LA Rams surplus of riches thanks to these 6 rising offensive stars

Running back

The fact that the LA Rams drafted a running back in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft was a complete head-scratcher to many. But suddenly, former Maryland Terrapin running back Jake Funk is the last of three original rushers and he’s had at least one positive preseason game.

When he was first drafted, the expectation was that the LA Rams intended to amplify the focus and talent level on the special teams, and Funk was an ideal player who could infuse both speed and expertise into the coverage game. But so far, the 5-foot-10 205-pound former running back from the University of Maryland has been showing up in the running game.  So far, he’s rushed 12 times for 64 yards, an impressive 5.3 yards-per-carry.

That will not exactly earn him the lion’s share of the carries, however. The LA Rams offense needs a running back to run effectively with the ball, to catch passes that are thrown his way, and to be able to stay in and block any blitzing defenders who get too close to the quarterback. The running is coming along nicely, but the pass-catching and blocking may need more time. Of course, what does head coach Sean McVay have to say?

That is about as good as it gets from the LA Rams head coach.