Seahawks report card: Thomas Rawls
By David Stobbe
Thomas Rawls was quite the surprise this past season for the Seattle Seahawks and showed that they have a star in the making, ready to take over from Marshawn Lynch.
Rawls had an outstanding rookie season which was cut short, unfortunately, after he broke his ankle in week 14. Before the injury Rawls was nearly unstoppable and played a big part in the Seahawks turning their offense around.
Rawls rushed for 830 yards on 147 attempts with a ridiculous 5.6 average per carry. He also had 4 rushing touchdowns and 1 touchdown reception. This was all done in only 13 games and 7 starts. Thomas Rawls took advantage of his opportunity when Marshawn Lynch was sidelined with injuries, and made a name for himself in the NFL.
Thomas Rawls was 16th in the NFL in rushing yards, despite his limited carries. The running backs that were ahead of Rawls in rushing yards did not come close to his 5.6 average per rushing attempt. The next closest was Doug Martin with a 4.9 average. Thomas Rawls made the most of every carry, and his tough running made life difficult for opposing defenders.
Rawls had a long road ahead of him last May when the Seahawks signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Central Michigan. The Seahawks of course had Lynch as their starting running back and also had capable backups in Robert Turbin and Christine Michael. But Rawls took the challenge head on and beat out both Turbin and Michael for the backup job in training camp.
Thomas Rawls first made waves across the NFL when he rushed for 104 yards against Chicago in week 3 of the 2015 NFL season. But, the game Rawls proved that he was for real was in week 5 when he rushed for 169 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals, including a 69 yard run where he did a pretty good Beast Mode imitation.
Rawls showed that he has everything the Seahawks want from a running back and did it with the energy and passion that coach Pete Carroll loves. His press conferences and interviews after his big game were a joy to listen to as he showed that he is ready for the spotlight with his composure and selfless attitude.
Next: Seahawks report card: Doug Baldwin
If last season was any indication of what is to come, then Seahawks fans are in for a treat. Rawls is only 22 years old and still has a lot to learn, but his rookie season was no fluke. Thomas Rawls is primed for a big 2016 season and will continue to get better with every game he plays in, which is a scary thought for the rest of the NFL.