Rams Player Profile: Tre Mason, Running Back

Tre Mason was projected as the starting running back heading into the 2015 season, that is, until draft night. The Rams surprised more than a few folks by selecting running back Todd Gurley from the University of Georgia tenth overall. Who could blame them though? Gurley, although coming off a major knee injury, was two years removed from over 1,300 rushing yards and boasted 7.4 YPC last year before going down. Mason will once again be required to compete for the top spot in the run game.

Mason began his rookie campaign buried in the depth chart. He saw limited action as Zac Stacy and Ben Cunningham carried the load for the Rams. However, Mason would see action in 12 games, including being listed as the starter in 9. In those 12 games he would post better numbers than any other rusher on the team event though both Stacy and Cunningham would play in more games, 13 and 16 respectively.

Mason averaged almost 4.5 yards per carry and saw six rushing plays go for 20+ yards. That’s five more plays than both Stacy and Cunningham had COMBINED. He would also score as many touchdowns, four, as both other backs could combine for. No surprise here, his total rushing yards, 765, bested both Stacy and Cunningham. Mason was the best option at running back. That’s no surprise though looking back at his college days at Auburn.

“Scattered across those 1,816 yards were 23 touchdowns, and he did it all without one fumble.”

Mason was a hard nosed, north/south runner at Auburn University. He played three years there before being drafted in the third round, 75^th overall, by the Rams in 2014. He averaged almost six yards per carry each of those three years at Auburn. He broke 1,000 yards rushing his sophomore season, and crept up on 2,000 his junior year with 1,816. Scattered across those 1,816 yards were 23 touchdowns, and he did it all without one fumble.

Mason will duke it out with Gurley for the number one spot, but rest assured if Gurley is healthy the Rams will have one of the best one-two punches on the ground in the entire league.