Todd Gurley will have time to heal, and a team to carry
Georgia running back Todd Gurley was selected by the St. Louis Rams at the tenth spot overall in the NFL draft. It was a move that shocked the league, and his selection shows that the Rams have their sights set on playoff contention in 2015.
Gurley was an absolute nightmare for defenses during his collegiate tenure. In three seasons, the Bulldogs’ lead back never failed to produce more than 900 rushing yards in a season. After declaring for the draft, Gurley left behind a total of 44 touchdowns and over 3900 all-purpose yards, claiming the title of second all-time in rushing yards at Georgia. Late in the 2014 season, Gurley tore his ACL in a blowout game against Auburn University, which also happened to be his first game back from a four-game suspension issued for receiving profit from signing memorabilia.
Only a junior in college, many thought Gurley would return to Georgia, fearing that his draft stock would be hurt severely, though many believe Gurley is the best college running back prospect since the Vikings’ great Adrian Peterson. Regardless, the Rams surprised everyone by selecting Gurley tenth overall, knowing he would not last another round. Head Coach Jeff Fisher had high praise for Gurley, saying, “this is a player that, had he not gotten hurt in the Auburn game last year, he might have been one or two off the board” (quote via Jim Rome Show). The reason Gurley in St. Louis works so perfectly is because the Rams do not need to rush his return, as they already have the effective Auburn product Tre Mason in the backfield.
Gurley has huge boom or bust potential in 2015. It is never clear how a player will return from an ACL tear. Some players have an MVP bounce-back year (Adrian Peterson in 2012) and some never return to the caliber of football they once achieved. With that being said, Gurley is held to a high standard and should produce in 2015 – given he stays healthy through offseason workouts and into the season. He can overtake Mason as the starting running back and help the Rams become legitimate playoff contenders in the toughest division in football: the NFC West.
Not only can Gurley run the ball better than Mason, but he is also a better receiver. In 2013 he amassed 441 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. The Rams want to be able to create lanes for Gurley and improve on their abysmal offensive line, which ranked 31st in 2014. Coach Fisher drafted four offensive lineman to potentially start in front of Gurley in 2015. With a healthy knee and a young, rejuvenated offensive line, look for Gurley to try to lead the Rams to the playoff berth their city has been craving for far too long. Rookies tend to fall late in Fantasy drafts, so securing Gurley should not be a problem, and a healthy Gurley has potential to become a secure starter in all leagues.
Daniel Rogers is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Daniel, check out his archive or follow him @DanielRogersFP
