The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Rams will host running back prospects Alex Green (Hawaii), Daniel Thomas (Kansas State), and Stevan Ridley (LSU) for pre-draft visits this week.
The meetings will take place at Rams Park on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Green boasts one of the top career yards-per-carry averages among draft-eligible running backs, his 7.12 mark ranking behind only Taiwan Jones of Eastern Washington (7.90). Green is regarded as a late-round prospect, though his size-speed combination at 6-foot, 225 pounds with a low-4.5 forty time could push him up draft boards.
Thomas has been a favorite of NFL Network’s Mike Mayock throughout the pre-draft process. He’s a late second- to third-round possibility. Thomas has impressive hands for a big man at 6-foot, 230 and ran in the low-4.6s at his April 5 individual Pro Day.
Ridley doesn’t run quite as well as Thomas or Green, but is another big back at 5-foot-11, 225. He’ll probably be drafted in the fourth- to fifth-round range.
The Rams’ interest in powerfully built running backs may indicate concern about starter Steven Jackson’s workload. Jackson has amassed 1,878 career carries, and last year’s 3.76 yards-per-rush average was his worst in seven NFL seasons. He carried the ball 330 times in 2010.