The St. Louis Rams suddenly have the most intriguing young backfield in the NFL.
The team pulled off perhaps the biggest surprise of the 2015 NFL Draft by taking running back Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick. Gurley will pair with Tre Mason to form one of the fastest, most fun running back tandems in some time. The last time St. Louis drafted No. 10 overall, they selected a future Hall of Fame running back in Jerome Bettis.
Gurley is the first running back to be selected in the first round since 2012. And he will fit in well in the NFC West, where the Rams are building their team in the image of the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. While the Rams are still searching for a franchise quarterback, Nick Foles is an upgrade from Shaun Hill. And Jeff Fisher wants to win by running the ball and counting on his talented pass rush.
Gurley tore his ACL at Georgia, but that did not crush his draft stock. Reconstructive knee surgery is no longer viewed as a career-killer, and Gurley showed top pick potential before his injury. He can make defenders miss in small spaces and has rare lateral agility. His rare blend of power and speed should make him a three down back.
NFL Media's Albert Breer reports that Gurley was the top overall player on their board. Mason will now be moved to a reserve role, but this says nothing about his skill level. It's just a reflection of how much the Rams loved Gurley.
In a Thursday night tweet that has since been deleted, Stacy wrote "yikes."
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps the first round of the NFL Draft. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
