A lot of people in and around the NFL will tell you that the preseason is useless. It is safe to say that former Sooners running back Rhamondre Stevenson is not one of them.
The first two preseason games of the rookie’s career seem to have landed him a promotion. News broke Wednesday that the Patriots are trading away the man in front of Stevenson (Sony Michel) to the Los Angeles Rams for a pair of 2022 draft picks.
Patriots are trading RB Sony Michel to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for two late-round conditional draft picks, per sources.
New England gets back two picks, the Rams get needed talent and depth at running back.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2021
Stevenson’s production on the ground and the Patriots’ 2-0 preseason record are no coincidence. In week one, he carried the ball 10 times for a team-high 127 yards and two touchdowns in New England’s 22-13 win over Washington.
In week two, he proved he was no preseason one-hit-wonder by racking up another two touchdowns and 66 rushing yards. While two games is a small sample size to support trading away a productive running back like Michel, the Patriots are infatuated with Stevenson’s physicality.
Rhamondre Stevenson is a truck out there 🚛pic.twitter.com/9hQJcp2W7i
— PFF NE Patriots (@PFF_Patriots) August 20, 2021
Comparisons between Stevenson and former New England power back LeGarrette Blount are well documented. Our colleagues over at Touchdown Wire had this to say about the similarities between the two.
The comparisons between New England Patriots rookie Rhamondre Stevenson and retired running back LeGarrette Blount are legit. Stevenson, just like Blount, has decent speed and loves to break tackles. Nobody is saying Stevenson is an exact replica of Blount, but they have strikingly similar styles that fit perfectly into the Patriots’ power run scheme.
They both have patience behind blockers, lateral jump cuts using those blockers and the ability to shed arm tackles while maintaining north and south speed in the open field. Those three qualities are what must have led the Patriots to draft him in the fourth round in 2021. – Laurie Fitzpatrick
If we’re being honest, the Patriots’ decision to trade away Sony Michel isn’t entirely based on Stevenson’s preseason success. New England is also impressed with the production of undrafted free agent J.J Taylor.
However, if Stevenson puts together an NFL career remotely similar to Blount (56 TDs, 4.4 ypc), he won’t get to be a fantasy sleeper much longer.
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