Cam Akers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cam Akers

Akers at the 2017 All-American Bowl
No. 27 – Minnesota Vikings
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1999-06-22) June 22, 1999 (age 26) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	217 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:	Clinton (Clinton, Mississippi)
College:	Florida State (2017–2019)
NFL Draft:	2020 / Round: 2 / Pick: 52
Career history
Los Angeles Rams (2020) Minnesota Vikings (2023) Houston Texans (2024) Minnesota Vikings (2024–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LVI) Second-team All-ACC (2019) Third-team All-ACC (2017)
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Rushing yards: 2,025 Rushing average: 4.0 Rushing touchdowns: 13 Receptions: 52 Receiving yards: 388 Receiving touchdowns: 4

Cam Akers (born June 22, 1999) is an American professional football player. He is a running back for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

Akers was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. He played with the Rams for four seasons. During the 2021 season, he had a serious injury to his Achilles tendon. However, he made an amazing comeback for the playoffs and helped his team win Super Bowl LVI. In 2023, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, but another Achilles injury ended his season early.

Early Life and High School Football

Cam Akers grew up in Clinton, Mississippi. He went to Clinton High School, where he was a star player on the football team. He played both quarterback and running back.

In his senior year, Akers ran for over 2,100 yards and scored 34 touchdowns. He also threw for more than 3,100 yards and 31 touchdowns. Throughout his high school career, he gained an incredible 13,243 yards and scored 149 touchdowns. Because of his amazing skills, he was named Mississippi Gatorade Player of The Year. He also played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and won the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award in 2016.

Akers was considered one of the best high school football players in the country. Many colleges wanted him to play for their teams. He decided to commit to Florida State University to play college football.

College Career Highlights

Akers with Florida State in 2019

Cam Akers played for the Florida State Seminoles from 2017 to 2019.

2017 Season: Breaking Records

In his first college game, Akers played against Alabama. He rushed for 30 yards. His first game with over 100 rushing yards was against Miami (FL), where he ran for 129 yards. A week later, he scored his first college touchdown with a 46-yard run against Duke.

Later that season, Akers had a fantastic game against Syracuse, rushing for 199 yards and two touchdowns. By the end of the season, he had rushed for 1,025 yards and seven touchdowns. This broke the Florida State freshman rushing record, which was previously held by Dalvin Cook. Akers was recognized for his great performance and was named Third-Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

2018 Season: A Tough Year

Akers was still the main running back for the 2018 season. He was even named Preseason All-ACC. However, it was a tougher year for him. He didn't have a 100-yard rushing game until near the end of the season against Boston College. He finished the season with 706 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

2019 Season: Strong Finish

In his final college season, Akers had several standout games. Against Louisiana–Monroe, he rushed for 193 yards and two touchdowns, also catching five passes for 55 yards and another touchdown. His 36 carries in that game set a new team record.

He continued to shine against Louisville, rushing for 112 yards and three touchdowns. Against Syracuse, Akers tied a program record by scoring four touchdowns in one game, rushing for 144 yards. In his last game for Florida State against Florida, he rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown.

On December 14, 2019, Akers decided to skip his team's bowl game to prepare for the 2020 NFL draft. He finished his college career with 27 rushing touchdowns, which ranks sixth in Florida State history. His 2,875 career rushing yards also rank sixth all-time for the Seminoles. He was named Second-Team All-ACC for his strong performance.

College Statistics

Professional Career in the NFL

Before the 2020 NFL Draft, experts thought Cam Akers was one of the top running backs available. He was expected to be picked in the second round.

Los Angeles Rams: Early Years

Akers with the Rams in 2020

2020 Season: Rookie Success

The Los Angeles Rams picked Akers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, as the 52nd overall pick. In Week 11, he scored his first NFL touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A few weeks later, in Week 14 against the New England Patriots, Akers had an amazing game. He rushed for 171 yards, which was one of the best rushing performances by any NFL player that season. He was even named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts.

In the playoffs that year, Akers continued to play well. He rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks, helping the Rams win. In the next game against the Green Bay Packers, he rushed for 90 yards and another touchdown, though the Rams lost that game.

2021 Season: Overcoming Injury

The 2021 season started with a big challenge for Akers. In July 2021, he tore his Achilles tendon during a workout. This is a very serious injury that usually keeps players out for a whole year. However, Akers had a special surgery that helped him recover much faster.

He made an incredible return to the field in Week 18, just five months after his injury. Akers then played in the playoffs, helping the Rams reach Super Bowl LVI. In the Super Bowl, he contributed to the Rams' 23–20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals, becoming a Super Bowl champion.

2022 Season: Strong Comeback

Akers at training camp in 2023

Akers had a strong comeback season in 2022. After a slow start, he began to play much better later in the year. Against the Denver Broncos in Week 16, he rushed for 118 yards and scored three touchdowns in a big win.

He finished the season with three games in a row where he rushed for over 100 yards. He ended the 2022 season with 786 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 15 games.

2023 Season: A New Team

Akers started the 2023 season as the Rams' main running back. In Week 1, he scored a touchdown against the Seahawks. However, he was inactive for the next game.

Minnesota Vikings (First Time)

On September 21, 2023, Akers was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. In his first game with the Vikings, he rushed for 40 yards. Sadly, in Week 9, he suffered another injury to his left Achilles tendon, which ended his season early.

Houston Texans

On July 21, 2024, Akers signed with the Houston Texans.

Minnesota Vikings (Second Time)

On October 15, 2024, Akers was traded back to the Minnesota Vikings from the Texans.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

Postseason