The Los Angeles Rams could be in the market for a No. 2 running back to pair with breakout star Kyren Williams and the NFL draft is a great place to find one. Given Williams’ smaller size, finding a bigger, more powerful back would be wise for Les Snead and Sean McVay.
Audric Estime, who went to Notre Dame like Williams did, fits the bill. He’s 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds, and he runs extremely hard between the tackles. However, he’s also not very fast.
At the combine this weekend, Estime ran a 4.71 in the 40-yard dash, the slowest of any running back in Indianapolis.
That shouldn’t worry the Rams in the least bit. Few teams, if any, put less stock in the 40-yard dash than the Rams. Cooper Kupp ran a 4.62 and turned into an Offensive Player of the Year. Puka Nacua only ran a 4.57 and put together the best rookie season ever by a wide receiver.
I can absolutely imagine a world where Audric Estime becomes the best RB from this draft class.
Big, strong, fast, explosive. Lot to like.pic.twitter.com/7daJZ8fjxg
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) February 28, 2024
Estime’s game isn’t speed, and the fact that he ran poorly in the 40-yard dash could actually benefit the Rams. Assuming they aren’t looking to draft a running back on Day 1 or 2, Estime could slip down the board and land in the Rams’ lap as a fourth- or fifth-rounder due to other teams passing on him.
Had Kupp ran a better 40, he might’ve gone much earlier and the Rams may have missed out on him. The same goes for Nacua, who fell to the fifth round due to subpar testing and durability concerns.
Estime is a power back who makes his money on breaking tackles and converting in short-yardage situations. The 40-yard dash has nothing to do with either of those things. The Rams would much rather draft him in the fifth round than the third, and his 40 time could be exactly what pushes him far enough down the board to make him a good fit in L.A.