7 underdog LA Rams UDFAs who have real shot to earn roster spot

Running back Xavier Jones

How can the NCAA scoring leader from 2019 fall out of the NFL Draft?  I truly do not have an answer, merely thanks that it happened.  There are some players in the NFL who do not test as fast as track stars, do not have the agility of a figure skater, do not possess the strength of Hercules, nor the height of Andre the Giant, and yet seem to do quite well when the football pads go on.

Xavier Jones is that type of football player. Most draft profiles describe an average athlete with a tough-as-nails mindset. Sorry, folks, but I’m perfectly fine with that considering this young man’s ability to score. At will, from anywhere on the field. After all, isn’t that what the goal is for every running back each time they get the ball?  It most certainly is, and therefore Jones was the most successful running back in college last year.

Oversized underdog?

Xavier Jones stands 5-foot-11 and weighs in at 208-pounds. That places him as tall as veteran running back Malcolm Brown, and yet as light as speedy running back Darrell Henderson. Despite his overwhelming success on the ground in 2019, he brings a dangerous skillset in the passing game as well.  In fact, he will very much give the Rams offense many options to use him effectively.

Of course, the consensus seems to be that the Rams will simply slap the roster spots to any player returning from 2019. But the Rams truly made almost little to no use of either running back Malcolm Brown or Darrell Henderson last year, and practice squad running back John Kelly never got his foot in the door.  The Rams drafted Cam Akers to fill the vacated role of Todd Gurley. But will he fill that role completely?  If not, will the Rams consider another running back?  If so, Jones is incredibly intriguing as a surprise roster addition.