2013 St. Louis Rams Draft Preview: Eddie Lacy or Marcus Lattimore

October 27, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks running back Marcus Lattimore (21) rushes for a touchdown against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

When Steven Jackson left St. Louis, Rams fans collectively held their breath; wondering what would happen next. Would the Rams address the hole in Free Agency, or is the answer in-house? In my opinion, the answer is neither. The answer is in the 2013 NFL Draft. Who should the Rams choose to replace Jackson in the Rams lineup? Well, I’m glad you asked… Eddie Lacy from Alabama, or Marcus Lattimore from South Carolina.

Lets look at Eddie Lacy first. In 2012, Lacy rushed for 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with catching another two touchdowns. He has a similar running style to that of Steven Jackson, but also has a dash of athleticism that Jackson lacks. The Alabama alumn can juke, jive, and spin his way into the end-zone and open field without breaking stride or losing any speed. Lacy did have some hamstring problems early in the off-season, which limited his NFL workouts and kept him out of the NFL Combine; but, at this moment Lacy has hinted that he is ready to show his skills.

Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Eddie Lacy (42) runs the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half of the 2013 BCS Championship game at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

The other option would be South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore. Now I know what you’re thinking, why take a running back coming off a horrendous knee injury… well, two horrendous knee injuries? I’ll tell you why. During Lattimore’s Pro Day, after he finished working out for representatives of all 32 teams, everyone burst into applause. Lattimore has lofty potential, and has shown he is fully recovered from the ACL injury he suffered in the October 27th game vs. Tennessee. In 2012, before getting hurt, Lattimore rushed for 662 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is a versatile back, and can also catch passes out of the backfield. His athleticism is above average, and he has speed elite. Lattimore’s representatives have said that he has a workout day scheduled for the Rams in the next month.

Both running backs could be realistic options for the Rams to draft. Pead, Richardson, and Ganaway combined, never found the end-zone in the 2012 season. Lacy would be a great red-zone back, and Lattimore, I believe he can do it all. It should be interesting to see where the Rams look for rushing help.

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