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Denard Robinson thinks he can be one of NFL's top RBs

One of the most fascinating storylines of the season has been the emergence of Denard Robinson in the Jacksonville Jaguars' backfield.

The former college quarterback has 329 yards on 57 carries the past three weeks, more yards than every running back sans NFL leader DeMarco Murray over that time span.

The most surprising aspect of Robinson's assent has been his willingness and ability to run between the tackles. As Gregg Rosenthal pointed out in last week's Around The NFL Podcast, Robinson has some Jamaal Charles in him. The man called "Shoelace" has been able to find small creases, hit the hole hard and gain chunk yards.

Seen as a speed-only option without a position coming out of college, most pro programs didn't know how to utilize athlete.

Bleacher Report's Dan Pompei, in a fascinating read, breaks down how the Jaguars identified Robinson as a running back with a toughness and speed combination.

Robinson's stop-and-start ability separates him from other backs on the Jags' roster allowing him an ability to find and hit the gap before defenders can close it off.

"Being patient running the ball has come naturally," Robinson told Pompei. "I've always been patient and have known when to hit it."

While Toby Gerhart was brought in to run the show this offseason, the No. 1 gig is officially Robinson's. General manager Dave Caldwell believes that his young runner will only get better.

"He still is learning, feeling his way, working at it," Caldwell said. "He's seeing a lot of things for the first time. He's not a finished product by any means. He still will have some adversity. But he has developed himself into a good player, and he has a higher ceiling than where he is."

As for the running back, his aspirations for that ceiling are sky high.

"I think I can be one of the top backs in the league," Robinson said.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast previews every Week 10 game and recaps the Browns' blowout win over the Bengals. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.

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