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http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_65d1adcd-5a6c-5c1d-9144-90f1ed388524.html
Rams running back Zac Stacy sure looks like one of the best draft choices made by the Rams in a long time.
After another strong performance in Sunday's 27-16 win over New Orleans — 133 yards rushing, including a 40-yard TD — Stacy raised his season total to 854 yards rushing.
This is notable for several reasons:
Stacy has the most productive yards-rushing season by a rookie since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995. The previous high was Steven Jackson's 673 yards rushing in 2004
Only two Rams rookie running backs have ever cranked out more yards rushing than Stacy in a season.
You may have heard of them.
Rookie Eric Dickerson had 1,808 in 1983, and Jerome Bettis rumbled for 1,429 yards in his rookie season of 1993.
Dickerson started all 16 games as a rookie; Bettis started 12. With two games left, Stacy has made 10 starts.
Dickerson and Bettis were premium first-round draft picks. Dickerson was the No. 2 overall selection in '83, and Bettis went 10th overall in '93.
Stacy wasn't taken until the fifth round of the 2013 draft, with the 160th overall selection. He has the most rookie yards rushing in Rams history among players drafted after the first round.
Since the NFL went to a 16-game season in 1978, a total of 53 rookie running backs have rushed for 1,000 yards. Stacy needs 146 yards rushing in the final two games to add his name to the list.
Other notes on Stacy:
• Stacy has had a better year than the back he replaced in St. Louis, Steven Jackson. After signing with Atlanta as a free agent, Jackson has only 448 yards rushing in a 2013 season slowed considerably by injuries.
• Stacy has averaged 85 yards rushing per game as a starter. During Jackson's time in St. Louis, he averaged 77.4 yards rushing per game overall, and 81 yards in games that he started.
• Since becoming the Rams' starter on Oct. 6, Stacy ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing.
• Stacy has 850 yards in 10 games as the starter. Over that time, the only NFL backs who have more are Green Bay'sEddie Lacy (977), Kansas City's Jamaal Charles (892), Chicago's Matt Forte (880) and Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy (875.)
• Stacy ranks second in rushing among NFL rookies this season; Lacy leads with 1,028 yards. He has 48 more rushing attempts than Stacy. All together now: SEC! SEC! SEC!
• Stacy already owns one "record" ... he has the most yards rushing by a player drafted out of Vanderbilt. Then again, Stacy had only one competitor for the title. New Orleans drafted Vandy RB Frank Mordica in the 9th round back in 1980, but Mordica didn't make the team.
NFL teams picked 23 running backs in the 2013 draft, and 11 were chosen before Stacy.
I think we'd all agree that Stacy is providing exceptional value for a fifth-round draft choice.
Thanks for reading …
Rams running back Zac Stacy sure looks like one of the best draft choices made by the Rams in a long time.
After another strong performance in Sunday's 27-16 win over New Orleans — 133 yards rushing, including a 40-yard TD — Stacy raised his season total to 854 yards rushing.
This is notable for several reasons:
Stacy has the most productive yards-rushing season by a rookie since the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995. The previous high was Steven Jackson's 673 yards rushing in 2004
Only two Rams rookie running backs have ever cranked out more yards rushing than Stacy in a season.
You may have heard of them.
Rookie Eric Dickerson had 1,808 in 1983, and Jerome Bettis rumbled for 1,429 yards in his rookie season of 1993.
Dickerson started all 16 games as a rookie; Bettis started 12. With two games left, Stacy has made 10 starts.
Dickerson and Bettis were premium first-round draft picks. Dickerson was the No. 2 overall selection in '83, and Bettis went 10th overall in '93.
Stacy wasn't taken until the fifth round of the 2013 draft, with the 160th overall selection. He has the most rookie yards rushing in Rams history among players drafted after the first round.
Since the NFL went to a 16-game season in 1978, a total of 53 rookie running backs have rushed for 1,000 yards. Stacy needs 146 yards rushing in the final two games to add his name to the list.
Other notes on Stacy:
• Stacy has had a better year than the back he replaced in St. Louis, Steven Jackson. After signing with Atlanta as a free agent, Jackson has only 448 yards rushing in a 2013 season slowed considerably by injuries.
• Stacy has averaged 85 yards rushing per game as a starter. During Jackson's time in St. Louis, he averaged 77.4 yards rushing per game overall, and 81 yards in games that he started.
• Since becoming the Rams' starter on Oct. 6, Stacy ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing.
• Stacy has 850 yards in 10 games as the starter. Over that time, the only NFL backs who have more are Green Bay'sEddie Lacy (977), Kansas City's Jamaal Charles (892), Chicago's Matt Forte (880) and Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy (875.)
• Stacy ranks second in rushing among NFL rookies this season; Lacy leads with 1,028 yards. He has 48 more rushing attempts than Stacy. All together now: SEC! SEC! SEC!
• Stacy already owns one "record" ... he has the most yards rushing by a player drafted out of Vanderbilt. Then again, Stacy had only one competitor for the title. New Orleans drafted Vandy RB Frank Mordica in the 9th round back in 1980, but Mordica didn't make the team.
NFL teams picked 23 running backs in the 2013 draft, and 11 were chosen before Stacy.
I think we'd all agree that Stacy is providing exceptional value for a fifth-round draft choice.
Thanks for reading …