The 2020 NFL Draft is arguably the most important event of the Los Angeles Rams’ offseason. After losing a number of starters in free agency, the Rams had some considerable needs on both sides of the ball.
One of the most pressing needs for the team was clearly at running back. After letting go of a star in Todd Gurley last month, it’s not secret that the Rams began to entertain drafting his replacement. The other options would be to rely on backup Malcolm Brown and unproven players Darrell Henderson and John Kelly.
The Rams decided to give themselves as many options as possible and drafted Florida State running back Cam Akers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft at No. 50 overall. While Akers will instantly be compared to Gurley, the young running back is hoping to just come in and do what the Rams need, via Greg Beacham of the Associated Press:
New Rams RB Cam Akers is excited: "As far as following in Todd Gurley's shoes, I'm just going to come in and play. I'm gonna do whatever they need me to do."
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) April 25, 2020
Akers has the right mindset as filling in for Gurley would be difficult for any running back. Although he slowed down somewhat in his last season with the Rams, Gurley had one of the most prolific starts to his career as any Rams running back not named Eric Dickerson.
For Akers, he had an impressive junior season to cap off his collegiate career, finishing with 1,144 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. Unlike Gurley, he was able to stay on the field throughout college, hopefully indicating a healthy career with the Rams.
Similar to Gurley, Akers has a good eye and ability to break tackles. Thanks to his skills, Akers stated that he feels he can be a game changer in L.A.:
New Rams RB Cam Akers: "I’m somebody who can come in and be a game-changer, be everything and anything they need me to be."
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) April 25, 2020
While it is tough to accept that Gurley is no longer a member of the Rams, drafting Akers signals an exciting new era. Akers has the right mindset and will hopefully be able to carve out a name for himself, separate from what Gurley did for the Rams during his five years with the team.
The Rams still have one more day of drafting to sort out their roster. Hopefully they can add some players that will help Akers and the rest of the team thrive.
