Should Les Snead rebuild the Rams running back corps through the draft?

Review of eight prospects, round-by-round

Despite their success, the Los Angeles Rams 2023 running back room was in a continual state of flux. Currently, L.A. has only two backs under contract and General Manager Les Snead may choose to restock the position through the 2024 NFL Draft.

The odds of L.A. taking a running back are high. Snead has drafted a running back in 11 of his 12 years on the job. Only 2016 was the outlier. There’s no tendencies to read as to where either. Past picks since 2012 are Rd1 Todd Gurley, Rd2 Cam Akers, Rd3 Darrell Henderson and Trey Mason, Rd4 none, Rd5 Kyren Williams and Zac Stacy, Rd6 Zach Evans, Sam Rogers, and John Kelly, Rd7 Jake Funk and Daryl Richardson.

Although the 2024 draft class is lacking early round talent, I have 17 prospects with draftable grades, six others that could easily get a call, and another five that I haven’t been able to scout. In a normal draft, 20 to 25 running backs are selected. Here are some of my favorites, in a round-by-round format.

Round 1

Jonathon Brooks- Texas 6’ 207 lb. @ Texas football official site

Talk about stretching artistic license to its limit. I don’t have Brooks with a Round 1 grade, but many draft experts rated him as the best running back in this year’s class. Since he tore up a knee late in the season and won’t be ready for the start of the 2024 season, I’m sticking to the “you never really know” story to add a Round 1 pick.

He’s played behind an actual Day 1 running back (Bijan Robinson) so his college production was limited to this year only. Nice combination of power and speed, more of an upright, foot in the ground and go zone runner. Makes people miss in space and appears to have good hands.

How far will he drop after the injury? I slotted him in the late 4th/early 5th. He doesn’t turn 21 until July, so someone might be willing to take a chance and be patient until he’s fully rehabbed.

Round 2

Audric Estime-Notre Dame 5’ 11 1/2” 227 lb. @ Notre Dame Football official site

Two-season starter that put up strong numbers and garnered All-American honors. Will turn 21 in first week of 2024 NFL season

Semi-bowling ball build and when he gets rolling downhill, it’s tough to stop him. Has big legs and keeps them churning, natural low leverage, and excellent nifty feet. Primarily a between the tackles runner, he loses power when moving laterally. Estime can run sweeps, although outside runs need to be fast-developing so he can square his shoulders. Doesn’t have tremendous burst, but when combined with his power and ability to hit a second gear, there are zero concerns. Good receiver. Not a big part of Irish passing offense. For such a muscular guy, he is loose-limbed reaching for passes and catches with his hands. Willing pass blocker, throws shoulder into oncoming rushers.

Appears a natural fit for the Rams offense. Has the feet, patience, and vision to press the line of scrimmage and find the entry points. Appears on film to play hard, fast and has plus athleticism.

Round 3

Marshawn Lloyd- USC 5’ 9” 217 lb., 30 7/8” arms, 8 3/4” hands, 72 5/8” span @ Senior Bowl

Delicious blend of power and speed. He forced a 41% missed tackle rate and was clocked at 19.59 mph at the Senior Bowl. Yes, you are selecting him based on potential, he’s never been “the guy” in an offense, always part of a rotation. His 116 carries for the Trojans in 2023 were the most of his college career.

Cut blocky with a natural low center of gravity, Lloyd is at his best when makes a decision and bursts through holes. Not a lot of college receiving production, but during Senior Bowl workouts he showed he could track the ball and snatch it with his hands. He’s a willing blocker with good awareness, taking on rushers with physicality and good form. He chips without knocking himself off his route.

There are a couple of caveats. Lloyd has injuries in his past, he missed all of 2020 with knee surgery, a couple games with a quad injury in 2002, and an undisclosed ailment kept him out of a game in 2023. Lloyd also needs to tighten up his ball security for the pro game.

Round 4

Bucky Irving- Oregon 5’ 10” 195 lb. @ Oregon football official site

Smallish running back with twitch and burst, making him a threat running, receiving and returning kicks. In 39 college games (12 at Minnesota and 27 at Oregon), Irving totaled 4050 all-purpose yards and scored 25 touchdowns.

Irving has stellar vision to read holes that can be just slivers. He combines contact balance, stacks late moves (head/shoulder jukes, dead leg), and a squirming style to slip tackles and play bigger than his size. Was an important piece to Oregon’s pass game with 87 catches over two seasons, although mostly check downs and screens. Doesn’t add much blocking except to stand in the way.

Is Irving limited to a gadget player in the NFL? Properly utilized, smaller backs can certainly add value to a team. Keaton Mitchell, Devon Achane, and Jahmyr Gibbs come right to mind. The Rams own Kyren Williams, although cut differently, is still not a big player. If Irving can return kickoffs right away, it might be his best path to showing what he can do on a pro offense.

Round 5

Jaylen Wright-Tennessee. 5’ 11” 210 lb. @ Tennessee football official site

Twitchy running back with elite burst and speed. North Carolina state high school champ in 55 meter dash. His college production improved three straight seasons coinciding with his usage, but there is plenty of tread left on the tires. In 34 games, he had 368 rushes and caught 30 passes.

Has a bevy of moves. Stutters, spins, deft cuts at full speed. Even with stop/start and change of direction prowess, Wright is not limited to being a jitterbug. Even though he doesn’t appear to be as big as his listed size, he plays big. He has good contact balance, keeps his legs moving, and consistently finishes runs falling forward. Adequate receiver, obviously dangerous whenever he has the ball in space, and blocker. Could use some play strength for the pro game and needs to clean up some ball security issues.

He’s on the Feldman’s Freaks list and was reportedly timed at 23.6 mph. Plays wicked fast on film and we’ll likely get to see him show out at the NFL Combine. His elite athleticism and ability to erase angles with speed make him a potential playmaker.

Round 6

Ray Davis- Kentucky 5’ 8 1/2” 220 lb., 29 7/8” arms, 9 1/8 “ hand, and72 3/8” span @ Senior Bowl

Work-horse for three different college programs and recorded over a 1,000 yards rushing at each stop Temple, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky.

At his best working downhill, looks a bit stiff and less powerful when working laterally in wide zone and cutting to hole. His burst is much more effective when moving north/south and making quick sharp cuts. Hits a really nice second gear through hole and is much tougher to tackle when squared up. Not a huge part of college passing game, but has very good hands and while he mostly ran check downs and various screens, he was fluid/loose enough to track the ball on longer wheel routes. A physical blocker and although he does primarily use his shoulder instead of a punch, he strikes well.

Experienced, solid in all phases back who was given the reputation, by draft pundits, as a high floor/low ceiling player. Davis showed at the Senior Bowl workouts that he’s more than just a between the tackles power runner. Was considered by many observers to be the best back there.

Round 7

George Holani- Boise State 5’ 10 1/4” 203 lb., 29 3/8’ arms. 9 5/8 hands, and 72 1/2” span @ Hula Bowl

Tough, competitive north/south runner with fine all-around game. For his size, Holani is a strong inside runner and was played primarily in an inside the tackles offense very heavy in inside/mid zone run plays. He has the vision to read holes and burst to get through them, excellent balance and keeps his legs churning through contact. Catches the ball and transitions down field fluidly, but didn’t run a variety of routes. Although a willing blocker for his size (fits his nature), he could use an upgrade in play strength for NFL competition.

Holani is a good fit into the Rams run game at RB#3, he’s been a punt returner and has time on special teams. Not of NFL starter grade, just a good bottom half of the roster support player who plays with effort and does all the little things. He has been invited to the NFL Combine, so we can get a read on his overall athleticism

Undrafted

Michael Wiley- Arizona 5’ 10 3/8” 209 lb., 30 1/8” arms, 9 1/8” hands, and 74 1/4” span @ Senior Bowl

Late addition to the Senior Bowl due to injuries and he made the most of it. Singled out by media observers for his receiving and blocking prowess. I didn’t have him on my Top 300, but have followed up. Plenty of tread left on Wiley, he was part of a running back rotation in all five college years and never had more than 113 carries in a season.

More of a one-cut and go runner for wide zone offense. Built like a wide receiver, patient to follow blocks and uses stops/starts and rather than sharp cuts to set up burst. Slips tackles rather than runs through them. Will need more bottom half strength to break more than NFL arm tackles.

Another fine back end of the roster prospect. Good size and stellar speed, was timed at 19.56 mph which roughly equates to under 4.4 in the forty. Wiley can run, catch, and block. He also returned a few kickoffs and recorded tackles on special teams.

How many running backs will the Rams need? What will be their roles?

I would think at least five backs for training camp. Maybe more, last year the Rams went with four on the 53, Kyren Williams, Zach Evans, Royce Freeman and Ronnie Rivers. Currently, the Rams have only Williams and Evans under contract, meaning an additional three would be enough for preseason games. Williams, as RB#1, won’t see action, leaving the four others to battle their way around the depth chart. One will be a bigger back, likely a veteran or retread, it’s Head coach Sean McVay’s style.

Williams is a lock for RB#1, some may debate it, but he’s shown he can handle it. There are injury concerns though and having a talented RB#2 to compete and help shoulder the load is simply good business. Is that Evans? Too early to tell and certainly not nearly sure enough to pass all the good backs in this draft class. If you want to help upgrade special teams, RB#3 and RB#4 should be able to play in that area. Maybe they are strictly long-term offensive projects, but at least fast and physical enough to get upfield and hit somebody or help out on returns.

There are many backs in this draft class that would be fine selections and fit into the Rams scheme. Of this group of prospects, though, I like Marshawn Lloyd to compete at RB#2, Jaylen Wright at RB#3 for his pure speed and possible return game, and Michael Wiley at RB#4 for his all-around game and background on special teams.