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The meteoric rise of LA Rams DL Sebastian Joseph Day
2021 promises to be the best year yet in the meteoric rise of LA Rams DL Sebastian Joseph Day. YouTube, marriage, and football. Wow!
ramblinfan.com
The LA Rams have enjoyed the quiet eruption of defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph Day on the defensive line of scrimmage. But it’s been a subtle eruption, almost like a flower blossoming in early spring. A slowly developing emergence, steadfast in its daily reach towards the light each day. Constant swelling of ability and potential, so determined that it achieves new growth each day. And there it is, in plain sight.
Sometimes, we become so trained to see stark changes and sharp turns in the road that a steady rate of linear growth is almost invisible to the eye. Even I am guilty of missing the obvious because it’s right there developing in front of me in full display. I don’t think I’m the only one guilty of that either.
Looking for talented players to erupt is akin to training the eye to catch a distant sudden flash of brilliance on the team. A sudden burst of production from a young player is like a burst of light from a fourth of July fireworks display. And yet, SJD is right there, on the starting line, and seizing the opportunity to play in an ever dominating fashion to little to no fanfare.
I won’t be lulled into tranquility. SJD is a huge force on this LA Rams defense, and it’s time we acknowledged that. After all, he has settled in at the nose tackle position for the team, arguably one of the most difficult and physically demanding positions on defense.
In a 3-4, the nose tackle is the epicenter of the defense. Everything that the offense does is within the radius of the nose tackle. So it takes a particular dedicated, strong, and sharp player to excel in the role. And wouldn’t you know it, the 195th player chosen in the 2018 NFL Draft from the University of Rutgers exhibits all of that and more.
From practice squad to NFL star
The 6-foot-4 310-pound nose tackle spent his first year on the team’s practice squad. But with the departure of free-agent DL Ndamukong Suh, SJD was the player who slid into the rotation alongside Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald. He did well, well enough to earn a larger role in 2020.
After all, he needed just 481 defensive snaps in 2019 to put up 44 tackles, five tackles for losses, five quarterback hits, and two quarterback sacks. He earned a 2019 grade of 63.0 from Pro Football Focus, a sign of promising young talent.
The LA Rams added veteran NT A’Shawn Robinson in 2020, but due to health reasons, he was unable to take snaps until the second half of the season. But ‘Sea Bass’ (he does not like that nickname given him by veteran teammate Michael Brockers) was prepared. He bulked up, focused on playing the nose tackle position, and surprised many.
With 15 percent fewer snaps, SJD rolled up 55 tackles, one tackle for loss, four quarterback hits, and one quarterback sack. His Pro Football Focus skyrocketed in 2020 to a grade of 80.6. In just three years from the sixth-round of the 2108 NFL Draft, Sebastian Joseph Day is a rising NFL star.
Tackler, food critic, social leader, and 2021 romantic
If you only see football players as, well, football players, you are missing the best parts of life and of the NFL. In 2020, Sebastian Joseph Day was a leader in all respects. Amidst the pandemic crisis that forced self-quarantine and a tremendous burden upon health care workers, Joseph Day donated from his own pockets to feed front-line, medical workers.
When social injustice gripped the nation in 2020, once more it was Sebastian Joseph Day who led by example. He engaged in meaningful dialogues, conversations, and debates to represent all sides fully, and to reach lasting holistic solutions.
It was not all heavy topics in 2020, mind you. Late in 2020, word got out that SJD was converting his passion for food, culture, and history into a YouTube channel called Dine-N-Bash. You need to check it out because he covers a wide swath of culinary establishments and eateries at a time when finding new dining spots is awfully tough to do. SJD does the heavy lifting for you.
And finally, there was the announcement of the engagement of Sebastian Joseph Day and Rachel Lucosky.
AYE!! IM MARRYING MY BEST FRIEND! AIN’T NO BETTER FEELING DAWG! IM TELLING YA!
— Sebastian Joseph-Day (@SJD_51) February 10, 2021
Too much in one year? Doubtful. A flourishing football career, a new business venture, and a blossoming romance. Everything is coming up roses for Sebastian Joseph Day in 2021. It’s been a subtle eruption, almost like a flower blossoming in early spring. A slowly developing emergence, steadfast in its daily reach towards the light each day. Constant swelling of ability and potential, so determined that it achieves new growth each day. And there it is, in plain sight.
Congratulations Sebastian and Rachel. Here’s hoping 2021 is your best year yet. Perhaps, with a little luck and perseverance, Sea Bass can add one more ring to the jewelry collection this year. An engagement ring, a wedding ring, and a Super Bowl Championship ring.
