Rams select Cam Akers and Van Jefferson in Round 2 of NFL draft

Gary Klein
·1 min read
Alabama v Florida State
With Todd Gurley now an Atlanta Falcon, the Rams chose Florida State running back Cam Akers in the second round of the NFL draft. (Kevin C. Box / Getty Images)

With Todd Gurley now an Atlanta Falcon, the Rams chose Florida State running back Cam Akers in the second round of the NFL draft on Friday to help fill the void. Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson are currently the other top backs on the roster.

Five picks later, the Rams took Van Jefferson, a 6-1 a wide receiver out of Florida. He caught 49 catches for 657 yards and six touchdowns last season. The Rams traded starter Brandin Cooks to Houston in the offseason.

CAM AKERS, running back

5 feet 10, 217 pounds, Florida State, Round 2, Pick 52

Notable: Akers played quarterback in high school in Mississippi. He joined Dalvin Cook and Warrick Dunn as only Florida State players to have multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Last season: Akers rushed for 1,144 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 30 passes, four for touchdowns.

Why Rams drafted him: After cutting star running back Gurley, Rams coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead said they had confidence in Henderson and Brown to fill the void. But they obviously believed they needed another weapon. Akers is another affordable option for a team that will try to do running back by committee.

Florida receiver Van Jefferson.
Florida receiver Van Jefferson is known for his precise route running and has been compared to his new teammate, the Rams' Cooper Kupp. (Sam Greenwood / Getty Images)