Cam Akers was on the brink of a breakout heading into the 2021 season after taking control of the Los Angeles Rams’ backfield in his rookie season.
As the No. 52 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Akers profiled as a physical and elusive runner who could churn extra yards after contact as well as reliably catch passes. Akers came on strong at the end of the 2020 campaign, but before he could really take off he suffered an Achilles tear that looked like it would prematurely end his sophomore year.
However, through hard work and a focused rehab program, Akers was somehow able to return in about six months and looked better than anyone could’ve imagined. Although he looked rusty after all the time off, Akers coming back was miraculous to say the least and he can look to remind people why Los Angeles was so high on him in the first place.
Heading into 2022, Akers has been working on both the physical and mental aspects of his game but the most important thing is he acknowledged he’s finally fully healthy, via Jourdan Rodridgue of The Athletic:
“(I’m) focusing on building my armor up as strong as it can be, but really locking in on the mental side, as well,” Akers told me as spring practices wrapped, adding that he is “100 percent” healthy.
This is an exciting development for the Rams, who can feature Akers as the clear No. 1 running back on the roster. Darrell Henderson and Kyren Williams figure to be in the mix for snaps, but Akers should resume a workhorse role with his versatile skillset.
Los Angeles’ offense looks to rank amongst the best in the league once again, and Akers will have to play a key part in that. However, if he’s fully healthy like he says he is then the sky’s the limit for him this year.
