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The Los Angeles Rams have a void to fill at running back. Although 2019 was not a great year for the Rams’ running game, Todd Gurley’s sudden departure to the Atlanta Falcons leaves a big hole for the offense. Gurley’s size, power and speed played a major role for the Rams. The Rams still have running backs Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson as well as John Kelly in reserve. None of them have the stats or exeperience to match Gurley.
The coaching staff will need to decide if they can trust Brown or Henderson as the new starters. They may also have to strategize a running back by committee. In the meantime, the front office may look to the 2020 NFL Draft to see what backfield prospects can meet the need. Appalachian State running back Darrynton Evans may be an option.
College Stats and Honors:
2019: 255 attempts, 1,480 rushing yards, 23 total touchdowns and 198 receiving yards.
Career: 482 attempts, 2,884 rushing yards, 31 total touchdowns and 319 receiving yards.
Honors: Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year (2019), New Orleans Bowl Most Valuable Player (2019), Sun Belt Championship Game MVP (2018, 2019), First-Team All-Sun Belt (2018, 2019)
Strengths:
Evans is a quick, evasive runner who can lose open-field tacklers easily. He has impressive breakaway speed that has created huge gains on the ground. Evans is also a utility player, having much success as a kick returner. The Rams may want to use him on their special teams squad in addition to being a backup to Brown and Henderson. Evans’ speed is incredible, clocking a 40-yard dash time at 4.41 seconds (second-fastest out of all running backs in the 2020 NFL Combine). He shows great versatility, utilizing cuts and directional changes with ease, making big plays. Evans is incredible at securing the football, having no fumbles in 482 carries. That is highly unusual, and this alone may be a welcome factor for the Rams. He is also good with screen passes and quick after the catch.
Weaknesses:
At 5’10” and 203 pounds, Evans is slightly undersized for a starting running back role in the NFL, but he would be a good tandem number two. Another problem is the Rams have similar-sized running backs already with Darrell Henderson and John Kelly. Evans is a little hesitant when running up the middle, but he follows his blocks well and can cut quickly to get around defenders. He still lacks some power and is not a strong power runner considering he doesn’t break many tackles. His breakaway speed is his best characteristic and he needs to work on hitting his gaps better.
Expected Draft Round:
Given Evan’s size, his chances for being drafted in the first round are slim to none, but anything can happen after seeing his performance in the NFL Combine. Evans is one of the best kept secrets of the draft and would easily fit into a team set with a running back by committee. He will most likely be a third round pick and may sneak into the second round if a team really loves him. His accolades cannot go unnoticed and the Sun Belt Conference is getting more traction in recent years. Appalachian State has been competitive for the last two years and Evans is a big part of that success.
The Rams may have an interest in Evans, but it may be more as a specialist than a running back. Evans as a kick returner would free up Henderson to full-time running back duty. Either way, Evans has proven that he is not only a strong competitor but an all-around workhorse.
Sources: Sports-reference.com
You can follow Erik Ho on Twitter @EHoinSDLVLA. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
2019 New Orleans Bowl Most Valuable Player, 2019 Sun Belt Championship Game MVP, App State, Appalachian State, Darrell Hendeson, Darrynton Evans, john kelly, LA, la rams, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, Malcolm Brown, MVP, New Orleans Bowl, NFL Combine, rams, Sun Belt, Sun Belt Championship, Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, Todd Gurley
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The Los Angeles Rams have a void to fill at running back. Although 2019 was not a great year for the Rams’ running game, Todd Gurley’s sudden departure to the Atlanta Falcons leaves a big hole for the offense. Gurley’s size, power and speed played a major role for the Rams. The Rams still have running backs Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson as well as John Kelly in reserve. None of them have the stats or exeperience to match Gurley.
The coaching staff will need to decide if they can trust Brown or Henderson as the new starters. They may also have to strategize a running back by committee. In the meantime, the front office may look to the 2020 NFL Draft to see what backfield prospects can meet the need. Appalachian State running back Darrynton Evans may be an option.
College Stats and Honors:
2019: 255 attempts, 1,480 rushing yards, 23 total touchdowns and 198 receiving yards.
Career: 482 attempts, 2,884 rushing yards, 31 total touchdowns and 319 receiving yards.
Honors: Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year (2019), New Orleans Bowl Most Valuable Player (2019), Sun Belt Championship Game MVP (2018, 2019), First-Team All-Sun Belt (2018, 2019)
Strengths:
Evans is a quick, evasive runner who can lose open-field tacklers easily. He has impressive breakaway speed that has created huge gains on the ground. Evans is also a utility player, having much success as a kick returner. The Rams may want to use him on their special teams squad in addition to being a backup to Brown and Henderson. Evans’ speed is incredible, clocking a 40-yard dash time at 4.41 seconds (second-fastest out of all running backs in the 2020 NFL Combine). He shows great versatility, utilizing cuts and directional changes with ease, making big plays. Evans is incredible at securing the football, having no fumbles in 482 carries. That is highly unusual, and this alone may be a welcome factor for the Rams. He is also good with screen passes and quick after the catch.
Weaknesses:
At 5’10” and 203 pounds, Evans is slightly undersized for a starting running back role in the NFL, but he would be a good tandem number two. Another problem is the Rams have similar-sized running backs already with Darrell Henderson and John Kelly. Evans is a little hesitant when running up the middle, but he follows his blocks well and can cut quickly to get around defenders. He still lacks some power and is not a strong power runner considering he doesn’t break many tackles. His breakaway speed is his best characteristic and he needs to work on hitting his gaps better.
Expected Draft Round:
Given Evan’s size, his chances for being drafted in the first round are slim to none, but anything can happen after seeing his performance in the NFL Combine. Evans is one of the best kept secrets of the draft and would easily fit into a team set with a running back by committee. He will most likely be a third round pick and may sneak into the second round if a team really loves him. His accolades cannot go unnoticed and the Sun Belt Conference is getting more traction in recent years. Appalachian State has been competitive for the last two years and Evans is a big part of that success.
The Rams may have an interest in Evans, but it may be more as a specialist than a running back. Evans as a kick returner would free up Henderson to full-time running back duty. Either way, Evans has proven that he is not only a strong competitor but an all-around workhorse.
Sources: Sports-reference.com
You can follow Erik Ho on Twitter @EHoinSDLVLA. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
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