Elijah McGuire will begin the 2018 season on the NFL’s Injured Reserve list.

The former Ragin’ Cajuns record-breaking running back was entering his second season with the New York Jets. McGuire was expected to become more of a featured running back this season after he rushed for 315 yards on 88 carries and caught 17 passes for 177 yards while scoring two total touchdowns as a sixth-round drafted rookie in 2017.

Earlier this year, the 5-foot-10, 214-pound McGuire even drew a comparison to Pro Football Hall of Famer by Jets running back coach Stump Mitchell.

“Eli looks fantastic to be perfectly honest,” said Mitchell, who was Southern University’s head coach from 2010-12. “I’ll tell you who I see Eli as — and he’s in the Hall of Fame. Eli has the skill set to be a LaDainian Tomlinson if he was given that opportunity.”

Mitchell and the rest of the Jets will have to wait a little while to see if McGuire can live up to those lofty comparisons. The former superstar at Vandebilt Catholic in Houma broke his foot during the first day of Jets camp on Sunday. 

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that McGuire “will be undergoing surgery and is expected to be out anywhere between three to six weeks according to a source”. NFL Network National Insider Ian Rapoport also reported that McGuire will require surgery and will miss an extended period of time but could be “a candidate to return off Injured Reserve.”

McGuire rewrote the Ragin’ Cajun record books as he rushed for 4,301 yards and 42 touchdowns, while also having 130 receptions for 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns in his four year career. McGuire holds the Cajuns’ records for all-purpose yards (5,968), total points scored (318) and total touchdowns (52). McGuire is also second in school history in rushing yards (4,312) and rushing attempts (711).

His senior season at Vandebilt Catholic, McGuire led the state of Louisiana in rushing with 2,603 yards and scored 31 touchdowns.