Since acquiring head coach Sean McVay, the Rams have only taken once from the top 40 picks in previous rounds; this year, they chose twice from the top 40 picks.
The Los Angeles Rams undoubtedly won the jackpot in the 2023 NFL Draft by teaming outside linebacker Byron Young with nose tackle Kobie Turner. Not only did their immediate relationship ensure that the two rookies had someone to assist carry the strain throughout the lengthy 2023 NFL season, but the teammates’ natural competition propelled them to the top of their rookie class.
It was a classic case of iron sharpens iron. But rather than the typical tale of defensive standout squaring off against an offensive standout, this was a story of the synergy that was created by the pairing of two defensive players who organically forged a strong friendship and a friendly rivalry that would carry them both through the 2023 NFL season.
It was evident that the team’s scouting staff and draft vetting process believed that both former Tennessee OLB Byron Young and former Wake Forest defensive lineman were well-suited to play on the Rams defense. But was the squad that much better at finding and choosing highly gifted NFL-ready players?
76 rookie prospects had their names called out before Byron Young. 88 rookie prospects had their names called out before Kobie Turner. In retrospect, you could make an extremely persuasive case that the team landed the top two defenders (at least on the defensive front) from the 2023 rookie class.
While we must give some credit to the team’s vetting of rookies, and the inclusion of a prospect’s passion for the game as a key and integral factor in that process, it’s clear that the rookie journey for both Young and Turner transformed from a stressful pressure cooker of having to make an NFL team’s roster to a friendly competition between two talented rookies over who could rack up the most tackles and quarterback sacks.
And, if that is genuinely a key to rookie defensive performance, is it repeatable?
The squad appears to be putting that hypothesis to the test this season. While the early plans for their first Round 1 pick in eight years included a range of targets, when the Los Angeles Rams selected former Florida State outside linebacker Jared Verse, the strategy was instantly energized. The team immediately shifted their emphasis to getting his teammate, former Seminoles defensive tackle Braden Fiske.
Is it feasible that two new rookies, outside linebacker Jared Verse and defensive tackle Braden Fiske, can not only shock the NFL this season, but may even outperform their teammates by having even better rookie seasons? Don’t look now, but that is what NFL draft analyst Chad Reuter anticipates from the Rams’ defensive combo.
Which NFL first-year players will outshine the contemporaries at their respective positions? @chad_reuter projects the 2024 All-Rookie Team on defense and special teams.https://t.co/YeXngtz5l4 pic.twitter.com/VHJbvJ3Bwh
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 29, 2024
As we have discovered from unpleasant firsthand experience, the NFL is hesitant to celebrate LA Rams players because they do not want to disrupt the tradition of recognizing East Coast players and quarterbacks with awards.
Despite this, NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has already given unlimited support to the LA Rams’ duo of rookies from Florida State in this year’s All-Rookie team forecasts.
“Rams 2023 third-round picks Kobie Turner and Byron Young were named to last season’s NFL.com All-Rookie Team after recording nine and eight sacks, respectively.” Verse and Fiske will be another formidable combo, supporting a team effort to replace future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald. Verse will overwhelm and outhustle outside tackles for at least seven sacks, while Fiske’s workmanlike effort in run support and on third down should help him in single-block situations inside.
Reuter definitely expects amazing rookie production from the two Rams rookies. Now, how close to correct will he get?
Top shelf talent blessed with blue collar mindsets
We’re all creatures of habit. Think about it. We frequently travel the same routes to and from work at roughly the same times. We shop in the same stores. We eat at the same restaurants. Our timetable allows us to settle into a habit, making every event in our day virtually automatic. The same may be said for our expectations and habits.
Where that observation aligns with the LA Rams roster is rather straightforward. Since signing Head Coach Sean McVay, the team has only made three selections in the top 40 of any NFL Draft. In 2023, the franchise picked former TCU IOL Steve Avila with the 36th overall choice in Round 2 of the NFL Draft, being the first interior offensive lineman off the board. However, in 2024, the team picked OLB Jared Verse with the 19th overall pick in Round 1 of the NFL Draft, followed by his teammate, DT Braden Fiske, with the 39th overall pick in Round 2.
Two of the top three draft picks since head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead joined forces in 2017 are rookies on this season’s team. And that means a lot.
As Rams fans, we’ve learned to expect players to progress from humble college backgrounds, with some rawness in their game, to NFL starters, rotational players, and the occasional star. However, it has been a long time since this team and its fandom have encountered such a wealth of football skill in the same NFL Draft.
And the process for identifying and prioritizing rookie talents has clearly improved since the organization picked offensive tackle Greg Robinson with the second overall choice and defensive tackle Aaron Donald with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
The finest complement I can pay Jared Verse and Braden Fiske is that they both have an unstoppable enthusiasm for the game, a real blue collar attitude that embraces the hard and grind of football. However, both are endowed with exceptional athletic ability. They are unquestionably two of the most talented players to emerge from the 2024 NFL Draft. However, rather than receiving a red-carpet greeting, they have arrived with a chip on their shoulder, anxious to get to it. and a love for the game that appears to thrive off of one another.
The Rams stunned the NFL by getting outstanding production from two rookies in 2023. This season, it does not look that the club will be as readily shocked. This year’s jaw-dropping Rams defensive tandem is already expected to be among the top players on the 2024 NFL All-Rookie squad. They will fulfill their goal. But I believe their combined performances will raise more than a few eyebrows this season.
