Green Bay Packers

StaTuesday: Packers' rookie RB Jones steps up in first start

Published Oct. 10, 2017 3:35 p.m. ET

A year after converted wide receiver Ty Montgomery stepped in to stabilize their depleted backfield, the Green Bay Packers are building some major depth at the position.

Rookie Aaron Jones became the third player to start at running back for the Packers this season on Sunday, joining Montgomery (now injured) and fellow rookie Jamaal Williams.

The second running back selected by the Packers over the summer, Jones fell to the fifth round after rushing for over 4,000 yards in four seasons at UTEP.

Some of that big-play ability seems to have translated to the NFL.

Jones impressed against the Dallas Cowboys, carrying the ball 19 times for 125 yards and a touchdown, while averaging a whopping 6.58 yards per attempt.

Jones is just the third Packers rookie to rush for 100 yards in almost a decade, joining Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin.

His 125-yard performance against the Cowboys was the eighth-best rookie rushing effort in Packers history.

Player	Date	Opp	Att	Yards	Y/A	TD
Samkon Gado	12/11/05	Lions	29	171	5.90	1
Ryan Grant	9/12/97	Raiders	29	156	5.38	1
Eddie Lacy	11/4/13	Bears	22	150	6.82	1
John Brockington	11/14/71	at Vikings	23	149	6.48	0
John Brockington	11/7/71	at Bears	30	142	4.73	1
Eddie Lacy	12/15/13	at Cowboys	21	141	6.71	1
Jim Taylor	12/7/58	at 49ers	22	137	6.23	0
Aaron Jones	10/8/17	at Cowboys	19	125	6.58	1
John Brockington	10/3/71	Bengals	19	120	6.32	0
Eddie Lacy	10/13/13	at Ravens	23	120	5.22	0

It's no guarantee of future success -- for every Lacy there is at least one Samkon Gado, who washed out after a few years in the league -- but few Packers running backs have figured things out as quickly as Jones has.

Jones is the seventh Packers rookie to post a 100-yard performance in his first four games -- again, there's Gado -- but Lacy and three-time Pro Bowl back John Brockington are on the list as well.

Player	Date	Opp	Att	Yds	Y/A	TD
Aaron Jones	8/10/17	at Cowboys	19	125	6.58	1
John Brockington	10/3/71	Bengals	19	120	6.32	0
Eddie Lacy	10/13/13	at Ravens	23	120	5.22	0
Steve Atkins	9/9/79	Saints	12	110	9.17	1
Johnathan Franklin	9/22/13	at Bengals	13	103	7.92	1
Samkon Gado	13/11/05	at Falcons	25	103	4.12	2
Kevin Willhite	10/18/87	Eagles	16	100	6.25	0

*Jones played in Week 2 and Week 3, but didn't touch the ball.

And while Jones is unlikely to sideline Montgomery and Williams entirely anytime soon -- the Packers haven't given one running back at least 15 touches in more than two consecutive games since Eddie Lacy's rookie season -- his performance against the Cowboys should secure the rookie a share of the backfield going forward.