Can Tre Mason and Todd Gurley Play Nice Together?

It’s no longer breaking news that the Rams took a chance on, a still recovering, running back named Todd Gurley in the first round of this years draft. Problem is, St. Louis already has a very capable back by the name of Tre Mason. Mason wrestled the starting role away from the recently traded Zac Stacy in 2014 and never looked back. Now the question is, can the two of them play well together, or will one force the other out of town.

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Mason is a physical north/south runner from Auburn where he flat out dominated the competition. Rushing for almost 3,000 yards in three years, he dragged his Auburn Tigers into the National Championship game against the Florida State Seminoles in 2013. He would rush for 195 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort, but made history by breaking Bo Jackson’s single season rushing record with 1,816 yards.

Dec 28, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Tre Mason (27) carries the ball against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In his first year with the Rams, Mason played in 12 games rushing for 765 yards and four touchdowns. Certainly the most effective rookie runner since Steven Jackson. Mason was a powerful runner that excelled between the tackles. He added 16 receptions on the year for less than 150 yards, but managed to turn one reception into six points. Mason is only 5’8″, but weighs in at just over 200 lbs. With a little more time in the weight room, Mason will be the battering ram of the future for St. Louis.

Gurley has the potential to be a once in a generation running back. It’s easy to see why the Rams selected him 10th overall in this years draft. Putting aside the suspension handed down from the NCAA early last year for accepting payment for autographs, the picture was very murky coming into the draft. An ACL tear would scare most teams away. Combine that with an ankle injury and playing less than 40% of his offensive snaps at Georgia over three years puts durability issues at the top of negative list.

There is a ton of upside that helps to make this discussion a little more even. Gurley can run between the tackles and will bounce it outside if he sees the opportunity. He seems to play better when cutting his runs outside the tackle box. His powerful frame allowed him to pick up over 60% of his rushing yards after contact at the college level. He easily blows throw arm tackles and poor angles. He is a bit larger than Mason at 6’1″ 222 lbs. Gurley also had a much larger impact on the passing game at Georgia than Mason did at Auburn (19 catches over three years.) He hauled in 65 passes in 3 years, finding the end zone six times.

Each of these backs will need the other to be successful. Mason will pound the ball up the gut and take the blow to soften things up for Gurley. Gurley will be asked to use his speed and pass catching ability in the flat to expose tired and worn down defenses. If Gurley can stay healthy, and that’s a big if, he has potential to be a top five back in the league in 2-3 years. The Rams need to stay the course and utilize both of these running backs to the best of their abilities. There is no reason both Mason and Gurley can’t run all over the league this year and combine for over 2,000 rushing yards.