LA Rams looking for yards from two UDFA rookie rushers

The LA Rams search for new rushing talent extended into the pool of undrafted free agents. Can two UDFA RBs become indispensable to the team?

The LA Rams are more than a one-trick pony offense, and they are more than a one running back pro-style offense. The LA Rams added two additional rushes during free agency, two NFL hopeful players who did not hear their names called during the draft in a year where the talent pool was very deep indeed. In short, undrafted running backs in 2020 are very talented. So who are the two players fans are unfamiliar with?  They are Kansas State running back James Gilbert and Southern Methodist University running back Xavier Jones.

And they are looking for the chance to compete for a roster spot.

Previous years, running backs added as undrafted free agents had a steep climb ahead of them. After all, trying to knock star running back Todd Gurley aside to earn some carries, or replace niche role-playing running backs, was nearly impossible.

But the 2020 Rams offense is less certain, and the sheer talent level of players added after the 2020 NFL Draft are worth looking into, if nothing more than to develop for future opportunities. After all, running back Malcolm Brown‘s contract expires in 2021, and the Rams would be wise to prepare for all possibilities for the likelihood of not re-signing him. The talent level at running back in 2021 may simply not compare with that of this year’s crop of rushers.  So let’s review the two newest additions to the running back room, and project if either has a chance of landing a spot on the team’s practice roster?

Kansas State

The first running back is Kansas State’s RB James Gilbert. Gilbert is a 5-foot-9, 198 running back who played one year for the Wildcats.  Prior to that, he played for Ball State for four seasons. All totaled, his college football stats are five seasons, 3,543 yards,  and 36 touchdowns. He has the potential to flash bursts of speed, with a recorded 40-yard dash time of 4.51 seconds.

Gilbert is a solid runner, but one who will struggle to attract much attention. He’s good at many areas, but not great enough at any one area to stand out for retaining on the roster. His best chance is to enter the mix as a return specialist, and wow new ST coordinator John Bonamego. If he can prove to be worthwhile as either a kick returner or punt returner, he will land a spot on the roster.

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James Gilbert is absolutely fun to watch. He has a knack for lowering his shoulder when he draws defenders and often bounces off to more daylight.  And he has a good sense of where the running lane exists in space. He is a smaller running back, so he is not a threat for 250 carries in a season. But he is an intriguing prospect. And his college footage seems to have an element of “will he break it this time?” to it.

SMU

The second of two running backs is SMU’s running back Xavier Jones. If Gilbert is a steady dependable running back, Jones is an unbridled force of offense. Jones is 5-foot-11, weighing 208-pounds, and would likely not even be in this discussion save his 2019 season.  In his last year, Jones carried the ball 244 times for 1,276 yards and 23 touchdowns. Adding two more TDs from his receptions, and this young man put up 25 TDs in a single season, which was good enough to lead the NCAA in 11.9 points scored per game.

And he was undrafted. But as a consolation prize, he was designated as the best running back without a combine invite per 247Sports.com’s Billy Embody. Now, he’ll need to carry that momentum with him into the NFL to earn a spot on the LA Rams roster.

His NFL Draft profile was not as encouraging as his last college season might suggest. NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein wrote:

"Common runner with decent size and a grinder’s mentality/skill set. Jones is just average athletically, lacking the wiggle and creativity to keep runs alive beyond their standard shelf life. He’s a determined runner with good lower-body power and forward lean who runs behind his pads and falls forward through contact. He lacks sideline-to-sideline range as a runner but can work outside the tackles in outside zone. There is nothing special that defines his game.”"

Despite the “meh” grade, the LA Rams saw something in Jones that likely defined his ability to score almost at will. Jones has a sense of danger, almost like a sixth sense. He stops on a dime, can reverse direction almost instantly, has incredible balance, and has a deceptive burst of speed to get to the outside and run for daylight. If Malcolm Brown does not return, Xavier Jones would be an intriguing player to fill his shoes.

Jones had some great blocks in his big runs. But he flashed outside quickly on pitchouts, and he bobs and weaves well enough to keep would-be tacklers off-balance.

Neither James Gilbert nor Xavier Jones has an easy trek to the LA Rams roster. If neither catches the coaches’ eyes on special teams, they have an uphill battle. But one should be able to earn a spot on the Rams practice squad.  With the Rams injury history to both Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown in 2019, plus the presence of rookie Cam Akers, nobody could fault the Rams for being extra cautious at keeping an extra running back with the team in 2020. Unless 2021 is loaded with running back talent, it’s also a very good strategy as well.