Ready to play: Rookie Havenstein an odds-on favorite to start on O-line this fall/FSMW

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RamBill

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Ready to play: Rookie Havenstein an odds-on favorite to start on O-line this fall
Elisabeth Meinecke
FOX Sports Midwest

JUN 05, 2015 6:57p ET

http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/story/rookie-rob-havenstein-ready-to-play-for-st-louis-rams-060515

ST. LOUIS -- Yeah, there's a chance rookie tackle Rob Havenstein may not be starting on the St. Louis Rams' offensive line come fall. There's also a chance that Taylor Swift finds true love, Brett Favre unretires or the zombies take over (OK, maybe not the last one).

Havenstein, the team's second-round draft pick this year, finds himself in this excellent position through hard work, but also by default. There are two gaping holes on the right side of St. Louis' offensive line, and few candidates with any notable pro experience to fill them. The team did add veteran Garrett Reynolds during the offseason but also used four of their nine draft picks on offensive linemen. Of these, Havenstein is the highest selection, and comes from Wisconsin, a program Rams head coach Jeff Fisher clearly respects when it comes to offensive linemen.

"When you come from programs like Iowa, like Wisconsin -- you're technique-sound," Fisher says.

That doesn't mean transitioning to the NFL has been a cakewalk, even for Havenstein. Like a typical rookie, he's spent the past month trying to master the NFL playbook and adjust to a faster pace of play.

"Speed's definitely different," Havenstein admits. "There can be different calls for the same movement, and you've gotta be able to decipher between that, and it's all got to happen like this."

Since he got to St. Louis, he and offensive guard Jamon Brown, a third-round draft pick this year, have become something of an odd couple on the right side of the offensive line. Working closely together in practice has led to them also meeting outside of it, either downtown or at their hotel, to ensure they're on the same page when they get on the field.

Havenstein is a Maryland native who spent his college career playing up north, while the 323-pound Brown is Savannah-born and Louisville-raised. Brown found out he loved playing football in middle school, where he had a pretty good career as a right guard and middle linebacker. Havenstein, meanwhile, never even played football until ninth grade -- and it took him even longer to figure out he was good at it.

"Maybe senior year (of high school), I thought I was good, but whether or not I was actually good ..." Havenstein leaves the question hanging. "Freshman year (of college) was freshman year, and you don't really think you're great because you're going out there and getting your butt kicked on scout team all the time, and trying to get better and better."

After redshirting and then seeing game action the following season, he got the starting job at right tackle for the Badgers his sophomore year, and never missed a start through three full seasons. As his college career progressed, so did his dream of reaching the NFL. The guys he'd played on a line with, Havenstein noticed, were going to the pros, so maybe he had a shot, too.

"Instead of kind of (being) on the outside looking in and saying, 'Can I actually do that?' I had something to kind of base it off of," Havenstein says.

The Rams thought he was capable. They liked his durability, his smarts, the fact that he came from an offense that ran the ball well. In fact, general manager Les Snead called him "ready to play" when talking to reporters on the day Havenstein was drafted.

Now, the opportunity seems his for the taking.

"This is the dream for a lot of people," Havenstein said during Rams' rookie orientation in May. "At least we get a chance to make it a reality here in the upcoming months. That alone is just something absolutely special. It's the best job in the world, and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else."
 

CGI_Ram

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Brown and Havenstein = the odd couple.

Love it.
 

ramfan46

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He reminds me of John Runyan, but not a psycho on the field. His aggression is controlled and directed. I think he will be a rock on the right side from day one.
 

RamBill

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4
Offensive Line Beginning to Take Shape
By Myles Simmons

View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Offensive-Line-Beginning-to-Take-Shape/a019a426-a334-4a06-afdb-b648dd54d549


The offensive line has been a popular topic in and around Rams Park for a number of weeks -- and for good reason. With the team using four of its nine draft picks to select players on the offensive front, and using a fifth to bring in running back Todd Gurley, St. Louis has given off a clear indication that it will be utilizing a power-run game in 2015.

It’s a prospect that has guard Rodger Saffold excited.

“It’s a lot of fun being able to run the ball,” he said at OTAs this week. “But just being able to put us in a position to win games, that’s what I really wanted. And I think that we’ve done everything that we possibly could to make that happen.”

Aside from the four draft picks, the Rams have added additional rookie undrafted free agents, and signed unrestricted free agents during the offseason. With ostensibly three starting roles currently up for grabs, there will be some stiff competition through the preseason on the offensive front.

But currently in team drills, the Rams are working without the two presumed returning starters, Saffold and Greg Robinson. Both men had offseason surgery -- Saffold on his shoulder, Robinson on his toe -- and have been in the building for the majority of the last few months. In that time, the pair worked out and watched a lot of film together.

Robinson, who has slimmed down to 319 pounds from a high of 339 last year, said he felt like he made significant strides in the offseason. Saffold agreed with his teammate’s assessment.

“I watched him get a lot stronger,” Saffold said. “I watched him pay a lot of attention to what we did just in our own time in film study, those types of things. And I think he’s learning a lot more. I expect to see a big improvement out of him.”

Moving from left to right, St. Louis is currently rotating through three candidates for center -- Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones, and Demetrius Rhaney. According to Jones, each of the three has gotten a chance to work with the first, second, and third offensive units.

“We have three good candidates from what I see, and I think it’s pretty open,” Jones said of the competition. “You’ve got to make the most of your opportunities for sure.”

Jones also said that he feels completely healthy for the first time since he was drafted out of Alabama.

“It’s tough to block some of these D-linemen we have when you’re not at full strength,” Jones said. “So it definitely feels good being healthy.”

The challenge of blocking the Rams’ vaunted defensive line isn’t lost on rookies Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown.

“Our defensive front is amazing,” Havenstein said. “It’s definitely good work just getting out there. Even if you lose a rep to those guys you know it’s something you can learn from.”

“I think it’s going to help me a lot going up against guys like Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald,” Brown said. “I get to go against them now, so I get to go through the growing pains and everything -- kind of get adjusted and acquainted to the NFL level. Who better to do that against than these guys?”

Brown played primarily at tackle for his last couple of years at Louisville, but has been working exclusively at guard in St. Louis. He said that he’s been able to draw on some of his earlier college experience to help with the transition to the pros.

“The biggest difference to me is learning the techniques as a guard and how to use my hands, how to be in the right body positions and right posture,” Brown said. “It has been a transition, but I think I’m coming along pretty good.”

Head coach Jeff Fisher said this week that all of the rookie offensive linemen have done well in getting up to speed.

“They’re fast learners,” Fisher said. “They’re especially strong, talented. We’ve got five of them here that I think have a chance to make this team. When you come from programs like Iowa, like Wisconsin -- you’re technically sound. You’re ahead. ‘JB’ did a great job there at Louisville and I think he’s right behind them. He’s especially strong. They’ve had a good couple of weeks.”

Brown and Havenstein both credited the veterans for helping the younger players in the process. Robinson said that while it’s different given that he was a rookie last year, he’s embraced helping this season’s first-year crop. And as the elder statesman of the line, Saffold has welcomed his leadership role as well.

“I’m doing my best with that,” Saffold said. “The O-line room was pretty much vacant most of the beginning of this year, and now there’s nowhere to sit. So you’ve go to really be able to help these guys out. Right now I’m kind of like a coach. I’m just sitting there, reading the scripts, and helping out where I can.”

“Everyone’s been very helpful with the secrets and ins and outs of the trade -- what to expect and what to see and what calls mean in certain situations,” Havenstein said. “Obviously the playbook and everything that comes into a professional offense is a little bit bigger than it was in college.”

So while it’s still too early to predict how the unit will eventually line up Week 1 against the Seahawks, the offensive line’s talent and competition should give the Rams good depth and options for the entire season.
 

snackdaddy

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Havenstein might turn out pretty good. But I woulda felt better if we picked up a vet RT or bring back Barksdale just in case. Then they coulda just battled it out and let the best man win.
 

Alan

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"Moving from left to right, St. Louis is currently rotating through three candidates for center -- Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones, and Demetrius Rhaney. According to Jones, each of the three has gotten a chance to work with the first, second, and third offensive units.

“We have three good candidates from what I see, and I think it’s pretty open,” Jones said of the competition. “You’ve got to make the most of your opportunities for sure.”

Jones also said that he feels completely healthy for the first time since he was drafted out of Alabama.

“It’s tough to block some of these D-linemen we have when you’re not at full strength,” Jones said. “So it definitely feels good being healthy.


It appears that there's been a change in thinking and Jones is a candidate for the job at center. That's good news for me as it would seem to say that we might not need him at guard. I still think he'll probably be a backup at all three positions rather than a starter at any of them.

Everyone else here already thought he was in the mix at center so I seem to be late to the party. Fortunately I brought some more beer in case we were running low. :LOL:
 

ramfan46

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The thing I took from the article is they already like 5 guys from this Draft and UDFA class. I'm guessing the 5th is Williams from SF. He will be fun to watch in camp to see if he has back up Tackle potential. With Donnal and Wichmann there is a semblance of depth at G for the first time in forever.