The Seattle Seahawks were finally finding some clarity in their rushing attack when they lost No. 1 running back Chris Carson to an ankle injury. That opened the door for veteran backs Eddie Lacy, C.J. Prosise and Thomas Rawls to step up.
But its been an unlikely source that has provided optimism for Seahawks fans, running back J.D. McKissic.
McKissic, an undrafted player out of Arkansas State University, was first signed to the Atlanta Falcons in 2016. He was placed on the Falcons practice squad last season and was waived after being promoted to the active roster in December.
The Seahawks claimed McKissic off waivers and signed him to the practice squad in late December. He appeared in one game last season with one attempted rush. McKissic was named to Seattle’s 53-man roster in 2017 and was given a chance to play.
The 24-year-old receiver-turned-running back has doubled his NFL appearances this season. In those two games, McKissic has already eclipsed any other Seahawks running back with two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving.
McKissic’s teammates and coaches took note of his impressive play in practice and were not surprised by his success.
“We’ve seen it all along,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “We’ve seen nothing but good stuff from him. He’s been a great kid. He just hasn’t had his shot.”
“JD McKissic can really run the ball,” Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said. “He is as fast as lightning. He is physical, doesn’t mind hitting you, can catch the ball, can do a lot of things, and is smart. It is a really good thing to have a lot of guys that can step up and play and that is how the game of football is. Somebody has to step up and play at a high level and we can’t take any steps backwards. You just have to move forward and also support Chris as he is going through his injury and everything else that he’s got going on.”
McKissic provides both a rushing and receiving option for the Seahawks, which distinguishes him from the group of running backs. He also brings much-needed durability to the Seahawks, as he played in all but three games at Arkansas State in college.
McKissic should start to see his touches increase starting next week when the Seahawks head to New Jersey to take on the New York Giants in Week 7.
