Mo Alexander predicted as Ram's most surprising starter in '16.

[Rams43]

Mo Alexander predicted as the Rams’ most surprising starter in 2016

By: Alex Alarcon | 4 hours ago

http://theramswire.usatoday.com/201...-as-the-rams-most-surprising-starter-in-2016/


Every year, each NFL team spends the offseason trimming down their roster as they look for the right player for specific starting jobs. However, can one of the worst players at the safety position from last season somehow find a starting job in 2016? This one may come as a bit of a surprise for Los Angeles Rams fans.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recently predicted the most surprising starter for each NFL team, and his choice for the Rams was one that many would likely call surprising.

Say hello to the starting safety on the Rams defense, Maurice Alexander.


Mo Alexander is among 2016 breakout player candidates
Alexander will be entering his third year in the league, but he is coming off his worst performance. Pro Football Focus rated Alexander as the Rams’ worst safety in the NFL in 2015.

With the departure of now Philadelphia Eagles safety Rodney McLeod, someone has to fill the role of the No. 10 best safety in the league though.

Alexander is one of the few battling for the open position, and he appears to be on the rise. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News, Alexander was making a strong case for himself during OTAs.

“He’s having a really, really, really good camp,” Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said of Alexander.

The past two years, Alexander has totaled 43 combined tackles along with two sacks. Can Alexander go from worst to first in the 2016 season?

 

[OldSchool]

Will be an interesting dynamic if he and TJ are back there together. Two big hitters that are short on cover skills. It's going to put a lot of pressure on our Corners. Hope everybody is up for it and most of all healthy.

 

[Rams43]

More on Mo Alexander's '16 chances...

Mo Alexander is among 2016 breakout player candidates

By: Alex Alarcon | June 15, 2016 12:30 am ET

http://theramswire.usatoday.com/2016/06/15/fast-break-is-this-rams-db-on-the-brink-of-a-huge-season/

The Rams need an unsung hero to step up and replace Rodney McLeod at free safety.

Maurice Alexander might just be the answer. The third-year safety has developed enough to make Sports Illustrated’s list of 10 players fans should know about.

SI.com writer Chris Burke sees Alexander as the perfect replacement for Mark Barron, who shifted to linebacker full-time:

Mark Barron no longer need be discussed as a safety/linebacker hybrid. He is a linebacker, period. Alexander is the player on this Rams roster who could become what Barron once was. In fact, Alexander was a linebacker before converting to safety during his college days.

That’s exactly the kind of player head coach Jeff Fisher wanted when he added the Utah State product to his first Rams draft class. With his coverage skills matching his tackling skills, Fisher told Burke that Alexander is a “huge upside” candidate.

The team might ultimately choose to tab a veteran free-agent for the role. But they’re looking at young players for now, and Burke believes they’ll find a role for a versatile player like Alexander.

Add in Los Angeles’ usage of three-safety looks and it’s clear why Alexander’s versatility could appeal to the coaching staff. He could slot in as a starter next to incumbent starter T.J. McDonald; he could walk down in the box as an extra linebacker; he even could slide out and play coverage as a corner.

Alexander has played in 22 games with the Rams in two years, totaling 43 combined tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble. If Burke is right, Alexander could double that output in 2016.

 

[So Ram]

I personally think he is a lot better than PFF stats think.
Greg Williams will have him position to succeed !! He made some big plays last season ,& is going to be so much better this season. As a starter ? TJ or Rodney not sure what safety spot.

 

[Psycho_X]

Didn't know he was rated that badly, all I know is I was not happy to see him in the backfield when he was last year. I've been fairly vocal in my belief that we really fouled up the McLeod situation and will regret letting him walk. I just don't see any cover skills in our safeties currently on the roster and that scares me. Especially if Gaines and/or Quinn struggle post fairly serious injuries. We might regret not having someone with McLeod's range back there. But this is Mo's big chance in the NFL.... hopefully the work he's put in since last year will pay off for everyone involved.

 

[Rams43]

The Rams turned the UDFA McLeod into a fine deep S. Got a huge FA contract with the Eagles, even.

No reason to think that the Ram coaches can't make a fine deep S out of one of Alexander, Bryant, Davis, or the Randolph kid.

I'm inclined to think that Fisher, GW, and Cecil know what the hell they're doing back there.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Didn't know he was rated that badly, all I know is I was not happy to see him in the backfield when he was last year.................I just don't see any cover skills in our safeties currently on the roster and that scares me.

Let you eyes guide you more than PFF...Sure he made some mistakes, but Mo improved every single game...I wanna alleviate some of your doubts in regards to our secondary, really our 2 safeties...Mo and McDonald....Very rarely are safeties great or even above average in man-to-man coverage on wrs...It's one of the reasons I wasn't mad at McLeod for getting beat when he played down there....I do like to see safeties stick TE's & RB's well....but most times the matchup isn't favorable...But overhead, deep coverage I believe any safety, with the knowledge of the game, can make the occasional play on a thrown ball. Playing a deep middle is harder than a deep half, but still, Mo & McD have the speed to be effective.
The reason I really like Mo in the game is for the tackling ability he brings. And this is the one reason I'm not sad McLeod is gone...Mo is a better tackler than McLeod....So is TJ....(I hit ctrl + Fn an the font changed...cool) Of course Mo has to prove it...in games..but I'll lean to what Williams has been saying about the man....

 

[Florida_Ram]

Let you eyes guide you more than PFF...Sure he made some mistakes, but Mo improved every single game....

Well said LACHAMP... I totally use PFF and FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS for (indicators) Stats and Player References but they are never my final analysis or stamp of concrete evidence.

I do give them the benefit of the doubt in most cases but there are so many moving parts to go along with all the responsibilities and other various things that happen during the entire process of a play developing. To know all the variables and audibles/assignments for every single player on every snap is impossible (so judgment errors by the film study stat gurus are bound to happen)

Other than the obvious mental errors and or missed tackles/bad angles, those stat gurus can never be 100% sure of what a players responsibilities were from the start of a play until the end on every play, unless they practiced and reviewed film with the coordinators during the weekly game planning/schemes.

They drafted Mo as a project hybrid SS/OLB like Barron and though his pass coverage is still a red flag for many, he may very well step up that part of his game and have a solid year as a starter. I know I'm going to let my eyes guide me during the preseason and I'm hoping this 4th round Fisher favorite earns the job and keeps it for along time.

 

[Psycho_X]

Let you eyes guide you more than PFF...Sure he made some mistakes, but Mo improved every single game...I wanna alleviate some of your doubts in regards to our secondary, really our 2 safeties...Mo and McDonald....Very rarely are safeties great or even above average in man-to-man coverage on wrs...It's one of the reasons I wasn't mad at McLeod for getting beat when he played down there....I do like to see safeties stick TE's & RB's well....but most times the matchup isn't favorable...But overhead, deep coverage I believe any safety, with the knowledge of the game, can make the occasional play on a thrown ball. Playing a deep middle is harder than a deep half, but still, Mo & McD have the speed to be effective.
The reason I really like Mo in the game is for the tackling ability he brings. And this is the one reason I'm not sad McLeod is gone...Mo is a better tackler than McLeod....So is TJ....(I hit ctrl + Fn an the font changed...cool) Of course Mo has to prove it...in games..but I'll lean to what Williams has been saying about the man....

Never look at PFF that's why i didn't know he was rated that badly until now but have not been comfortable with Mo for a while now. And since it was brought up I think TJ has been greatly over rated by fans so far in his career. I think TJ is ok but far from as great as some make him out to be. Hopefully he gets to actually play this year and hopefully he can make it through 16 games again to prove me wrong.

 

[LACHAMP46]

have not been comfortable with Mo for a while now. And since it was brought up I think TJ has been greatly over rated by fans so far in his career. I think TJ is ok

hmmm, it was hard to get comfortable with Mo's play last season....but since the playoff hunt was over, I enjoyed watching him develop. Just like I did watching Wichman, Williams, and Joyner. I remember when McLeod first started...He was a case as well with all the missed tackles...TJ has a style of play that I remembered from USC...Hard hits do bring the pain...and the attention. Learning the safety role in the NFL is very different for many players. Some schemes seem built for players to excel right out of college...Greg Williams defense seems complex in many ways for everyone except d-linemen...Safeties appear to take a while....Blown coverages seem like the norm...It's hard to play fast, be on time, and make an impact in the passing game if you have to think, then react to what you see, rather than flowing to the play naturally. Can TJ play safety at this level, at an all-pro level? I say he was turning into one of the best in the game, right before our eyes last year. Same as Ogletree. Picks/Int's come from experience at safety, not just pure skills...TJ has those skills, plus the added advantage of being a big-time thumper. I'm pretty sure he'll be deep most of the passing downs...Mo will be locked up with a TE....Always remember GW wants interchangeable safeties...
Defense starts up front....we're loaded....I wouldn't worry about the secondary unless our corners start to struggle...

 

[Faceplant]

Coach up taking the proper angles and tackling and our safeties should be OK. Its not like we have Craig muthafuckin Dahl back there.......uke:

 

[A55VA6]

Safety is a really interesting spot for us right now. Not sure what's going on with McDonald but I sure hope he's ready to go week 1. As for the other spot, we've heard good things about Bryant and Alexander... I just hope whoever gets the spot plays really well.

 

[BuffaloRam]

Coach up taking the proper angles and tackling and our safeties should be OK. Its not like we have Craig muthafuckin Dahl back there.......uke:

Nobody should have to line-up Craig Dahl at safety...

 

[OldSchool]

Nobody should have to line-up Craig Dahl at safety...

Wrong! Our division rivals and the Cheaters should all have to line him up!

 

[Roman Snow]

Coach up taking the proper angles and tackling and our safeties should be OK. Its not like we have Craig muthafuckin Dahl back there.......uke:

I don't think people are fair to Craig Dahl. He just missed his calling in sports. That's all.

 

[LesBaker]

He needs to get rid of those wax lips mouthguards though.