The 2017 NFL season saw the Los Angeles Rams take a tremendous leap forward by both winning the NFC West and earning a playoff appearance for the first time in well over a decade. A major part of the team’s success was the stellar play of Pro Bowl running back Todd Gurley.
It has helped create a major amount of recognition for his talent as being one of the top players in the league. During a recent panel conducted by ESPN NFL insiders that lofted predictions for the awards next season K.C. Joyner selected Gurley as his choice to win MVP:
Todd Gurley II, RB, Los Angeles Rams. The Rams rank second in my offensive blocking wall projections for 2018. Combine that with their superb offseason additions, and this is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Gurley is rightly seen as being the best player on this team, so that would give him an inside track to ending the quarterback position’s recent dominance of this award.
Gurley is coming off a campaign where he was in the thick of the MVP conversation after leading the NFL with 2,093 scrimmage yards and 19 total touchdowns. He is only the third player in league history to have at least 2,000 scrimmage yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, and more than five touchdowns receptions in a single season joining Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and O.J. Simpson.
The 23-year-old has proven to be a versatile all-around talent that can have a tremendous impact in both the running and passing game. With another year in head coach Sean McVay’s offensive system, it could see him build off his standout 2017 campaign to a greater extent. Granted, his MVP chances will likely be tied to the amount of success the Rams achieve next season.
It may be quite early for these type of predictions to be made, but it’s clear that Gurley will be one of the players in the conversation to begin the year.
