Even with Sony Michel still being a free agent, the Los Angeles Rams appear to be in good shape at running back. Cam Akers is healthy again after recovering from his torn Achilles suffered last summer, and Darrell Henderson Jr. is a perfect change-of-pace backup. The Rams also have Jake Funk, Xavier Jones and Raymond Calais, who all missed most (or all) of last season due to injury.
If there’s one position besides quarterback that the Rams don’t have to double-up on, it’s running back. Yet, in CBS Sports’ latest seven-round mock draft, that’s exactly what they do – including with their first pick at No. 104 overall.
With that pick, the Rams take Florida running back Dameon Pierce. It’s not that Pierce is a bad player. It’s just that the Rams don’t need to spend another pick in the first three rounds on a running back.
Pierce is a shorter back but he runs with power and can make defenders miss in tight quarters. He doesn’t have breakaway speed, though, after running a 4.59 in the 40-yard dash, but his physicality will be an asset in the red zone for whichever team selects him.
In the seventh round at No. 238 overall, the Rams select another running back: Tyler Badie out of Missouri. He’s even smaller than Pierce, standing just 5-foot-7 and 199 pounds, but he’s a good receiver and would have a chance to carve out a role as a scat back. Again, the Rams don’t need two more running backs, even if they do have eight draft picks.
Here’s the full list of picks made by the Rams in this seven-round mock, including USC punter Ben Griffiths in the seventh round.
104. RB Dameon Pierce, Florida
142. CB Cobie Durant, South Carolina State
175. OT Braxton Jones, Southern Utah
211. EDGE Dominique Robinson, Miami (Ohio)
212. OG William Dunkle, San Diego State
218. EDGE Kyron Johnson, Kansas
238. RB Tyler Badie, Missouri
253. P Ben Griffiths, USC
Despite using two picks on running backs and one on a punter, the Rams still hit on many of their biggest needs. They added a running back early and two edge rushers later on, shoring up two of their top priority positions.
I wouldn’t rule out the Rams taking a wide receiver at some point, knowing how Sean McVay and Les Snead operate, and it would be a good idea to add some defensive line depth along the way, too.