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

Running back

For the past two seasons, it seems that a number of insurmountable barriers stood between former Southern Methodist University (SMU) running back Xavier Jones and his dream to play professional football in the NFL. And yet, here we are, and the last two remaining hurdles are the preseason game at the Denver Broncos, and making the LA Rams 53-man roster once more.

So far in two preseason games, the young hopeful has rushed 14 times for 50 yards, for an average of 4.1 yards-per-carry. While that may not seem like any positive trend, it’s a far cry better than his 3.0 yards-per-carry average after just one preseason game. This is the first occasion for the former SMU Mustang to compete against NFL caliber competition and so far the 5-foot-11 and 208-pound running back is doing well.

But is there more sizzle in his frying pan?

Well, if you factor in his ability to catch a pass, yes. Yes, there is. So far he has hauled in three of four passes thrown his way for 16 yards receiving. That’s pretty good considering this is a vanilla offensive set and his passes have started as nothing more than safety outlets. For comparison’s sake, his teammate Jake Funk caught the only pass thrown his way for a five-yard loss.

Will his role diminish with Sony Michel’s arrival? I don’t think so. In a season with approximately 340-380 carries (20-22 carries per game), Sony Michel will get 100 carries, Darrell Henderson will get 120 carries, and the remaining 160 carries will be split between Jake Funk and Xavier Jones. Of course, that allocation presumes everyone remains healthy. While there is no reason to doubt Jones’s ability to meet the bell for each game, his teammates may not fare as well.