For the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Rams appear to have hit a home run with their draft class. After landing Puka Nacua, Steve Avila, Kobie Turner and Byron Young in 2023, they nailed their class again in 2024 with Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Kamren Kinchens, Beaux Limmer and even Joshua Karty.
The Rams got key contributions from a number of their rookies this season, both drafted and undrafted. That’s evident in The Athletic’s All-Rookie Team, which is littered with Rams selections.
In total, the Rams had five players picked, two as first-teamers and three on the second-team. There were also two honorable mentions for Los Angeles in Limmer and Jaylen McCollough.
First-team
Edge rusher: Jared Verse
Defensive tackle: Braden Fiske
Verse and Fiske were no-brainers. Verse ranked fourth in the NFL – not just among rookies – with 77 total pressures this season, while Fiske led all rookies with 8.5 sacks and had 51 pressures of his own.
The former FSU teammates have exceeded expectations as pros, combining for 13 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss in their first season with the Rams.
Second-team
Linebacker: Omar Speights
Safety: Kamren Kinchens
Kicker: Joshua Karty
On the second-team, Speights, Kinchens and Karty were all deserving selections. Speights became a starter in the second half of the season after Troy Reeder went down and has only gotten better each week, recording the lowest missed-tackle rate of any rookie linebacker (5.7%), per The Athletic.
Kinchens has stepped in as a key contributor on defense, pulling in four interceptions and leading all rookies with 123 interception return yards.
Karty hit a low point in the middle of the season but finished December and January with 13 straight made field goals, including long-distance bombs from 57 and 58 yards to earn NFC Special Teams Player of the Month.
If these five players, along with Limmer, McCollough, Blake Corum and Jordan Whittington, can all continue to develop and get better in Years 2 and 3, the Rams will have a bunch of Pro Bowlers on their hands.
It’s rare for a draft class to have this many impact players in their first season, but Les Snead and Sean McVay knocked it out of the park once again.
from Rams Wire https://ift.tt/o7bUlM4
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