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If the Los Angeles Rams don’t add another running back this offseason, they’ll be just fine. They have Kyren Williams, Blake Corum and Ronnie Rivers all back for 2025, the same trio that led the group last season.
Williams is in talks with the team about an extension and Corum is only entering his second year after being a third-round pick. Running back is hardly a pressing need for the Rams heading into the draft but there’s still room for another playmaker in the backfield.
When it gets to Day 3 of the draft, the Rams should set their sights on Texas running back Jaydon Blue. He has just what the Rams need in a running back: Breakaway speed, receiving skills and all-around versatility.
At his pro day, Blue’s times in the 40-yard dash ranged from 4.25 to 4.28. Either way, that’s incredibly fast, especially compared to Corum’s 4.53 and Williams’ 4.65 when they were coming out of college.
He’s one of the fastest players in the 2025 class, which allows him to run away from defenders once he breaks into the second level. It’s how he ripped off a 77-yard touchdown run against Clemson.
He burst through the line of scrimmage, shed one tackler and turned on the jets, going untouched for the remaining 60 yards down the field.
He’s not just a speed back, either. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 44th in the nation with an average of 3.83 yards after contact per carry. He was 65th in missed tackles forced (37), as well, despite only carrying it 135 times all season.
Warren Sharp shared some other telling statistics from Blue’s time at Texas, showing where he ranks in the 2025 draft class. You’ll notice he’s first, second or fourth in all of the key categories.
Williams and Corum are perfectly fine running backs, but they’re also jarringly similar player. That’s by design, too. The Rams wanted a running back who could seamlessly step in for Williams if he got hurt and run with the same type of physicality on the inside.
What’s missing from the Rams’ backfield is a big-play threat.
Field Yates of ESPN put into perspective just how pedestrian Los Angeles was when it came to long runs on the ground. The Rams were tied for last in the NFL last season with only two carries of 20-plus yards.
Out of Williams’ 316 rushes in 2024, only two of them went for more than 18 yards: a 30-yard run against the Packers and a 27-yarder against the Eagles. He simply didn’t create many big plays, even though he (and Corum) did have a few long runs called back due to penalties.
If the Rams do draft Blue, he can add another element on offense that’s been missing since the days of Todd Gurley. He’s a dynamic receiver, catching 42 passes for 368 yards and six touchdowns at Texas last season. He can catch passes out of the backfield, split out wide or in the slot, giving the offense plenty of options.
Last season, the Rams’ running backs had a target share of only 10.2%, the lowest in the NFL. It was the second straight year Los Angeles ranked last in that category. Translation: The Rams never throw to their running backs.
Adding Blue would change that, giving Sean McVay a legitimate receiving threat to target on third down.
The Rams don't have a fifth-round pick, so they might need to take Blue in Round 4 if they want him. Waiting until the sixth might be a risk, especially after seeing how well he tested in the pre-draft process. Someone will be willing to draft him earlier than expected, deploying him as an RB2 in a committee where he can be a change-of-pace back and receiver out of the backfield.
Even with Williams and Corum entrenched as the top two backs next season, the Rams should give Blue a long look on Saturday of the draft.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Texas RB Jaydon Blue could be perfect fit for Rams
Continue reading...
Williams is in talks with the team about an extension and Corum is only entering his second year after being a third-round pick. Running back is hardly a pressing need for the Rams heading into the draft but there’s still room for another playmaker in the backfield.
When it gets to Day 3 of the draft, the Rams should set their sights on Texas running back Jaydon Blue. He has just what the Rams need in a running back: Breakaway speed, receiving skills and all-around versatility.
At his pro day, Blue’s times in the 40-yard dash ranged from 4.25 to 4.28. Either way, that’s incredibly fast, especially compared to Corum’s 4.53 and Williams’ 4.65 when they were coming out of college.
He’s one of the fastest players in the 2025 class, which allows him to run away from defenders once he breaks into the second level. It’s how he ripped off a 77-yard touchdown run against Clemson.
He burst through the line of scrimmage, shed one tackler and turned on the jets, going untouched for the remaining 60 yards down the field.
He’s not just a speed back, either. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 44th in the nation with an average of 3.83 yards after contact per carry. He was 65th in missed tackles forced (37), as well, despite only carrying it 135 times all season.
Warren Sharp shared some other telling statistics from Blue’s time at Texas, showing where he ranks in the 2025 draft class. You’ll notice he’s first, second or fourth in all of the key categories.
Williams and Corum are perfectly fine running backs, but they’re also jarringly similar player. That’s by design, too. The Rams wanted a running back who could seamlessly step in for Williams if he got hurt and run with the same type of physicality on the inside.
What’s missing from the Rams’ backfield is a big-play threat.
Field Yates of ESPN put into perspective just how pedestrian Los Angeles was when it came to long runs on the ground. The Rams were tied for last in the NFL last season with only two carries of 20-plus yards.
Out of Williams’ 316 rushes in 2024, only two of them went for more than 18 yards: a 30-yard run against the Packers and a 27-yarder against the Eagles. He simply didn’t create many big plays, even though he (and Corum) did have a few long runs called back due to penalties.
If the Rams do draft Blue, he can add another element on offense that’s been missing since the days of Todd Gurley. He’s a dynamic receiver, catching 42 passes for 368 yards and six touchdowns at Texas last season. He can catch passes out of the backfield, split out wide or in the slot, giving the offense plenty of options.
Last season, the Rams’ running backs had a target share of only 10.2%, the lowest in the NFL. It was the second straight year Los Angeles ranked last in that category. Translation: The Rams never throw to their running backs.
Adding Blue would change that, giving Sean McVay a legitimate receiving threat to target on third down.
The Rams don't have a fifth-round pick, so they might need to take Blue in Round 4 if they want him. Waiting until the sixth might be a risk, especially after seeing how well he tested in the pre-draft process. Someone will be willing to draft him earlier than expected, deploying him as an RB2 in a committee where he can be a change-of-pace back and receiver out of the backfield.
Even with Williams and Corum entrenched as the top two backs next season, the Rams should give Blue a long look on Saturday of the draft.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Texas RB Jaydon Blue could be perfect fit for Rams
Continue reading...
