Indianapolis Colts undrafted rookie running back Tyler Varga made a strong impression last night against the St. Louis Rams, as he scored the team’s lone rushing touchdown in a 24-14 victory.
The former 3-time All-Ivy League selection with the Yale Bulldogs showed considerable speed and rushing ability on the evening.
While running lanes were ultimately hard to come by against a staunch St. Louis front seven, Varga had a nifty 7-yard red zone reception which eventually set up his 1-yard touchdown run with 13:03 left in the 4th quarter:
ICYMI: Yale's Tyler Varga with his 1st Career Touchdown! #Colts https://t.co/lZzr9eG0R5
— Luke Schultheis (@LuckAtLuke) August 30, 2015
There’s no question that Varga faces an uphill battle to make the Colts roster with the likes of Frank Gore, Dan “Boom” Herron, Josh Robinson, Vick Ballard, and Zurlon Tipton also at the running back position. However, right now he’s getting the opportunity to make his case to eventually stick on the Colts 53-man active roster, and quite frankly, he’s making the most of it:
Great effort there by UDFA Tyler Varga in converting the first-down. With Vick Ballard out, Varga trying to make the Colts think about him.
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) August 30, 2015
The 5’11”, 225 pound running back runs with toughness and a low pad level and his versatility on special teams could work to his benefit as well. If nothing else, he should be a strong candidate for a practice squad stash as a developmental running back:
Tyler Varga is one tough hombre. Would be quite a story if he's 4th RB. Might be a PS player.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) August 30, 2015
He figures to get at least one more opportunity to leave a lasting impression, as Varga will likely get a bulk of the rushing carries in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Aug 29, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Tyler Varga (38) dives for extra yardage in the game against the St. Louis Rams during the second half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
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