The Gut Check No.589: Cam Akers Is Back (And Better Than Before)

Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA Today Sports

The Incomplete Masterpiece

This is what I labeled Akers in 2019 during his final season at FSU.

A tackle-breaking, pass-receiving, safety-beating, nose tackle-blocking running back built for a real workload, Cam Akers tantalizes fans and scouts with his talents while being an incomplete masterpiece. NFL running backs are scheme-versatile and it’s clear that Akers has work to do as a zone runner.

Right now, Akers feet cannot consistently process what he sees. He hasn’t worked enough on mastering the various combinations of footwork that lead to efficient use of space.

Akers is still leaning too much on raw athletic ability to avoid defenders and access secondary creases. This is not a career-killing flaw, but the sooner Akers masters the multiple choice of pressing creases, bounces, and cutbacks, the more difficult a time coaches will have of keeping him off the field.

And when he’s on the field, he can stay on the field on passing downs. Although Boise State’s nose tackle won’t be mistaken for the behemoths seen in the SEC and NFL, Akers’ block to lead off this week’s Boiler Room is a gorgeous display of skill.

If Akers refines his game, he has elite potential.

Fast-forward 39 months, and the best way to describe Akers' NFL career has been turmoil. The Rams' offensive line, at its best, has been inconsistent. At its worst, it has been a turnstile.

Even so, Akers' rookie performance had fans excited about his potential. From my point of view, Akers didn't look like the dynamic mover and creator that he was in Tallahassee.

He was a better match for gap-style blocking and didn't look completely comfortable with the Rams' wide zone. I wasn't as impressed with his initial acclimation but was open to that changing by Year Two.

An Achilles injury threatened to prevent an NFL acclimation from ever happening. Although Akers returned to the field in record time, the expectations for him in early 2022 were a wild projection based on how he performed.

After a slow start for this entire offense, it was rumored the Rams were shopping Akers by mid-year. He had left the team, but there wasn't a definitive report as to why. Not that we needed one: Akers was unhappy with his standing on the team.

Fortunately for the Rams, if they indeed shopped Akers, there were no takers. Because despite offensive line woes and the loss of its marquee offensive skill talent, Akers has emerged down the stretch with backups and journeymen.

The box score scouts in this industry will note that Akers' December, which has generated top-five production at his position, rests on 4 of the 10 most generous run defenses in the league. Don't lean too hard on that fact; you might miss out on a player who is not only resurgent but looking better than he did upon entering the NFL.

Akers' Film

I checked out 200 plays from Akers during the past five weeks. As most of you know, I evaluate players with criteria that measure the skills, techniques, and concepts that a player has within his control.

This is why I've had success for the past 18 years with not getting seduced by data that doesn't reveal the true projection of where a player will thrive and/or struggle.

Here are 17 minutes of plays I've picked from those 200 plays. Most of them are runs but also include a few receptions.

Here's what's notable: