 and only 52 carries as the failed short-yardage option for Coughlin last year.

Of course, it should be noted here, before anyone begins sewing a gold blazer for Jacobs' Hall of Fame induction, that Dayne had 118 yards in last year's preseason opener (also against a reserve defense) and has often played and practiced incredibly when it doesn't count.

But Jacobs is the anti-Dayne. He's chiseled, not flabby. He's a downhill runner, not a back who takes much too long to get to the hole. And his workmanlike attitude has clearly impressed his teammates.

So where Dayne failed and was slapped with the "bust" label, Jacobs is hoping to succeed.

"He's here now. Just be a man about it," Ingram said. "Make a name for yourself. This is a great place to be. I told him, 'You're in New York. There isn't a better place to be to let everybody know who you are across the country. The first day you do something, they'll know about it on the West Coast before your mom finds out.'"

Jacobs already has begun to make a name for himself. The buzz surrounding him is now louder than the crackling thunder of the storm that delayed his debut on Saturday night.

Jacobs said he doesn't mind the attention and actually appears to crave it. He doesn't buy into the theory that the bigger they are around here, the harder they fall. He is not afraid. The Napoleanville, La., native loves his new home.

But there is one thing about the area that had him shaking his head when asked what he thinks of Jersey.

"Traffic, man," he said. "Traffic."

Some people are never satisfied.

Brandon Jacobs

Born: July 6, 1982.

Height: 6-4

Weight: 266

College: Originally signed with Auburn but was declared academically ineligible. Enrolled at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College for two years. Enrolled again at Auburn in 2003 before transferring to Southern Illinois last year.

Three things Giants fans should like about him:

    He combines size with speed unlike any back in recent history.

    He's sure-handed and doesn't fumble much.

    He is built solidly and says it's actually hard for him to keep his weight up.

Three things Giants fans should worry about:

    At 6-4, he's a big target and could be subject to injuries down the line.

    He's wearing No. 27 -- Ron Dayne's number. That could be an omen.

    He might eat all the ice cream in Bergen County.