4. Todd Gurley– Seven names have been revealed. Three remain after today. It amazes me how quickly these can fly by. One guy who made his debut last year was revealed at the fourth spot and another who started the top five in 2018 moves up two spots. Todd Gurley checks in at the number four spot on my list and he’s the only running back that made it this year.
He’s a different animal at his position right now. He possesses the trio of speed, power and athleticism which is so hard to prepare for as a defender. When he has the ball in his hands, he can do a plethora of things to get buy the defender such as run the guy over, or he can leap up over the guy if he wants to. He’s a factor not only in the running game, but the passing game because he can catch the football and move well in space as a receiver. It’s one thing when a running back can dominate in one phase, but to do it in both is really something special, especially when it’s done with consistency. Anytime Sean McVay needed to call upon number 30 to make that play for the Rams offense, Todd answered. I remember the night he was drafted in 2015 as the tenth overall pick out of Georgia. I also remember there being some concerns because of his knee injuries the year before. As a player, he can do it all. He runs with power and finesse, he can run it in between the tackles and bounce outside along with making it look simple in space.
As I mentioned up top, he’s the definition of an all-around back meaning he can take the carries out the backfield or catch the ball so he can have big numbers both as a runner or receiver. He has great breakaway speed with a tremendous nose for the pylon. The best attribute to his game is his balance. He has the footwork to keep himself up, make a guy miss, go the other way, stay on his feet and keep running to get the first down. In other words, he’s very difficult to bring down. It takes full tackles to get him to the ground, not a shoestring grab because he can just leap over or shift his way around you. He’s the engine that makes this Rams offense go.
