Meet the Rams: Todd Gurley and the running backs demand your attention
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As the Rams get to work at training camp at UC Irvine, we’ll take a look at the team’s roster, position by position. Today, the running backs:
Todd Gurley was a star before he made it to Hollywood. Now, he’ll face the challenge of living up to the hype in La-La Land.
He ran for 1,106 yards in 13 games for the Rams after missing training camp, OTAs and the start of the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered at Georgia.
He’s getting his first runs in at training camp in Irvine, and the expectations will be higher for Gurley because this time he enters the year with the distinction of being offensive rookie of the year instead of a draft reach with a knee injury.
Benny Cunningham is set to again back up Gurley ahead of Tre Mason, who hasn’t been in contact with the team for months and has not reported to training camp.
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Cunningham works on special teams and has been the best pass-catching running back on the roster the last two seasons, making 71 grabs for 601 yards. But he’s actually better in the return game.
No. 30 Todd Gurley, 6-foot-1, 227 pounds
Gurley, 22, had a Heisman Trophy campaign derailed his junior season at Georgia when he was suspended for four games for accepting money for autographs. To top it off, he shredded his knee in his first game back.
The Rams took a risk in drafting Gurley with the 10th overall pick in 2015. Not only was he dealing with a knee injury, he was the first running back selected in the first round since 2012 — Trent Richardson (No. 3 overall) was the last selected in the top 10.
Gurley ran for just nine yards in his first NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He followed that up with four consecutive games with more than 100 yards. He only had one more 100-yard game, in Week 14.
Gurley’s 1,000 yard season was the first by a Rams running back since Steven Jackson in 2012.
No. 23 Benny Cunningham, 5-foot-10, 217 pounds
Cunningham, 26, made it onto the Rams roster in 2013 after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State.
He shared returning duties with a fellow rookie, wide receiver Tavon Austin, his first season and had 619 all-purpose yards.
In 2014, Cunningham averaged 27.5 yards per return for a total of 963 yards. He also caught 45 passes for 352 yards and ran for another 246.
Last season, he rushed for 140 yards in 37 carries and had 250 reception yards on 26 catches.
Cunningham has appeared in 46 games for the Rams but made only three starts, the last coming in Week 1, before Gurley played his first down.
No. 27 Tre Mason, 5-foot-8, 207 pounds
After a successful rookie campaign in 2014, Mason, 22, was set to take over the starting job going into the 2015 season, but then the Rams drafted Gurley.
Afterall, Mason, a third-round pick out of Auburn, started nine games as a rookie over then second-year back Zac Stacy.
In his first season, he ran for 765 yards with four touchdowns and had 148 receiving yards with another score.
But when Gurley took to the field, it became his, and Mason became the second or third option in the Rams’ running attack. In 2015, Mason had 207 rushing yards with one touchdown and an additional 88 yards receiving.
Now, he’s not at training camp.
Mason was arrested in March on misdemeanor traffic and drug charges, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Other running backs: No. 39 Malcolm Brown, No. 36 Aaron Green (TCU), No. 37 Terrence Magee, No. 34 Chase Reynolds.
Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
