An in-Depth Look at St. Louis Rams' Most Intriguing Selection, Todd Gurley

The most intriguing pick in the 2015 NFL draft for the St. Louis Rams was undoubtedly Todd Gurley. 

The Georgia running back was selected with St. Louis' No. 10 overall pick. The pick wasn't expected and certainly caught many off guard, but it's a potential franchise-changing move. Gurley has the talent to be the focal point of St. Louis' offense. 

The 20-year-old back will also fit in nicely with the rugged NFC West—a division that features four teams built to run the football. 

Marshawn Lynch turns 30 next year, and his hard-nosed style will not help his longevity. Frank Gore is no longer a factor either, as he's now with the Indianapolis Colts. That means the quality of running backs in the NFC West is about to decline, and Gurley could be the top guy by 2016. 

The team with the top back and the most effective run game has a big advantage in the NFC West. 

Here's what Gurley has to offer: 

An All-Purpose Back with All-World Talent

Gurley doesn't play with the raw brutality of Lynch, but he's certainly not brought down easily. 

At 6'1" and 226 pounds, he has very good size. He runs through arm tacklers with ease, so it usually takes excellent tackling mechanics and a few defenders to bring him down.

He's not a traditional bulldozer. He's not a 250-pound back who lowers the shoulders and runs defenders over. His strength comes from his legs, his stiff arm and his ability to bounce off of potential tacklers.

This video is a decent example. He doesn't level anyone, but he bounces free and stiff arms his way out of trouble. We also see his world-class athleticism at the end: 

As you can see from the hurdle, he's a pure athlete. He's not only a powerful runner, but he can also turn on his second gear and torch an entire defense. 

He uses his powerful legs and the stiff arm near the line of scrimmage. Once he reaches the next level, the power game goes out the window and he becomes a speed demon. 

In fact, Georgia even used Gurley in the return game: 

It's that rare combination of speed and power that makes him dangerous on offense. With those two skills, the Rams will finally be able to score rushing touchdowns from in between the 20-yard lines—something the St. Louis offense has lacked for years. 

However, that's not what makes him a complete back. It's his skills as a receiver that make him the total package. 

During Gurley's first NCAA season in 2012, he was primarily a pure runner and recorded just 16 receptions.

That quickly changed in 2013. He broke out as a receiver that year with 37 catches, 441 yards and six receiving touchdowns. In 2014, he added 12 catches and 57 yards despite playing in just six games. 

That's a huge advantage Gurley has over Melvin Gordon. Gordon finished his collegiate career at Wisconsin with just 22 catches in four years. 

The Rams have been using Tre Mason as the every-down runner and Benny Cunningham as the third-down pass-catching back. With Gurley, there's no need to substitute players. He's capable of doing it all. 

That's what makes him elite. 

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Concerns with Gurley 

While no one questions Gurley's talent, there are several red flags that make people nervous about this pick. 

According to ESPN.com, Gurley tore his ACL late in the 2014 season against Auburn. It's an injury that prevented him from participating in pre-draft activities, and it could ultimately push back his NFL debut. 

The injury has been the primary concern, and rightfully so. 

After losing Sam Bradford in back-to-back seasons to the same injury, Rams fans will be on edge. And the fact that Gurley's ACL tear was also a non-contact injury, just like both of Bradford's knee injuries, makes it more troubling. 

ACL tears are not as fatal as they once were. However, it's no minor issue, either. 

Marcus Lattimore and Willis McGahee were two immensely talented collegiate backs who were never the same after their knee injuries. In fact, Lattimore retired this past season before taking a single NFL snap, per NFL.com.  

The Lattimore and McGahee injuries were far more vicious and gruesome than Gurley's. Still, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to his health. 

But don't fret, because there are some success stories as well. 

Frank Gore underwent two knee surgeries while with the University of Miami, per USA Today, and went on to have a very successful NFL career. 

Henry Josey of the Missouri Tigers tore his ACL, MCL and patellar tendon toward the end of the 2011 season, per ESPN.com. He returned to action in 2013 and recorded 1,166 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns. He's now a member of the Minnesota Vikings. 

The ACL is the big issue. There are other issues, but the non-injury concerns with Gurley are rather minor. 

According to Yahoo Sports, Gurley was suspended for four games during the 2014 season. He was caught selling his signed memorabilia, which earned him over $3,000. 

It's always concerning to NFL teams when a player gets suspended. However, considering the long line of horrible NFL-related headlines over the last year stemming from off-the-field incidents, it's a bit laughable to call signing autographs a "red flag."

Conclusion

It's not hard to understand why St. Louis made this pick.

The Rams ranked 28th in offense last year after averaging just 314.7 yards per game. The point production was also mediocre at just over 20 points per game. 

They do not have a big threat on offense. On defense, Robert Quinn and Aaron Donald give opponents nightmares, but no one from the offense has that same effect. 

Gurley can be that guy. He's someone who'll give defensive coordinators headaches and sleepless nights. He's a guy the Rams can build the entire offense around. 

His presence in the backfield will force defenses to focus on the run, which will open things up for Nick Foles and the passing game. His ability to move the chains will sustain drives, making the St. Louis defense better by giving it time to rest and re-energize. 

He makes the entire team better. 

The risks exist, but his talent is worth gambling on. 

Steven Gerwel is the longest-tenured Rams Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and served as the Rams' game-day correspondent in 2014. You can find more of Gerwel's work by visiting his writer profile or following him on Twitter.