adoniijahsooner
1/31/2011, 09:45 AM
Rams explore options for backup to Jackson; and there is some of talk of Murray in the article.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/article_335968e3-2ce8-5330-b0c1-a950f312b9b3.html
MOBILE, ALA. • Another offseason, another search for a change-of-pace back behind Pro Bowler Steven Jackson.
"Isn't it amazing?" Rams general manager Billy Devaney said earlier this month. "We've had the toughest luck filling that. We'd like a game-changer there. Or a change-of-pace back."
For what the Rams asked of Kenneth Darby, Devaney said, "I thought Darby did a really good job. But any time that you can add a third-down back type of guy, change-of-pace, who can score from way out. Absolutely. That hasn't changed."
Keep in mind, too, that new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a history of using more than one back. So maybe this is the year the Rams actually fill that need at running back. If so, the Senior Bowl features lots of candidates — scatbacks, waterbug types — who can turn the corner, catch passes and return kickoffs. All should be available sometime in rounds two through five of the draft.
One of them, DeMarco Murray, even got some advice on the pre-draft process from a former teammate at the University of Oklahoma — Rams quarterback Sam Bradford.
"I talked to him (Monday) night, actually," Murray said. "He just said take it in, enjoy this process, but at the same time you're here for a job interview and compete at the highest level. Have your mind right day in and day out. Don't take anything for granted."
Besides rushing for 3,685 yards and 50 touchdowns for the Sooners, Murray also got a lot of work as a receiver. Over his college career, Murray caught 157 passes for 1,571 yards and 13 TDs.
"I've been playing receiver since high school days," Murray said. "It's just somewhere that I'm comfortable, just as comfortable as running back. I feel I can run between the tackles as well as line up out there and catch fades, slants, anything at all. They used me quite a bit at receiver at Oklahoma, which I loved. It's a part of my game."
Although he did most of his return work early in his college career, Murray also had two TDs on kickoff returns.
When it comes to versatility, Murray has some competition in Mobile. Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter, West Virginia's Noel Devine and Kentucky's Derrick Locke all piled up numbers running from scrimmage and catching passes. All had at least some college experience returning kickoffs, although Hunter had only eight returns. Locke had two kickoff return TDs.
Devine and Locke both said they had met with the Rams in Mobile, which doesn't mean Murray and Hunter didn't, they just hadn't talked to the Rams when interviewed by the Post-Dispatch earlier in the week.
At 6-1, 207 pounds, Murray is closer to "normal" size than Hunter (5-8, 200), Devine (5-8, 180), and Locke (5-9, 190). But the smallest backs in the group, Locke and Devine, are the fastest. Both are expected to run near 4.3 seconds in the 40 at the NFL scouting combine next month — or better, they claim.
"I'm trying to make history in this process," Devine said when asked what time he might run at the combine.
Growing up in Oklahoma, Locke was a state champion in the long jump and the 100 meters, and he came to Kentucky on a track scholarship before switching to football.
"Once you get in the open, it's not football any more, it's track," Locke said. "So having the ability to lift my legs and actually run properly when I get out in the open, you're not going to catch me. You'll see 20, or whatever number that it's going to be (in the NFL), and that's all you're going to see."
Devine had more rushing yards in college (4,317) than Murray, Locke (2,618), and even two-time Big 12 rushing champion Hunter (4,181). After averaging more than 6 yards a carry in each of his first three seasons, Devine's average dipped to 4.5 yards last season, when he played through a nagging toe injury. Devine didn't miss any games but just wasn't as effective because of the injury.
He'd love nothing better than to end up in St. Louis, complementing Jackson in the backfield.
"My agent (Eugene Parker) has him as a client, so that would be exciting," Devine said. "That would be somebody that would be great to be up under and have as a mentor; follow after him and learn."
What could Devine bring to an NFL team? "Speed, explosiveness and excitement," he said.
Which are three pretty good qualities. But so is durability, which is always a concern for smaller backs when moving up to the bigger, more physical NFL. Locke, for example, missed four games in 2010 with shoulder and elbow injuries. As a junior in 2009, Hunter was limited to only 89 carries because of a foot injury.
Durability questions can't be answered in one week at the Senior Bowl. But when it comes to pass-blocking, and even the ability to run inside, practice drills and what happens in today's Senior Bowl game can provide hints. On Wednesday, for instance, all the small backs struggled in varying degrees going up against linebackers, who in most cases were 40 or 50 pounds heavier, in a blitz pickup drill.
But when it comes to overall play, they all point to successful smaller backs in the NFL as proof that it can be done.
"I like all the small backs, especially Darren Sproles, Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster, Chris Johnson," Locke said. "The list goes on. ... It helps me out a lot because they're doing their thing and that just gives me motivation that I can do it."
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/article_335968e3-2ce8-5330-b0c1-a950f312b9b3.html
MOBILE, ALA. • Another offseason, another search for a change-of-pace back behind Pro Bowler Steven Jackson.
"Isn't it amazing?" Rams general manager Billy Devaney said earlier this month. "We've had the toughest luck filling that. We'd like a game-changer there. Or a change-of-pace back."
For what the Rams asked of Kenneth Darby, Devaney said, "I thought Darby did a really good job. But any time that you can add a third-down back type of guy, change-of-pace, who can score from way out. Absolutely. That hasn't changed."
Keep in mind, too, that new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a history of using more than one back. So maybe this is the year the Rams actually fill that need at running back. If so, the Senior Bowl features lots of candidates — scatbacks, waterbug types — who can turn the corner, catch passes and return kickoffs. All should be available sometime in rounds two through five of the draft.
One of them, DeMarco Murray, even got some advice on the pre-draft process from a former teammate at the University of Oklahoma — Rams quarterback Sam Bradford.
"I talked to him (Monday) night, actually," Murray said. "He just said take it in, enjoy this process, but at the same time you're here for a job interview and compete at the highest level. Have your mind right day in and day out. Don't take anything for granted."
Besides rushing for 3,685 yards and 50 touchdowns for the Sooners, Murray also got a lot of work as a receiver. Over his college career, Murray caught 157 passes for 1,571 yards and 13 TDs.
"I've been playing receiver since high school days," Murray said. "It's just somewhere that I'm comfortable, just as comfortable as running back. I feel I can run between the tackles as well as line up out there and catch fades, slants, anything at all. They used me quite a bit at receiver at Oklahoma, which I loved. It's a part of my game."
Although he did most of his return work early in his college career, Murray also had two TDs on kickoff returns.
When it comes to versatility, Murray has some competition in Mobile. Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter, West Virginia's Noel Devine and Kentucky's Derrick Locke all piled up numbers running from scrimmage and catching passes. All had at least some college experience returning kickoffs, although Hunter had only eight returns. Locke had two kickoff return TDs.
Devine and Locke both said they had met with the Rams in Mobile, which doesn't mean Murray and Hunter didn't, they just hadn't talked to the Rams when interviewed by the Post-Dispatch earlier in the week.
At 6-1, 207 pounds, Murray is closer to "normal" size than Hunter (5-8, 200), Devine (5-8, 180), and Locke (5-9, 190). But the smallest backs in the group, Locke and Devine, are the fastest. Both are expected to run near 4.3 seconds in the 40 at the NFL scouting combine next month — or better, they claim.
"I'm trying to make history in this process," Devine said when asked what time he might run at the combine.
Growing up in Oklahoma, Locke was a state champion in the long jump and the 100 meters, and he came to Kentucky on a track scholarship before switching to football.
"Once you get in the open, it's not football any more, it's track," Locke said. "So having the ability to lift my legs and actually run properly when I get out in the open, you're not going to catch me. You'll see 20, or whatever number that it's going to be (in the NFL), and that's all you're going to see."
Devine had more rushing yards in college (4,317) than Murray, Locke (2,618), and even two-time Big 12 rushing champion Hunter (4,181). After averaging more than 6 yards a carry in each of his first three seasons, Devine's average dipped to 4.5 yards last season, when he played through a nagging toe injury. Devine didn't miss any games but just wasn't as effective because of the injury.
He'd love nothing better than to end up in St. Louis, complementing Jackson in the backfield.
"My agent (Eugene Parker) has him as a client, so that would be exciting," Devine said. "That would be somebody that would be great to be up under and have as a mentor; follow after him and learn."
What could Devine bring to an NFL team? "Speed, explosiveness and excitement," he said.
Which are three pretty good qualities. But so is durability, which is always a concern for smaller backs when moving up to the bigger, more physical NFL. Locke, for example, missed four games in 2010 with shoulder and elbow injuries. As a junior in 2009, Hunter was limited to only 89 carries because of a foot injury.
Durability questions can't be answered in one week at the Senior Bowl. But when it comes to pass-blocking, and even the ability to run inside, practice drills and what happens in today's Senior Bowl game can provide hints. On Wednesday, for instance, all the small backs struggled in varying degrees going up against linebackers, who in most cases were 40 or 50 pounds heavier, in a blitz pickup drill.
But when it comes to overall play, they all point to successful smaller backs in the NFL as proof that it can be done.
"I like all the small backs, especially Darren Sproles, Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster, Chris Johnson," Locke said. "The list goes on. ... It helps me out a lot because they're doing their thing and that just gives me motivation that I can do it."