Camp Reference Guide For the Entire OFFENSE (Part 1)

[Florida_Ram]

For archive entertainment and a reference guide, I thought I would condense the Entire Camp Roster for the Offense and Defense in a 2 part series. A quick Summary of the all the Rams players to view as we wait to see how the Rams 2016 final 53 man roster shakes out.

As camp and preseason begin to sort out the Roster based on Performance, Injures & miscellaneous reasons, this should be a good Go to Guide to for a quick reference and review of each player and what their estimated roster value was at the beginning of camp.

(Part 1) The entire Camp Roster for the 2016 Rams "OFFENSIVE" Personnel


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of WR's on the current Roster is (11)

(The Wide Receivers)


#11 WR/RB/PR TAVON AUSTIN 5'8 180 lbs (Turns 26 on 03/16/2017)

2015 Rams CATCHES 52 YARDS 473 YPC.. 9.1 TD 5.. Rushing TD 4
2014 Rams CATCHES 31 YARDS 242 YPC.. 7.8 TD 0.. Rushing TD 2
2013 Rams CATCHES 40 YARDS 418 YPC 10.5 TD 4.. Rushing TD 1

CAREER RUSHING 44 GAMES.. ATT 97 YARDS 809 YPA 8.3 TD 7

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavon_Austin
2015: Austin had arguably his best season in 2015. He posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (473), and receiving touchdowns (5). Austin further proved to be a dynamic player on offense as he ran the ball 52 times for 434 yards and 4 touchdowns.

In 2015 Austin became the first player to score at least five receiving touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, and a punt return touchdown in a single seasonsince Gale Sayers did so for the Chicago Bears in 1965.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pr...-means-more-reshuffling-along-cowboys-d-line/

Austin caught 64.2 percent of the passes sent his way in 2015, meaning that, for him to top 100 catches this season at that same rate, he would need 156 targets, which would have been the sixth-highest total of 2015.

The issue for Austin is that the five players with more targets than that in 2015 are all outside, perimeter,unquestioned No. 1 targets for their offenses, and Austin can’t be that guy at his size.

He may be thought of as a slot receiver, but only 17 of his 81 targets (21.0 percent) came from the slot in 2015.

The Rams have been lining Austin up outside and then feeding him the ball on bubble screens and quick hitches with the occasional deep route worked in. Austin runs one of the most basic route trees in the NFL, and until that develops, there is little to no chance of him catching those 100 passes.

#18 WR KENNY BRITT 6'3 223 lbs (Turns 28 on 09/19/2016)

2015 Rams CATCHES 36 YARDS 681 YPC 18.9 TD 3
2014 Rams CATCHES 48 YARDS 748 YPC 15.6 TD 3

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5130/kenny-britt
2015: Britt flashed some big-play ability down the stretch of 2015 and was the recipient of a few downfield shot plays by Case Keenum against San Francisco.

Britt finished the season with a receiving line of 36-681-3. As Britt did not hit the statistical standards to void his contract head of the 2016 offseason, he will be under contract for at least one more year. He's combined for 84 catches, 1,429 and six touchdowns in two seasons the Rams.


#10 WR/RB/PR/KR PHAROH COOPER 5'11 207 lbs (Turns 22 on 03/07/2017)

2015 S.CAR CATCHES 66 YARDS... 973 YPC 14.7 TD 8
2014 S.CAR CATCHES 69 YARDS 1,136 YPC 16.5 TD 9

http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/pharoh_cooper_854486.html
2015: Earned first-team All-SEC honors by the league’s coaches as both a wide receiver and as an all-purpose back... was an AP first-team All-SEC wide receiver and a second-team all-purpose back... also named a first-team All-SEC wide receiver by ESPN.com... Gamecocks’ leading receiver with 66 receptions for 973 yards... ranked second in the league with 81.1 receiving yards and fifth with 5.5 catches per game... caught 35 percent of the team’s passes for 39 percent of the yards thrown... his 66 receptions were more than the rest of Carolina’s wide receivers combined total of 56...

His 66 catches was the seventh-highest single-season total in school history, while his 973 receiving yards was the sixth-best mark... led the team with eight receiving touchdowns and with nine TDs overall... had five 100-yard receiving games in 2015 (Kentucky, Missouri, LSU, Vanderbilt, Citadel) and nine in his career... best game came against The Citadel when he caught 11 passes for 191 yards and a score... also had a 160-yard effort against Vanderbilt... averaged 94.9 all purpose yards per game... rushed 24 times for 111 yards and a score... completed 2-of-5 passes for 11 yards and a touchdown... returned 12 punts for 55 yards...

Finished his junior season with 138 career catches (ninth all-time) for 2,163 yards (eighth all-time) with 18 touchdown receptions (sixth all-time)... team captain... was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection... logged 513 rushing yards, 118 passing yards, 2,163 receiving yards, 359 kickoff return yards and 172 punt return yards in his 36-game career that included 25 starts... had six plays of 70-plus yards (two rushing and four receiving).

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/pharoh-cooper?id=2555419
WEAKNESSES: Has neither height nor length for desired catch radius. Was unable to reach big-play throws downfield. Contested catches became a chore. Battled focus and concentration drops at one point. Hip tightness creates rounded routes and limited wiggle after catch. The more wrinkles in the route, the less effective Cooper becomes. Relies on straight line quickness over speed or agility in open field. Limited route exposure while at South Carolina.


#83 WR BRIAN QUICK 6'3 218 lbs (Turns 27 on 06/05/2016)

2015 Rams CATCHES 10 YARDS 102 YPC. 10.2 TD 0
2014 Rams CATCHES 25 YARDS 375 YPC 15.0 TD 3
2013 Rams CATCHES 18 YARDS 302 YPC 16.8 TD 2
2012 Rams CATCHES 11 YARDS 156 YPC 14.2 TD 2

( 4 Year Career: Catches 64 YARDS 935 YPC 14.6 TD 7 )

2016: Rams re-signed WR Brian Quick to a one-year deal. Incentives worth up to $3.75 million, and includes $1.5 million guaranteed. 2015: Recovered from major shoulder surgery but finished the season with a paltry 10 catches for 102 yards 0 TD's. (Quick has a dismal 4 year career receiving line of 64-935-7)

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/10/27/7078483/brian-quick-likely-out-for-season-per-report
2014: Wide Receiver Brian Quick is likely going to miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn rotator cuff and dislocated shoulder, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Quick has 25 catches for 375 yards and three touchdowns in 2014 -- all career highs -- although Quick only had four catches over the last three games before his shoulder injury happened.


#15 WR/SP Teams BRADLEY MARQUEZ 5'10 196 lbs (Turns 24 on 12/14/2016)

2015 Rams CATCHES 13 YARDS.. 88 YPC.. 6.8 TD 0
2014 TECH CATCHES 65 YARDS 821 YPC 12.6 TD 10
2013 TECH CATCHES 49 YARDS 633 YPC 12.9 TD 6

(In his Rookie season, Marquez was a Special Teams Standout for the Rams but only had a receiving line of 13-88-O and 6.8 YPC TD 0)

COLLEGE: Appeared in 43 games and caught 155 passes for 1,866 yards and 17 touchdowns...two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention...three-time Academic All-Big 12 (1st Team)...NFLPA Collegiate Bowl participant...played in 12 games (11 starts) with 65 receptions, 821 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns as a senior...led Big 12 in receiving touchdowns and was fifth in receptions... as a junior, caught 49 passes for 633 yards and six touchdowns...


#13 WR MIKE THOMAS SOUTHERN MISS 6'1 200 lbs (Turns 22 on 08/16/2016)

2015 S.MISS CATCHES 71 YARDS 1,391 YPC 19.6 TD 14
2014 S.MISS CATCHES 41 YARDS....592 YPC 14.4 TD 5

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/cfb/134998/michael-thomas
2015: Thomas spent two years at Southern Miss after transferring from community college, posting a 112-1,983-19 (17.7 YPR) receiving line and setting single-season school records for receiving yards (1,391) and receiving TDs (14) as a senior.

Shockingly snubbed for a Combine invite, Thomas ran 4.54 with a 36-inch vertical and 10-foot-6 broad jump at the Golden Eagles' Pro Day. A terrific route runner who won 50:50 balls and dominated after the catch in Conference USA, Thomas has a Marvin Jones-like skill set with No. 2 receiver upside

Pro Football Focus continues to tout Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas as an early-round talent. PFF ranks Thomas as the No. 7 receiver overall. "He plays bigger than his 6-1 height on tape, making contested catches better than any of the other top receivers in the class," Steve Palazzolo wrote.

"Thomas will also dabble with the spectacular catch, turning poor throws into productive plays. The wide receiver class features a healthy mix of skillsets and Thomas’ ball skills and upside as a route-runner should have teams eyeing him as early as the second round." Thomas caught 72 balls for 1,319 yards and 14 touchdowns on 19.3 yards per reception last year.

Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas ran the 40-yard dash in an unofficial time of 4.40 seconds during Thursday's Pro Day. While Thomas should be proud of his 40-yard time, he understands that being able to sprint in a straight line without football gear says little about his overall ability as a receiver. "The game tape never lies. (Scouts) told me I did pretty good today, but game film tells the tale," he said.

Last season, he caught 72 passes for 1,319 yards and 14 touchdowns with a smooth 19.3 yards per reception on the ledger. Bleacher Report's Luke Easterling noted in mid-February that Thomas "could easily outplay" his late-round status, while the Pro Football Focus analysis team believes that he "has the ability to really surprise some people down the road."

Pro Football Focus grades Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas as a better NFL prospect than well-known prospects like Will Fuller, Braxton Miller and Tyler Boyd. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Thomas, inexplicably snubbed from the Combine, posted a monster 72-1,391-14 last year on an average of 19.3 yards per reception.

He also forced nine missed tackles over the course of the year. "It’s understandable to question the level of competition, but Thomas was tied with [Laquan] Treadwell in terms of receiving grade, and warrants consideration on Day 2," Gordon McGuiness wrote. PFF ranks Thomas as the No. 7 receiver overall and a second-round value.


#86 WR NELSON SPRUCE 6'1 205 lbs (Turns 24 on 12/05/2016)

2015 COL CATCHES 89... YARDS 1053 YPC 11.8 TD 4
2014 COL CATCHES 106. YARDS 1198 YPC 11.3 TD 12
2013 COL CATCHES 55... YARDS.. 650 YPC 11.8 TD 4
2012 COL CATCHES 44... YARDS.. 446 YPC 10.1 TD 3

http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205238584
2015: He started all 13 games and led the team in receiving for the second straight year with 89 receptions for 1,053 yards, averaging 11.8 yards per catch with four touchdowns; he had 46 catches for 10 or more yards (10 of 20-plus) and a pair of 100-yard games, which came at Washington State (10-120) and at Utah (5-111, 1 TD).

He caught at least five passes in all 13 games and finished second in the Pac-12 and 14th in the NCAA in receptions per game (6.8), with his 81.0 yards per game ranking fifth and 31st, respectively; he was also sixth in the conference in punt returns (7.1 avg.). He had an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game, but opted out after suffering a slight ankle injury, but he was fine by the NFL Combine a month later. He again was a candidate for both the Biletnikoff and Maxwell awards.

http://www.ralphiereport.com/2016/4/28/11526638/2016-nfl-draft-profile-nelson-spruce
Spruce doesn't rely on his speed (4.69, 40-yard dash) when making plays, but rather his hands and feet. He's a tremendous route runner who will edge out defenders to the ball and use his body to create space. Spruce won't be a primary receiver in most NFL systems, but will likely be a No. 2 seeing a steady amount of looks. The NFL teams that scouted him have noticed his physical abilities and his skilled route running.

At 6'1" and 205 pounds, he broke the Pac-12 record for career receptions and rarely drops passes when targeted. What's deceiving about Spruce is his ability to trick out defenders in routes by often using inside/outside double moves in coverage. He's not a huge downfield threat but he will make up for what he lacks by being a quarterbacks "best friend" in the slot. Spruce's game as a punt returner and run blocker shows his versatility when it come to making a big team impact. His willingness to learn the playbook and adapt to an offensive system makes him a great addition to any roster.


#81 WR D'HAQUILLE Duke WILLIAMS 6'2 220 lbs (Turns 24 on 05/13/2017)

2015 AUB CATCHES 12 YARDS 147 YPC 12.3 TD 1
2014 AUB CATCHES 45 YARDS 730 YPC 16.2 TD 5

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2131681/dhaquille-williams
A JUCO transfer, Williams arrived at Auburn in 2014 and led the Tigers in catches (45) and receiving scores (5) despite missing three games due to injury. However, he routinely rubbed coaches the wrong way and his inconsistent effort on and off the field led to his dismissal in October.

STRENGTHS: Natural tools are encouraging. Lining up mostly inside in Auburn's offense, Williams is a good-sized target with long-striding speed to accelerate quickly into his routes, displaying hesitation with his footwork at the top of his patterns. He is best on stick and stop routes.

WEAKNESSES: Like Sammie Coates, he is raw in several areas. He doesn't consistently play up to his size and often misjudges his highpointing jumps when attacking the ball. Williams found himself in the dog house during preseason practices and his lackadaisical route-running has NFL scouts worried about his passion and commitment, failing to lift up the offense while his teammates struggled prior to his dismissal from the program.

IN OUR VIEW: William's didn't look like a first round pick on 2014 tape, but many scouts graded him as the top senior receiver over the summer. However, he might find himself undrafted or a late rounder at best unless he makes some changes. Dane Brugler (11/1/15)

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...iams-might-go-undrafted-in-16-after-dismissal
"He has great size, and he has very good hands and he's tough, but if you're not a good locker-room guy, and I've heard from scouts that he's a selfish player and not a good guy, then you better have a great trait like speed. He doesn't. Size isn't enough," Zierlein said. "He's not a Marcus Peters, who was a first-round pick after being kicked off his (college) team.


#3 WR MARQUEZ NORTH 6'2 3/4 216 lbs (Turns 22 on 04/21/2017)

2015 TENN CATCHES.. 6 YARDS.. 58 YPC 9.7. TD 0
2014 TENN CATCHES 30 YARDS 320 YPC 10.7 TD 4
2013 TENN CATCHES 38 YARDS 496 YPC 13.1 TD 1

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2071852/marquez-north
STRENGTHS: Built like a running back with a muscular, filled-out frame. Long arms to track and extend his catch radius, making tough grabs look easy away from his body. Above average body control and strong hands to adjust and stab. Accelerates well off the line of scrimmage and quickly gets into his routes.

Enough speed to stack receivers vertically. Nifty to catch the ball in stride. Body power to trample defensive backs and shrug off tacklers. Uses physicality to separate. Balanced blocker to engage and control his target, keeping busy. Blocks with violence and not shy about delivering blows.

WEAKNESSES: Better timed than play speed and more of a one-note runner. Tips his routes and doesn't set up cornerbacks, lacking nuance or tempo. Allows his feet to get tied up at stem. Doesn't have the start/stop burst to quickly redirect or be efficient at the top of patterns - ran a lot of comeback and rudimentary routes to keep things simple.

Average leaper. Not elusive after the catch and not a consistent YAC threat. Overaggressive tendencies as a blocker leads to the occasional whiff. Poor career production. Struggled to stay healthy, missing several games each of his three seasons in Knoxville (10 total games).

IN OUR VIEW: North is rocked up with the size/athleticism profile that is highly intriguing, showing strong hands and the body control to contort his body mid-air. North is also one of the most physical blocking receivers in this class, but is a below average route-runner and his athleticism doesn't consistently translate to football production.

A player who will be drafted higher than his resume suggests due to his raw traits and upside, North can be a better pro than college player if he stays healthy and focuses on the details of the position - he projects as a developmental receiver worth the gamble in the mid-rounds to be a snatch-and-secure wideout.
Dane Brugler (4/13/16)


#8 WR PAUL MCROBERTS 6'3 192 lbs (Turns 24 on 11/15/2016)

2015 SE.MI.St CATCHES 76 YARDS 940 YPC 12.4 TD 9
2014 SE.MI.St CATCHES 44 YARDS 711 YPC 16.2 TD 9
2013 SE.MI.St CATCHES 44 YARDS 646 YPC 14.7 TD 9

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1998595/paul-mcroberts
McRoberts received the call-up from the Shrine Game to the Senior Bowl as a replacement for injured TCU receiver Josh Doctson and was the first SEMO player to participate in Mobile. The St. Louis native was a first team All-Ohio Valley Conference player by the media after catching 76 passes for 940 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 12.4 yards per catch in 2015.

McRoberts broke Southeast's all-time career record in receiving touchdowns (29) and had four 100-yard receiving games. He also compiled 162 yards on 14 punt returns, including a 69-yard return for a touchdown. McRoberts finished his Southeast career with 2,435 receiving yards, third-most in school history.

STRENGTHS: Good-sized athlete with long-striding acceleration. Not explosive, but nifty. Quick hands and long arms to pluck and secure, swallowing the ball with his large mitts. Tracks well with the body control and catch radius that gives him a chance. Will aggressively attack and fight for the rebound.

Won't break many tackles, but runs tough and physical to finish. Nice job working for body position, paying attention to his feet along the sideline. Two-time team captain and reliable (SEMO HC Tom Matukewicz: "When your best player is your hardest worker it makes your job pretty easy." Special teams experience, averaging 11.5 yards on punt returns (14/162/1) and 19.5 yards on kick returns (4/78/0). Highly productive and holds the school-record for career receiving touchdowns (29).

WEAKNESSES: Doesn't consistently play up to his size. Average-at-best play speed with only one gear in his routes, struggling to create separation. Upright runner and doesn't set up defenders in his patterns, lacking tempo. Allows cornerbacks to slow or re-route him. Limited after the catch and won't create on his own as a ball carrier.

Too many almost catches and needs to better time his leaps. Needs to improve his recognition of coverage's and concepts. Good pop, but little sustain as a blocker and needs refinement in this area. Missed five games in 2014 due to a Lisfranc fracture in his right foot (Sept. 2014). Most of his experience has come vs. lower competition.


#87 WR/PR DEON LONG 6'0 192 lbs (Turns 25 on 06/14/2016)

2013 MARYLAND CATCHES 32 YARDS 489 YPC 15.3 TD 1
2014 MARYLAND CATHCES 51 YARDS 575 YPC 11.3 TD 2

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/10686/deon-long
May 2, 2015: Long (6'0/192) spent two seasons as a Terp after transferring from JUCO, catching 83 passes for 1,064 yards (12.8 YPR) and three TDs. He ran 4.51 at the Combine with a 34-inch vertical and 10-foot broad jump. Neither physically dominant nor explosive enough to win as a perimeter wideout in the NFL, Long is likely headed for the slot and has special teams value.... (2015 Rookie Season: Practice Squad & Team History:TEN, MIA, LA)

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/deon-long?id=2552457
2014: Started all 13 games. 2013: Played in first seven games with six starts, prior to suffering lower right leg fracture to his tibia and fibula vs Wake Forest.

STRENGTHS: Good foot quickness. Hits top speed quickly. Gets desired release off the line of scrimmage. Has strong hands. Attacks the ball and can make contested catches. Adjusts to the ball mid-air and finishes the catch. Survivor. Spent time at three FBS schools, a junior college and out 5 games in 2013 with a broken leg. Scouts like the talent and say production was hurt by quarterback play in 2014.

WEAKNESSES: Has below-average long speed for "X" receiver. Lack of consistent effort and desire as a run blocker. Gets only average separation at top of routes. Hand usage needs work both off the line and into routes. Coaches have questioned his practice habits and maturity in the past. Must prove he wants to put in work in film room and on practice field.


2016 CAMP SUMMARY WR's

The Rams will likely only keep 6 WR's so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 6 WR's until proven different)

1.) T. AUSTIN...... 4.) B. MARQUEZ
2.) K. BRITT......... 5.) B. QUICK
3.) P. COOPER..... 6.) M.THOMAS

(The Next Tier Up)

7.) N.SPRUCE........ 10.) P. McROBERTS
8.) D. WILLIAMS.. 11.) D. LONG
9.) M. NORTH
_________________________________________________________________________________


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of TE's on the current Roster is (6)

(The Tight Ends)


#88 TE LANCE KENDRICKS 6'3 250 lbs (Turns 29 on 01/30/2017)

Rams Career: 5 years 2011-2015 ( Catches 154.. Yards.. 1,633.. YPC.. 10.6.. TD.. 15 )

[www.rotoworld.com]
ESPN: TE Lance Kendricks Never a dynamic receiving threat, Kendricks has averaged under 10 yards a reception each of the last three seasons. He is a solid blocker with some red-zone ability, but Kendricks is unlikely to find fantasy relevance in the Rams' run-heavy offense.

Kendricks, 30, is expected to see an expanded role in the Rams’ passing game after the team cut ties with tight end Jared Cook during the off-season. Now in his sixth year, he appeared in 15 games last season, including 12 starts, catching 25 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns. He will earn $4.5 million this season as part of a four-year, $18.5-million extension he inked a year ago.


#46 TE CORY HARKEY 6'4 259 lbs (Turns 26 on 06/17/2016)

Rams Career: 4 years 2012-2015 ( Catches 27.. Yards.. 215.. YPC.. 8.0.. TD.. 3 )

[www.rotoworld.com]
03/15/16 Rams re-signed FB/TE Cory Harkey Harkey is a tight end who doubles as the Rams' lead blocker. His 53-man roster spot should be assured.

Rams re-signed restricted free agent FB/TE Cory Harkey to a one-year, $1.542 million contract.
Harkey will slot back in as the Rams' fullback and No. 3 tight end after Lance Kendricks re-upped on a three-year contract last month. He's a great lead blocker and can move out in space as a bigger man.


#89 TE TYLER HIGBEE 6'6 249 lbs (Turns 24 on 01/01/2017)

2015 WKU CATCHES 13 YARDS 169 YPC 13.0 TD 1
2014 WKU CATCHES 15 YARDS 230 YPC 15.3 TD 4
2013 WKU CATCHES 38 YARDS 563 YPC 14.8 TD 8

[www.nfl.com]
STRENGTHS:Former wide receiver with a smooth, wide-open gait when he hits top gear. Has big hands. Had just one drop this season and showed ability to recover the catch when he juggled a throw. Becomes a body catcher who can protect the ball in traffic. Willing to work middle of the field and take hits. Quick and slippery off line of scrimmage and into routes. Very good acceleration out of his breaks and can be a tough cover for safeties.

Has the speed and toughness to work all three levels of the field. Can own the Y-seam with his vertical speed and hands. Immediately opens and looks for expedited throws when he's over the top of inside linebackers. Has frame for more muscle mass. Extremely competitive after the catch with speed, elusiveness and decent power. Can carry body tacklers after the catch.

WEAKNESSES: Still has work to do filling out his frame. Slow to adjust to blocking assignment during flow of play. Not powerful enough yet to handle NFL edge power as inline blocker. Doesn't run feet through block to sustain. Upright into his breaks. Needs route polish for underneath routes. Can get better at creating additional leverage through crisper routes. Suffered through a knee sprain that cost him four games before re-aggravating it in Conference USA Championship Game. Missed his bowl game and expected to miss Senior Bowl because of it.


#84 TE TEMARRICK HENINGWAY 6'5 244 (Turns 23 on 07/30/2016)

2015 SCST CATCHES 38 YARDS 418 YPC 11.0 TD 1
2014 SCST CATCHES 18 YARDS 251 YPC 13.9 TD 1
2013 SCST CATCHES 26 YARDS 223 YPC.. 8.6 TD 4
2012 SCST CATCHES 11 YARDS 164 YPC 14.9 TD 1

[www.rotoworld.com]
Hemingway (6'5/244) was South Carolina State'ssecond leading receiver as a senior, posting a 38-418-1 line en route to first-team All-MEAC honors. He showed plus athleticism in Indy, running 4.71 with a 9-foot-7 broad jump and impressive 6.88 three-cone time.

With long arms 34" big hands 10" and NFL-level movement skills, Hemingway was one of Josh Norris' favorite pre-draft sleepers. Hemingway is still far from ready to play with almost no honed blocking ability or notion of NFL route concepts.


#48 TE JUSTICE CUNNINGHAM 6'3 258 lbs (Turns 26 on 01/14/2017)

Rams Career: 2 years ( 0 Catches)

2015 SEASON: Rams Practice Squad
2014 SEASON: Placed on the Rams’ practice squad (10/29/14)...activated to the 53-man roster (11/25/14)...declared inactive Week 13 through Week 17.

2013 SEASON: Spent the last four weeks of the season on the Rams’ practice squad...played in one game as a member of the Indianapolis Colts, at Arizona 1 catch for 4 yards (11/24/13).


#82 TE BROWN BENSON 6'5 254 lbs (Turns 24 on DOB n/a)

________

NC St Career: Catches 4.. Yards.. 18.. YPC 4.5.. TD 2

AS A RS JUNIOR (2014): Played in every contest, mainly as a blocking tight end.
Graduated from NC State prior to his junior campaign.

AS A RS SOPHOMORE (2013):
Saw action in two games.

AS A RS FRESHMAN (2012):
Played in 12 games, mainly on special teams.


2016 CAMP SUMMARY TE's

The Rams will likely only keep 3 or 4 TE's so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 3 TE's until proven different)

1.) L. Kendricks
2.) C. HARKEY
3.) T. HIGBEE

(The Next Tier Up)

4.) T. HEMMINGWAY
5.) J. CUNNINGHAM
6.) B. BENSON
_______________________________________________________________________________


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of RB's on the current Roster is (8)

(The Running Backs)


#30 RB TODD GURLEY 6'1 227 lbs (Turns 22 on 08/03/2016)

2015: ATT.. 229.. Yards.. 1,106.. YPA.. 4.8.. TD.. 10 (Rec.. 21.. Yds.. 188.. YPC.. 9.0 .. TD.. 0 )

[www.sbnation.com]
Todd Gurley's historic debut season ends with Offensive Rookie of Year honor: Gurley went bonkers once given a prominent role, rushing for 146, 159, 128 and 133 in each of his first four starts, becoming the first rookie in league history to run for at least 125 yards in four straight games.

The only other rookie to run for 100-plus yards in four of his first five games was Adrian Peterson, in 2007. His 566 total yards in that span were the most by any player in his first four career starts since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. Although he cooled off after that scorching-hot start, Gurley still finished as the NFL's third-leading rusher with 1,106 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns in just 12 games.

His yards-per-rush average of 4.83 ranked second in the league among backs with at least 150 carries. What made Gurley so special was his explosiveness and ability to break tackles. He posted the second-most runs of 20-plus yards (11) and led all players with five 40-yard rushes.


#23 RB/KR BENNY CUNNINGHAM 5'10 217 lbs (Turns 26 on 07/07/2016)

Rams Career: ATT.. 150.. Yards.. 647.. AVG.. 4.3.. TD.. 4 (Rec.. 77.. Yds.. 661.. YPC.. 8.6.. TD.. 1)

[profootballtalk.nbcsports.com]
Rams re-signed restricted free agent RB Benny Cunningham to a one-year, $1.671 million contract.

Cunningham has played 46 games for the Rams over the last two seasons and his offensive contributions have primarily come as a receiver out of the backfield. Cunningham has 71 catches for 602 yards over the last two seasons while also serving as the team’s No. 1 kickoff returner.


#39 RB MALCOLM BROWN 5'11 224 lbs (Turns 23 on 05/15/2016)

2015 RAMS ATT:....4 YARDS:...17 AVG 4.3 TD 0
2014 TEXS ATT: 183 YARDS: 708 AVG 3.9 TD 9
2013 TEXS ATT: 214 YARDS: 904 AVG 4.2 TD 9

09/06/2015: Rams signed RB Malcolm Brown to the practice squad. An undrafted rookie out of Texas, Brown rushed 17 times for 69 yards (4.1 YPC) in the preseason, adding a 9 receptions for 127 yards and 1 TD as a receiver. He should get the first call if the Rams need a running back.

[www.cbssports.com]
Considered the nation's top running back out of high school four years ago, Brown led the Longhorns in rushing yards in 2013 (904 yards), but he hasn't exactly lived up to the monumental hype. Nonetheless, his talent is obvious and was on display when he finished the 2013 season strong with three straight 100-yard performances (128, 131, 130).

Unfortunately, Brown wasn't able to continue this momentum in Charlie Strong's first season as the head 'Horn, eclipsing the 100-yard mark just one time in 2014 - a 116-yard, two-touchdown effort (on a season-high 22 carries) in a 34-13 win over Texas Tech.

Brown looks the part, boasting a combination of power and balance to keep his feet and drive through contact for additional yardage. Unfortunately, he lacks the wiggle and breakaway speed that teams value in today's NFL, leaving the former five-star recruit hoping just to get drafted.


#34 ST/RB CHASE REYNOLDS 6'0 205 lbs (Turns 29 on 10/22/2016)

SP Teams 3 Year CAREER: 43 GAMES.. 23 TACKLES.. 2 ASSISTS (Special Teams ACE)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Rams re-signed RB Chase Reynolds to a one-year contract. Although listed as a running back, Reynolds only plays special teams. He finished the 2015 season with three special teams tackles in ten appearances. Apr 18, 2016


#36 RB AARON GREEN 5'11 205 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/15/2016)

2015 TCU: ATT.. 244... YARDS... 1,272 AVG.. 5.2.. TD 11
2014 TCU: ATT.. 129... YARDS......922. AVG.. 7.1.. TD. 9
2013 TCU: ATT.... 72... YARDS......232. AVG.. 3.2.. TD. 0
2011 NEB: ATT.... 24... YARDS......105. AVG.. 4.4.. TD. 2

[www.cbssports.com]
Green arrived at Nebraska in 2011 as a top high school recruit, but with a crowded running back depth chart led by Rex Burkhead and Ameer Abdullah, He elected to transfer. Green chose TCU over Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas Tech, sitting out the 2012 season due to transfer rules.

He stepped into the starter role as a junior with a team-high 922 yards and nine scores, earning second team All-Big 12 honors. Green had his bests season in 2015 as a senior (10 starts) with a career-high 1,272 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.

STRENGTHS: Balanced athlete and light on his feet to make sharp lateral cuts, creating with ankle-breaking jukes. Shifty movements and open-field wiggle to explode north-south. Easy acceleration to burst away from defenders in space. Natural run instincts to read blocks and usually has a plan at the line of scrimmage. Runs tough and keep his legs churning, fighting for every yard.

Focused receiver with reliable hands, often lining up in the slot. Has the chops to at least make an effort in pass protection. Only three fumbles in his career. Driven individual and well-respected by people around the program "phenomenal young man".

WEAKNESSES: Lacks an ideal build for the position and his frame doesn't have the growth potential to get much bigger. Runs with minimal power and is limited as an inside runner. Tunnel vision at times and gets bounce happy, dancing and taking too many steps in the backfield.

Needs to take what is blocked for him instead of trying to create on his own. Bad habit of stopping his feet and won't pick up yards after initial contact, too easily taken down by finger-tip tackles. Doesn't have elite downfield speed and can be caught from behind. Route-running and field sense need improved. Steps up as a blocker, but too easily knocked off his feet. Ball security needs improved, holding the ball too loose.

IN OUR VIEW: Green has video game-like cuts, making quick reads and reacting with his feet to keep defenders off-balance, but he needs space to be effective. He isn't a strong between-the-tackles runner and struggles with congestion, not consistently trusting his vision or allowing blocks to develop. Green is quicker than fast with the athleticism to create on his own as a runner or receiver, but his lack of run power will limit his role in the NFL.
Dane Brugler (2/8/16)

#37 RB TERRENCE MAGEE 5'8 213 lbs (Turns 24 on 03/16/2017)

(Career at LSU: 2011-2014: ATT.. 226.. YARDS.. 1,330.. YPA.. 5.9.. TD.. 12

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/10666/terrence-magee
05/07/2015: Ravens waived RB Terrence Magee. A 2015 UDFA, Magee spent his rookie year on Baltimore’s practice squad. He made four late-season appearances in a backup role with 2 carries for 5 yards.

The Ravens didn't have room for Magee with the addition of fourth-rounder Kenneth Dixon.


#45 FB/RB ZACH LASKEY 6'1 218 lbs (Turns 25 on 07/08/2017)

http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...skey-and-the-state-of-the-nfl-fullback-052515
05/25/2015: This offseason, Rams free-agent signee and recent college graduate Zach Laskey has a bigger hurdle to overcome than the moniker "undrafted."

He's trying to become the first true fullback to make the team's regular-season roster since Mike Karney in 2010, two years before current coach Jeff Fisher came aboard. Laskey is an intriguing candidate for the position. At Georgia Tech, he was listed as a B-back, and though productive enough to be a significant factor in Tech's rushing game, he couldn't irrevocably secure the starting job. Missing three games with a shoulder injury his senior year didn't help, though he still managed to land on the 2014 All-ACC second team.

During the 2015 draft, he got a call from the Tennessee Titans, who said they'd taken a running back in the fifth round and might be taking another one in the seventh. They called again to let him know they weren't going to be able to pick him in the draft, but wanted him in free agency. Right after that, Laskey heard from the Rams.

http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/zach_laskey_756483.html
2014 (Senior): Named to 2014 All-ACC Second Team by media and coaches ... Saw action in 11 games, starting seven.

Missed three games due to injury. Rushed for 851 yards and team-best nine touchdowns (5.0 yards per carry) Lost only two yards on 171 rushes... Added six receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown.. Finished career 13th in school history with 2,033 rushing yards and one of only 14 2,000-yard rushers in program history


#27 RB TRE MASON 5'8 207 lbs (Turns 23 on 08/06/2016)

2 Year CAREER: ATT: 254 YARDS 972 AVG 3.8 TD 5.. Rec.. 34.. Yds.. 236.. YPC.. 6.9.. TD 1

[www.dailynews.com]
Mason was arrested March 5 in Hollywood, Fla., where police allegedly saw him drive more than twice the speed limit in a 35-mile-per-hour zone. According to a written report, police subdued Mason by tasing him twice after pulling him over. They then found 12 grams of marijuana in his Porsche.

A third-round draft pick in 2014, Mason is facing misdemeanor charges that include reckless driving, resisting arrest, and possession of marijuana.
MASON is in the final year of his contract:

[www.spotrac.com]
Tre Mason signed a 4 year, $2,980,938 contract with the St. Louis Rams, including a $637,500 signing bonus, $637,500 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $745,235. In 2016, Mason will earn a base salary of $641,146. Mason has a cap hit of $800,521 while his dead money value is $318,750.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/07/tre_mason_fails_to_report_for.html
Before the Los Angeles Rams got to their first practice of training camp, the NFL team had put running back Tre Mason on the reserve/did not report list.

On Saturday afternoon, the Rams were scheduled to hold the first practice of their first training camp since the franchise relocated from St. Louis. By that time, Mason's name already was on the NFL's official transactions wire as being designated for reserve/did not report. The Rams held a mandatory team meeting on Friday at their training-camp headquarters at the University of California-Irvine, and Mason wasn't there.


2016 CAMP SUMMARY RB's

The Rams will likely only keep 4 or 5 RB's so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 4 RB's until proven different)

1.) T. GURLEY
2.) B. CUNNINGHAM
3.) M. BROWN
4.) C. REYNOLDS

(The Next Tier Up)

5.) A. GREEN
6.) T. MAGEE
7.) Z. LASKEY
8.) T. MASON (personal not at camp)
_______________________________________________________________________________


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of QB's on the current Roster is (4)

(The Quarter Backs)


#16 QB JARED GOFF 6'4 220 lbs (Turns 22 on 10/14/2016)

CAL 2015.. Att.. 529.. Comp.. 341.. %.. 64.5.. Yds.. 4,714.. YPC.. 9.4.. Rating.. 161.2.. TD 43.. INT.. 13
CAL 2014.. Att.. 509.. Comp.. 316.. %.. 62.1.. Yds.. 3,973.. YPC.. 8.6.. Rating.. 147.6.. TD 35.. INT.... 7
CAL 2013.. Att.. 530.. Comp.. 320.. %.. 60.4.. Yds.. 3,508.. YPC.. 6.6.. Rating.. 123.4.. TD 18.. INT.. 10

http://www.therams.com
June 16, 2016: While there are obvious expectations that come with being the No. 1 overall pick, Fisher maintained Thursday his usual stance with highly drafted players: Goff will play when he’s ready. He may start Week 1 or he may not. “He can start anywhere from the opener to whenever,” Fisher said.

“And we haven’t changed our philosophy on that. We’re going to coach him to be successful. We’re not going to put him in with a chance to fail. That’s the most important thing in developing a young quarterback.”

And the QB reps will continue to vary as the Rams begin training camp after summer break. “Case is our starter right now, so Case needs first-team reps,” Fisher said. “And to give Jared an opportunity — and Sean for that matter — to run with the first team, it’s easier to evaluate them. So we’ll change things up. And once we get in there, we’ll make some decisions as to who plays when and how much in the preseason.”

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/11205/jared-goff
June 9, 2016: Rams signed No. 1 overall pick QB Jared Goff to a four-year, $27.9 million contract. The deal includes an $18.6 million signing bonus and, as with all first-round picks, a fifth-year team option. The most NFL-ready quarterback in the draft, Goff is the heavy favorite to start Week 1, but his opportunities will likely be limited in the Rams' run-heavy attack.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pff-scouting-report-jared-goff-qb-cal/

GOFF: What he does best:
• Makes incredible throws with defenders bearing down on him. Fearless in the pocket

• Pocket presence. Moves in the pocket to find passing lanes, keeps his eyes up while maneuvering the pocket

• Processes information quickly, zips through progressions, always keeping body in position to throw

• Will get to second and third reads on backside of field and can make accurate throws late in progression

• Shows outstanding accuracy on “bucket” throws down the field. Can drop it in with touch

• Quick release

• Shows creativity when throwing receivers open. Will lead receivers to space or throw them open with anticipation

• Led an overmatched Cal team and made them competitive in difficult Pac-12
• Showed well both under pressure and against the blitz
• Throws the anticipation post route on time and accurately

GOFF: Biggest concern:
• Short area ball location is not ideal, even on completions
• May move around the pocket too much, sometimes compromising the leverage of the offensive line

• Misdiagnosed cover-2 on multiple occasions. Is either fooled pre-snap or predetermining his read without adjustment

• Was more careless with the ball in his final season, had too many turnover-worthy plays

• Has enough arm, but not a cannon. May leave a few plays on the table that can’t be zipped in there.

• Arm strength wanes when forced to reset his feet in the pocket. Will make some throws that lack velocity and float after a quick reset

Bottom line: Goff has gotten better every year at Cal and his strengths should translate into NFL success. He manages the pocket, fires through progressions, and makes big plays under duress. He helped to turn around a subpar program while dealing with poor offensive line play, elevating the level of his teammates in one of the most difficult conferences in the nation. While he has his limitations, Goff has the tools to succeed as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/why-jared-goff-is-the-best-qb-prospect-in-the-country/
Jared Goff is PFF’s top-graded college quarterback, a Heisman candidate and the leader of an undefeated Cal team — but perhaps most importantly, he’s arguably the best available quarterback prospect for the 2016 NFL draft. Can he legitimately become the face of an NFL franchise, or is he emblematic of the relative lack of NFL-ready quarterbacks that are coming out of college at the moment?

We’re going to take a look at the tape to pinpoint exactly where he excels — and where he falls short. The first point to note is that Goff does run a dreaded spread offense at Cal. He won’t get any automatic “pro-style” bonus points the way Jameis Winston did or Christian Hackenberg seems to at the moment when it comes to evaluators.

The system Goff plays in will be used by some as a knock against him, because how well he’ll play if plugged into a “vanilla” pro-style offense will remain a question mark until the time comes. That’s the same issue people had with Marcus Mariota.

When I dug into Josh Rosen’s incompletions last week, the single biggest reason for incomplete passes was him throwing high and missing his receivers on the play. Obviously Rosen is a freshman, so he isn’t going to be as polished, but the top reason for Goff’s incomplete passes are drops (10) and passes defensed (10).

Though there will be some questionable decisions in that latter group, generally those plays are more about coverage defenders making a play on the ball than quarterbacks missing their targets. Passes thrown away is next (6), tied with the first real “QB-negative” incompletion type: overthrows (6).

Of Goff’s incompletions this season only 30.2 percent have been poor quarterback accuracy or plays. If you adjust only for dropped passes, Goff has been accurate on 79.9 percent of his attempts, good for sixth in the nation. When you factor in the kind of pass-protection Goff is dealing with, that becomes even more impressive.

Despite getting rid of the ball on average in 2.28 seconds (33rd of 130 qualifying QBs in FBS), Goff’s offensive line has surrendered 52 total pressures in five games. He’s been sacked 12 times. He is under duress more than most quarterbacks but is as accurate as almost any of them.

Goff’s deep ball is among the best in football. If we look at just passes that travel 20+ yards in the air, Goff hascompleted 19 of 26 passes this season, and two of the incompletions were dropped.

That’s an accuracy percentage of 80.8 on some of the most difficult passes in the game. That isn’t just the best mark in the nation — only eight other quarterbacks in the FBS can come within 20 percent of that figure.

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-b...l-outsiders-calls-jared-goff-best-qb-prospect
Apr 4, 2016: Football Outsiders detailed an analytics study on Sunday that broke down 50,000 simulations for each quarterback prospect in this draft. It came up with a clear conclusion: Jared Goff of Cal is far and away the prospect who projects best into the NFL.

This study shows how numbers can be used in the NFL, and how they can help. It may not be definitive or a final answer, but it is, as the Browns say, a legitimate tool to use to peek inside the numbers at the quarterbacks in this draft. It is based on metrics like Quarterback-Adjusted-Stats-and-Experience (QBASE) and Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement (DYAR). Yes, it's above most of the mortal world. It then tries to project three to five years forward based on the simulations, and on the player's past performance. The longer a player played, the better the projection.

According to the study, Goff is the ninth-best quarterback prospect since 1999, based on QBASE. He ranks right behind Ben Roethlisberger, and just ahead of Aaron Rodgers. Marcus Mariota, now with Tennessee, ranked ninth last year; he now ranks sixth based on his rookie season.

This doesn't mean Goff will be Rodgers, just that his resume most closely matches those of other prospects who succeeded. In all, Goff has a 37.8-percent chance of being an upper-tier or elite quarterback and a 28-percent chance of being a bust.

There are many other numbers and insights in the study, which resembles a Bill James look at college quarterbacks.The bottom line from Football Outsiders' analytics study: "Our projection gives Goff the best shot this year, almost 40 percent, of being the kind of upper-tier player who solves a team's long-term QB dilemma."

(LINK to Football Outsiders Detailed charts/graphs from their original QBASE breakdown article)
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2016/qbase-2016


#17 QB Case Keenum 6'1 210 lbs (Turns 29 on 02/17/2017)

Career: Texans/Rams Att.. 455.. Comp.. 258.. %.. 56.7.. Yds.. 3,023.. YPC.. 6.6.. TD 15.. INT.. 9

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/7696/case-keenum
Rams re-signed QB Case Keenum to a one-year, $3.635 million contract. Keenum was laughably tendered at the first-round level as the Rams pretended he would be their 2016 starter, but that's out the window now after their daring trade up to No. 1 overall.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher is "confident" the team can win with Case Keenum at quarterback "I feel good with Case," Fisher said. Fisher pointed to the fact that Keenum was a "field goal away" from a four-game winning streak at the end of last season, which, of course, presupposes that Keenum was a major factor in those wins.

Although he was not an outright liability, Keenum was hardly an asset. Despite his claims of faith in Keenum, Fisher also said "we're going to give Nick (Foles) a chance to compete as well," and admitted "it's a position we need to upgrade." Quarterback is a strong possibility for the Rams at No. 15 in the draft.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/j...pick-jared-goff-is-not-our-no-1-qb-right-now/
Jared Goff will almost certainly be the Rams starting quarterback at some point in 2016, but his first start might not come in the regular season opener, because as of right now, he's not the top guy on the depth chart. Rams coach Jeff Fisher made it clear on Thursday that Goff's going to have to win the starting job, which currently belongs to Case Keenum.

"Case is our starter right now," Fisher said, when asked if Goff would be getting all the first-team reps when the Rams open training camp next month. "Case needs the first-team reps," Fisher said. "To give Jared the opportunity -- and QB Sean (Mannion) for that matter - to run with the first-team, it's easier to evaluate them. We'll change things up. Once we get in there and we'll make some decisions as to who plays when and how much in the preseason."

Goff played in a no-huddle, spread offense at Cal, so he must transition from taking snaps exclusively from the shotgun formation to taking them under center and then dropping back for passes.

Keenum played in a no-huddle, spread offense in college at Houston before signing with the Texans in 2012. “It’s a tough adjustment, getting to that pro-style, huddle-up, under-center stuff,” Keenum said. “Jared’s done a great job already. It’s not an easy thing.”

Offensive coordinator Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke are Goff’s primary conduits for learning the Rams’ offense. Keenum said he benefited early in his career from veterans who shared tips and experiences, so he will be available to Goff. “My first job is to try to be the best quarterback I can be -- and that’s hard enough in this league,” he said. “But I want to help in whatever way I can.

I definitely want to pass on any knowledge that I have. That’s an important part of the position. “He’s being a sponge right now. He’s listening to everything in the meeting room. Sometimes there’s a lot of voices coming at him so I don’t want to try to add to it because coach Weinke and coach Boras do a great job.”


#14 QB SEAN MANNION 6'6 229 lbs (Turns 25 on 04/25/2017)

OreST Career:
Att. 1,838.. Comp. 1,187.. %.. 64.6.. Yds.. 13,600.. YPC.. 7.4.. Rating.. 135.8.. TD 83.. INT.. 54

Apr 7, 2016: http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...s-still-excited-to-watch-sean-mannion-develop
Much has been made of the Los Angeles Rams' quarterback situation this offseason. After a season in which the Rams finished at the bottom of the league in almost every major passing category, the questions about the position are certainly understandable.

That conversation has largely centered on the Rams' consistent votes of confidence for Case Keenum or constant speculation on potential additions from the outside. Every once in a while, Nick Foles' name is brought up, but that's usually more a discussion of his potential departure than his role in 2016.

However, there's still another quarterback on the roster who has been mostly ignored when talking about the future of the position. That's second-year signal-caller Sean Mannion, who was a third-round pick in 2015. Despite playing in just one game and attempting only seven passes, Mannion still figures in the Rams' plans moving forward. At least, that seems to be the company line.

"I'm excited to watch him develop and move through that second year," coach Jeff Fisher said, "especially with some familiarity with the system. There were some minor system changes, but he's got a football brain, and processes it. Gets the ball out. He's changed his body a little bit."

With such a small sample size to evaluate, there's really not an answer to any of those questions at this point. Relegated to the third quarterback spot most of the season, Mannion rarely got reps in practice. Even when Keenum was bouncing back from a concussion and the Rams found themselves in some meaningless late-season games, Mannion didn't get any opportunities save for the blowout loss to Cincinnati.

Mannion's understanding of a pro-style offense, combined with a strong arm, make him intriguing in the eyes of Fisher and Snead. But he has yet to have the chance to show it in a full game with something on the line. Armed with three picks in the top 45, many believe the Rams will take a quarterback early in this year's draft -- perhaps as soon as their first pick at No. 15 overall. How they approach the draft should offer a better answer on just how bright they believe Mannion's future with the club is.

"He’s got a nice skill-set, came from a pro-style offense," Snead said. "So doing what we do in the NFL doesn’t overwhelm him. He can read things pre-snap, he can get the ball out quickly, he’s less mobile than most but I think he was probably that way in high school, so he’s learned to get the ball out quick. The answer is, from freshman to sophomore year there’s a big jump in a lot of different things like experience, confidence; you’re not the new kid."

By that time, the Bengals had made it clear they were willing to give up short completions and keep the clock running though Rams coach Jeff Fisher used his three timeouts despite being down 24 in an effort to get Mannion more reps. So while Mannion did OK in his small sample size, there wasn't much to take from it other than him getting a chance to get some NFL snaps under his belt.

“Well, he’s doing everything he can," Fisher said. "He’s been in the meetings with the quarterbacks every day since the draft. He got reps during camp. He got to play in preseason games. Once you get in the regular season, your ones and twos are getting the reps. It’s hard to get your three reps. Number one gets probably 95 percent of the reps.

Your No. 2 gets to work against the defense. Last week because of the circumstances, Sean got a little bit more work against the defense. But, I think when he comes in the game in mop up situations like that where the defense declared itself and still 6 of 7 and making good decisions and putting the ball where he’s supposed to, there’s light there and there’s hope there.”

The Rams used the second of their third-round picks in this year's draft on Mannion, who, if nothing else, at least looks the part of a prototypical NFL quarterback at 6-foot-6, 233 pounds. Mannion appears to have the strongest arm of the team's three signal-callers (which admittedly isn't saying a whole lot), and he comes from a pro-style offense at Oregon State that has made his transition to an NFL scheme a bit easier.

Mannion did get a small taste of the speed at which things have to be done in last week's game. “You get a taste of it in the preseason," Mannion said. "Everybody tells you, and I think it’s true, preseason is a whole different animal compared to the regular season. It was great to get in there.

I tried to play a simple game. I focused on getting the ball out of my hand fast, being accurate, completing some passes. I think the other thing is trying to stay engaged all game long on the sideline — helping the defense, doing whatever I can to help Nick [Foles] — tell him if I see anything, or ask if he wants me to look at anything in particular.

I think staying engaged all game long really helped me to be prepared for the looks. I just tried to complete some passes and operate the offense.” Mannion (6-foot-5, 227) has ideal size and played in a pro-style offense, but completely falls apart in the face of pressure, turning the ball over and taking sacks.


#2 QB DYLON THOMPSON 6'2 215 lbs (Turns 25 on 10/25/2016)

SCar Career:
Att.. 669.. Comp.. 390.. %.. 58.3.. Yds.. 5,391.. YPC.. 8.1.. Rating.. 140.9.. TD 40.. INT.. 16

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/06/06/rams-sign-qb-dylan-thompson/
June 6, 2016: Rams sign QB Dylan Thompson SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Dylan Thompson #13 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 22, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. The Rams signed quarterback Dylan Thompson Monday, adding depth to their quarterback room with Nick Foles staying away from the team during organized team activity (OTA) practices.

Thompson broke into the league as an undrafted rookie last year with the 49ers and was promoted from the practice squad when Colin Kaepernick was injured last November. Thompson was cut by the 49ers last month after they added Thad Lewis in free agency and drafted Jeff Driskel. The Rams need a practice arm for now, and with Foles eventually leaving via release or trade seeming like a certainty, Thompson will have a chance to make an impression and earn a shot to stick around. Rams Quarterbacks Coach Chris Weinke trained Thompson during the 2015 pre-draft period.

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/cfb/130949/dylan-thompson
May 3, 2015: Thompson 49ers signed South Carolina QB Dylan Thompson. Thompson (6'2/217) succeeded Connor Shaw for the Gamecocks, starting for one season and completing 59.9 percent of his passes with a 26:11 TD-to-INT ratio. He showed good athleticism for a quarterback at the South Carolina Pro Day, running 4.74 with a 35-inch vertical. Thompson flashed the ability to drive throws in the SEC, but is viewed as a mess mechanically and his ball placement was scattershot.

He's not much of an NFL prospect. Thompson has plenty of starting experience, filling in for the likes of Connor Shaw and starting this season. His career TD to INT ratio is 38:16 with a career high completion percentage of 59.5 for this season. The Shrine now has all six of their quarterbacks: Duke's Anthony Boone, Nevada's Cody Fajardo, ODU's Taylor Heinicke, Georgia's Hutson Mason, Arizona State's Taylor Kelly and Thompson.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/dylan-thompson?id=2552571
STRENGTHS: Adequate height with good bulk on his frame. Recognizes when to take a deep shot and is decisive in doing so. Puts some pepper on his throws. Able to throw the deep out to the field side.

WEAKNESSES: Footwork is an absolute mess. Has issues getting feet set on many throws and compounds issue by short-arming throw. Inaccurate, with tendency to sail the ball or throw behind receiver. Below average leading receivers to give them a chance to pick up yards after catch. DRAFT PROJECTION Priority free agent

BOTTOM LINE: One-year starter in the SEC with adequate size. Poor footwork and substantial accuracy and ball placement issues have him tabbed as a draft reject on several draft boards, according to scouts.

http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/dylan_thompson_710276.html
2014: Team captain... named to the SEC Community Service team... was the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award winner and named a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy... named the quarterback on the academic all-district team... set a Carolina school record and led the SEC with 3,564 passing yards.

Led in the league in passing yards per game (274.2) and was third in total offense (268.6)... his 3,492 yards of total offense was a school record... ranked third in the SEC with 26 touchdown passes, the second-highest single-season mark in school history...

led the SEC and set the school records with 270 completions and 451 pass attempts in a season... tied Connor Shaw's record for touchdowns responsible for in a season with 31... threw for a career-high 366 yards and four scores in the season opener vs. Texas A&M... the 366 yards passing was the ninth-highest single-game total in school history.

Tied a school record with five touchdown passes at No. 5 Auburn, while completing 29-of-50 for 402 yards, the fifth most passing yards in a single game in school history... completed 20-of-32 with two TDs, including one for 85 yards, versus Tennessee.

Finished his career ranked in the Gamecocks' all-time top-10 in passing yards (8th-5,391), passing attempts (9th-669), pass completions (8th-390), completion percentage (5th-.583), passing touchdowns (5th-40) and total offense (9th-5,385)...

2016 CAMP SUMMARY QB's

The Rams will likely keep only 3 QB's so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 3 QB's until proven different)

1.) J. GOFF
2.) C. KEENUM
3.) S. MANNION

4.) D. THOMPSON
_______________________________________________________________________________


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of Offensive Lineman on the current Roster is (16)

(The Offensive Lineman)


#73 LT GREG ROBINSON 6'5 332 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/21/2016)

Greg Robinson working with LeCharles Bentley in Arizona: Nick Wagoner ESPN Staff Writer Apr 5, 2016
"He’s learned a lot," general manager Les Snead said. "He got more consistent down the stretch this year than let’s call it the first eight games and like we were talking about, long story short he was a redshirt sophomore from a spread offense when he got there. [espn.go.com]

Hey, playing at Auburn his junior year probably would have been good for him, maybe even his senior year. He had to learn the hard way in our league. Because he played out there on an island and he’s a left tackle we all see the moments where he’s not where you want him to be. But in that, there’s some moments where like 'Holy cow, he just did that to Calais Campbell.’

When you see that you want to continue developing him and getting him to be a more consistent player."To that end, the onus falls on Robinson himself even more than it does the Rams coaching staff. Which is why Robinson has been spending most of his offseason working to make himself better. Last year at this time,Robinson was recovering from a toe surgery that prevented him from having a full offseason to prepare.

With no such limitations this year, he's spending his offseason at "O-Line Performance," a training center in Scottsdale, Arizona, run by former NFL offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley. ( VIDEO: Training Center Link[twitter.com] )


#68 G JAMON BROWN 6'4 323 lbs (Turns 24 on 03/15/2017)

[www.rotoworld.com] (In week 10 vs Chicago the rookie guard injured his right leg)
Rams RG Jamon Brown is out for the season with a broken leg. Brown opened the season as St. Louis' left guard. He was later moved to right guard and wound up struggling mightily at both positions, currently ranking 77th among 82 qualified guards in Pro Football Focus' charts.

Third-round G/T Jamon Brown will be the Rams' starting left guard. Brown was initially penciled in at right guard, but has settled in on the left side. Rodger Saffold will man the right. The Rams reportedly believe Brown can be a "dominant run blocker."

[espn.go.com] Jul 23, 2015: The Rams see Brown's future as a "dominant run blocker at guard." NFL.com's Gil Brandt reported earlier this month that St. Louis believes Brown, who played tackle in college, could be a Pro Bowler. Brown is an upside prospect, but he can't be counted on to immediately thrive for an offensive line the Rams pieced together on the fly this offseason.


#61 C TIM BARNES 6'3 300 lbs (Turns 29 on 05/14/2017)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Rams re-signed C Tim Barnesto a two-year, $5.5 million contract.
A 2011 undrafted free agent, Barnes emerged as a 16-game starter last year. He graded out No. 32 of 40 in Pro Football Focus' center rankings. He'll have the inside track on starting duties in camp, but might not make it another full season. Mar 9, 2015: Source: Sam Farmer on Twitter

[espn.go.com] Dec 27, 2015
Just like you never expected, it took the center to break the streak. As the St. Louis Rams' fourth-quarter lead bounced awkwardly around the CenturyLink Field turf, it was center Tim Barnes who came to the rescue. Barnes recovered two fumbles in a span of three plays, extending the fourth-quarter drive that ultimately allowed running back Todd Gurley to put Sunday's game away with a 2-yard touchdown run.

And with each Barnes recovery, the Rams took a step closer to doing what they hadn't done in Seattle since Jan. 8, 2005: Beat the division rival SeattleSeahawks on their home field and sweep the season series. As it turned out, that's exactly what the Rams did as they produced a dominant defensive performance and just enough offense to close out a 23-17 victory. That ended Seattle's streak of 10 consecutive home wins against the Rams.

For Barnes, it was the culmination of an interesting year in which he was non-tendered as a restricted free agent, re-signed at a cheaper rate, won the starting job and held on to it throughout the year despite some rough outings.


#76 G/T RODGER SAFFOLD 6'5 318 lbs (Turns 28 on 6/06/2018)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Rams RG Rodger Saffold (shoulder surgery) tweets he's been cleared to play. Mar 11, 2016
It's in line with the five-month timeline Saffold was given after going under the knife in October. Saffold was bandied about as a potential cap casualty, but survived the Rams' roster purge. Saffold was performing as one of the league's worst players before going down last season, but he'll get another shot for the Rams' shaky line.

[espn.go.com] Feb 11, 2016
Saffold had his left shoulder surgically repaired last January and landed on injured reserve in October with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He is expected to be fully healed by mid-March, but his long injury history and below-average play make him a strong candidate to be cut. Saffold is set to count $5.65 million against the cap next season.

It's possible the Rams might decide they don't need the additional cap space so they could hang onto Saffold, but they haven't showed much hesitation to go young on the offensive line, and Saffold's experience is the most appealing part of retaining him.


#79 RT ROB HAVENSTEIN 6'7 321 lbs (Turns 25 on 05/13/2017)

Los Angeles Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein received an impressive accolade on Tuesday.
(Havenstein was the only OT to play 12 plus games andnot give up a single sack in 2015.)

[www.scout.com]
Rams RT Rob HavensteinNamed to PFWA All-Rookie Team: NATE LATSCH 01/19/2016
The Los Angeles Rams' top two draft picks in 2015 both earned some honors on Tuesday from the Pro Football Writers of America. Running back Todd Gurley, the team's first-round pick a year ago, was honored by the PFWA as the 2015 Rookie of the Year, 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year and a member of the All-Rookie team.

The team's second-round pick, offensive tackle Rob Havenstein, also landed on the All-Rookie squad. The Havenstein selection in the second round didn't make the same kind of headlines like the Gurley pick did, but he quietly pieced together a strong rookie campaign as the team's starting right tackle. A three-year starter at the University of Wisconsin, Havenstein proved to be exactly what the Rams needed in that position.


#71 G/T GARRETT REYNOLDS 6'7 310 lbs (Turns 29 on 07/01/2016)

[espn.go.com] Oct 15,2015
With Rodger Saffold lost for the season because of shoulder surgery, the St. Louis Rams will turn to the one backup on the roster with extensive NFL experience to replace him. That would be seventh-year veteran Garrett Reynolds, a free-agent offseason addition from Detroit. After playing the first four games with the same five offensive linemen in place,

Reynolds got his first extended action with the offense last week in Green Bay when he came in for Saffold. According to coach Jeff Fisher, Reynolds fared well upon entering the game. "When Garrett went in, it was kind of almost a settling factor in there," Fisher said. Where it goes now that Saffold is on injured reserve is that Reynolds will step into the starting lineup at one of the guard positions.

He filled in for Saffold at right guard against the Green Bay Packers but he played a lot of left guard in the preseason. Some in the organization believe he's more suited to that side, though he's played both guard spots and right tackle in his career. Either way, Reynolds instantly becomes the most experienced lineman on the roster with 57 games and 27 starts to his credit. In his time with Atlanta and Detroit, Reynolds has moved around on the line which makes him a logical fit in the sense that there's very little he hasn't seen.

[www.rotoworld.com] March 18, 2015
Rams signed G/T Garrett Reynolds to a two-year, $2.2 million contract. Reynolds appeared in 10 games (four starts) as a versatile reserve for Detroit last year. He can play both guard and right tackle, and knows OL coachPaul Boudreau's scheme from their time in Atlanta March 18, 2015


#63 OT DARRELL WILLIAMS 6'5 296 lbs (Turns 23 on 08/03/2016)

[espn.go.com]
Williams wasn't selected in the 2015 NFL draft despite a solid career at South Florida. Even after the Rams spent four draft picks on offensive linemen, Williams saw an opportunity and elected to sign with them as a rookie free agent. Still, Williams figured to face an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, odds that only grew longer when the Rams used a supplemental draft pick on Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle over the summer.

Hiding under the radar from many of the casual fans, Williams played above his draft stock rating in last years camp and preseason. He quietly earned his place on the Rams 53-man roster.

Williams was a pregame inactive in the Rams' first two games and four of the first five games before injuries elsewhere allowed him to be on the game-day roster and get a few snaps, mostly on special teams. In that game against Chicago, right tackle Robert Havenstein suffered a calf injury that got Williams onto the field.

Just 10 snaps into Williams' first extended action, Rams quarterback Nick Foles threw an interception to Bears linebacker Willie Young. As Young raced down the Rams sideline, Williams and fellow rookie offensive lineman Jamon Brown pursued him. Williams lunged to tackle Young and landed awkwardly on his wrist.

"I'm excited to get started for next season, get in the weight room, get strong, bigger, watch some more film," Williams said. "Obviously it sucks that my season is over, but everything happens for a reason, and like I said, stay in the weight room, stay in the film room, keep a positive attitude and get ready."


#69 OG CODY WICHMANN 6'5 324 lbs (Turns 25 on 03/25/2017)

[www.stltoday.com]
Rams coach Jeff Fisher likes the progress he’s seen from the 6-5, 319-pound Wichmann. “He’s coming on, yeah,”Fisher said. “He’s a strong inside player. He’s smart. He’s been playing some good three-techniques and some good defensive tackles, so he’s hanging in there.

He understands angles downfield and he’s getting to the second level. He and Rob (Havenstein) are doing a good job communicating. It’s valuable playing experience for him.” After Sunday’s game in Seattle, the Rams will remain in California to train in Napa Valley to prepare for the season finale against San Francisco.

“I have some buddies there, but I don’t think I’ve been to Napa,” said Wichmann, who’s from Mariposa, Calif, which is about 2½ hours from Levi’s Stadium, home of the 49ers.


#64 G/T ANDREW DONNAL 6'5 296 lbs (Turns 25 on 03/03/2017)

[www.rotoworld.com] Nov 22, 2015
Rams RT Andrew Donnal exited Week 11 against the Ravens with a knee injury and will not return. Donnal got the start with starting RT Rob Havenstein (calf) and backup Darrell Williams (wrist) hurt. LG Garrett Reynolds has moved to right tackle, LG Cody Wichmann shifted to right guard, and Demetrius Rhaney is at right guard.

Rams T/GAndrew Donnalsuffered a sprained MCL in the Week 11 loss to the Ravens. Donnal went down in considerable pain and was immediately ruled out, so this is actually viewed as a positive. He's expected to miss multiple weeks. The fourth-round rookie has made a couple spot starts on the Rams' injury-riddled line. Mon, Nov 23, 2015

Rams selected Iowa G/T Andrew Donnal with the No. 119 overall pick in the 2015 draft. May 2, 2015
Donnal only started one year in college, book ending Brandon Scherff as the Hawkeyes' right tackle. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick. Donnal is a passable athlete with adequate arm length (33 1/2), but struggled as
a run blocker at Iowa and demonstrated limited strength at the Combine, managing 17 reps on the bench. Donnal's calling card is versatility, as he can play both tackle and guard. He could carve out a career as a "swing" reserve.


#77 OT ISAIAH BATTLE 6'6 312 lbs (Turns 23 on 02/10/2017)

[www.profootballrumors.com]
Rams Promote OT Isaiah Battle: In the wake of injuries to the offensive line, the Rams will promote supplemental draft pick Isaiah Battle to the active roster, coach Jeff Fisher told reporters (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).

Battle will help bolster the offensive line now that rookie offensive linemen Jamon Brown and Darrell Williams are done for the year with injuries, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets. Brown will undergo leg surgery while Williams will have his wrist treated. Fisher added that in addition to promoting Battle, the Rams will look for outside offensive line help.

Of course, with the trade deadline in the rear view mirror, the Rams can only find out-of-house solutions via free agency or the waiver system. Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for 2015, decided to enter the supplemental draft instead, citing “family” reasons, including a forthcoming child.

Earlier in the year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com had identified Battle as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.” Of the seven prospects eligible for the supplemental draft,

Battle was considered the one most likely to be picked, with some pundits suggesting that a team could go as high as a third-rounder for the lineman. However, teams were reportedly wary of Battle due to possible off-the-field concerns, so he ultimately cost the Rams only a fifth-rounder. As it turns out, Battle was the only player taken in this year’s supplemental draft.


#65 C/G DEMETRIUS RHANEY 6'2 300 lbs (Turns 24 on 06/22/2016)

[espn.go.com] Nov 26, 2015
Most of Rhaney's preseason was spent battling for the role as starting center, a job he lost to Tim Barnes. Since, he's worked as a backup at all three interior spots. The Week 11 loss to Baltimore was Rhaney's first extended action aside from special teams.

In his own evaluation of his play, Rhaney said he felt comfortable but didn't deny having his own "welcome to the NFL" moment as Ravens defensive tackle Brandon Williams beat him and got to running backTodd Gurley quickly in the backfield.

"I talked to coach Bou [offensive-line coach Paul Boudreau] and said we got to cut him, that’s a grown man out there," Rhaney said. "It was a rude awakening. Him beating me across my face was a technique issue.

I took a bad first step. "In an effort to get up to speed, Rhaney said injured guard Rodger Saffold has been helping him with technique this week. "He stayed back and worked with me on a few technique things, my steps and my hands and hand placement," Rhaney said.

[www.rotoworld.com] June 12, 2014
Rams signed No. 250 overall pick C Demetrius Rhaney to a four-year contract. Rhaney can play any position along the interior of the offensive line. He is also athletic, running a 4.9-forty and vertical jumping 29 inches at his Pro Day. Rhaney lacks starting upside, but he could carve out a niche as a reserve interior lineman in the NFL.


#67 C/G BRIAN FOLKERTS 6'4 303 lbs (Turns 27 on 01/30/2017)

[www.turfshowtimes.com]
Ability to play both center and guard, Folkerts was an undrafted free agent in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football for Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.

He’s played in 26 games since being drafted, but has started in none. Since joining the league, he’s made the practice squad or active roster for the Saints, Panthers, 49ers, and now Rams. For a brief period he played for the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League.


#66 G/C DAVID ARKIN 6'5 306 lbs (Turns Turns 29 on 10/07/2016)

[www.turfshowtimes.com]
Also a guard, David Arkin was added to the practice squad today by the Rams. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2011 NFL Draft [110th overall] out of Missouri State.

He’s played in only one game since being drafted. In his 4+ year career in the NFL, he’s been on the roster in some capacity for the Cowboys, Dolphins, Seahawks, Colts, and now Rams.

[www.spotrac.com]
David Arkin signed a 2 year, $1,450,000 contract with the St. Louis Rams, including an average annual salary of $725,000. In 2016, Arkin will earn a base salary of $675,000. Arkin has a cap hit of $675,000.


#60 C ERIC KUSH 6'4 304 lbs (Turns 27 on 09/09/2016)

[www.turfshowtimes.com]
Recently signed [and released] by the Texans, Kush was drafted in the 6th round of the 2013 NFL Draft [170 overall]. He played his college ball at California [PA].

He’s played in only three games since being drafted, and has started in only one. In a little over two years, he’s made the practice squad or active roster for the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Panthers, Texans, and now Rams.


#70 T JORDAN SWINDLE 6'7 307 lbs (estimated age 23 DOB N/A)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Kentucky T Jordan Swindle completed 22 reps on the bench and ran a 5.38 second forty at the Wildcats' pro dayon Friday. Some felt Swindle was robbed of a Combine invite. Since he was, this was his time to shine. That's because only one NFL team was not represented in Lexington.

Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis was on hand in addition to the directors of college scouting for the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. Swindle added a broad jump of 9-5 and a vertical jump of 29 inches. Mar 7, 2016

[www.ukathletics.com]
Two-year starter at right tackle Following the departure of Darrian Miller, spent a lot of time at left tackle in the spring. Has played the position before when Miller was not in the game.

Has shown plenty of toughness and competitive fire. Team’s top reserve at offensive tackle as a true freshman. Very intelligent player whose toughness enabled him to play his first season. Has played in 35 games, starting 24. Aspires to be a doctor.

2014 (Junior): Started every game, one at left tackle and the final 11 on the right side. In his two seasons as a starter, the UK offense has improved from 18 points per game, to 20 ppg, to 29 ppg last season. UK had five players rush for at least 300 yards, first time that has happened since 1977. 2013 (Sophomore): Started every game at right tackle. Big, physical tackle that helped three different UK players rush for 400-plus yards.

[nflmocks.com]
Jordan Swindle has all the physical attributes you’d like to see in an offensive tackle. However, for him to fully maximize his potential he will have to focus on the technical side of game. If he can improve his balance, footwork, and play with a lower pad level he should vastly improve in pass protection.

He needs to improve his lateral motion, as he is just too slow right now to hang with the speed rushers he’ll face in the NFL. Due to his physical size and upside I expect to see Swindle make it on an NFL roster for the 2016 season. However, I do not think he’ll be drafted and instead be picked up by a team as a UDFA.


#72 OT/G PACE MURPHY 6'6 296 lbs (Turns 24 on 05/15/5017)

NWState 2015: USA College Football Preseason All-American List, Second Team, Offensive Tackle (Played College at Northwestern State) 2014 Southland Conference Second Team, Left Tackle: Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana College Football Team, second-team Offensive Lineman

2013 Season: Played in every game, including seven starts. Earned an 85 percent grade on 40 snaps against Southern. Played 81 snaps and received a 79 percent at Sam Houston State. Earned a 79 percent grade on 19 snaps against Central Arkansas. A 71 percent grade on 83 snaps at UAB.
[www.nfldraftscout.com] ( Rated Murphy #66 out of 108 OT's )


2016 CAMP SUMMARY OFFENSIVE LINE

The Rams will likely keep 9 or 10 Offensive Lineman so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 10 Offensive Lineman until proven different)

1.) G. ROBINSON ............. 6.) G. REYNOLDS
2.) R. HAVENSTEIN ......... 7.) D. WILLIAMS
3.) T. BARNES ................... 8.) C. WICHMAN
4.) R. SAFFOLD ................ 9.) C. RHANEY
5.) J. BROWN .................. 10.) A. DONNAL

(The Next Tier Up)

11) I. BATTLE
12) B. FOLKERTS
13) D. ARKIN
14) E. KUSH
15) J. SWINDLE
16) P. MURPHY
_______________________________________________________________________________

2016 CAMP SUMMARY Kicker-Punter-Long Snapper

The Rams will keep only 3 from these Special Teams units so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp.


#4 (K) GREG ZUERLEIN 6'0 187 lbs (Turns 29 on 12/27/2016)

2015 20/30.. 66.7%.. 20-29 yds.. 2/2.. 30-39 yds.... 9/10.. 40-49 yds.. 5/8.. 50 plus yds 3/9.. LONG 61
2014 24/30.. 80.0%.. 20-29 yds.. 6/7.. 30-39 yds.. 10/12.. 40-49 yds.. 2/3.. 50 plus yds 5/7... LONG 56

2013 26/28.. 92.9%.. 20-29 yds.. 7/7.. 30-39 yds.. 10/10.. 40-49 yds.. 8/9.. 50 plus yds 1/2... LONG 54
2012 23/31.. 74.2%.. 20-29 yds.. 4/4.. 30-39 yds.... 4/6.... 40-49 yds.. 7/7.. 50 plus yds 7/13.. LONG 60

(Career Extra Points made 120 of 123 total)

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/7616/greg-zuerlein
April 15, 2016: Rams re-signed K Greg Zuerlein to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. Zuerlein was one of the worst kickers in the league last year, converting 66.7% percent of his field goals. He has the range to hit 50-plus yarders, but struggles with accuracy. Zuerlein will need to hold off competition to keep his job.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher expects competition at kicker if free agent Greg Zuerlein is re-signed for 2016. Zuerlein was woeful in 2015, making just 20-of-30 field goals. For his career, he's now a 78.6 percent kicker, which is below the generally-accepted "acceptable" threshold of 80. Zuerlein has one of the league's biggest legs, but it's gotten progressively shakier throughout his four-year career.

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...to-have-competition-at-kicker-for-next-season
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Among the 37 kickers who attempted a field goal in 2015, Zuerlein ranked 35th in the league in field goal percentage as he converted 20 of 30 for the season. Only former Steelers kicker Josh Scobee and former Tampa Bay kicker Kyle Brindza came in below Zuerlein's 66.7 percent conversion rate, and that duo attempted 10 and 12 field goals, respectively. Zuerlein was also 26-of-28 on extra points.

As Fisher pointed out, the Rams did ask a lot of the 28-year-old Zuerlein when it came to his field goal tries. He attempted nine field goals of 50-plus yards, making three. Those nine tries were the second-most among all kickers. Perhaps most frustrating was the timing of some of Zuerlein's misses.

He missed a field goal and an extra point in a three-point loss to Baltimore, missed a 48-yard field goal in an overtime loss to Minnesota and failed to convert two field goals in a three-point overtime loss to San Francisco. A make or two in there and the Rams' season might have been much different.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/zuerlein-704779-season-nfl.html
Zuerlein’s 2015 struggles were often attributed to distance, and to some extent, this is a reasonable excuse. Only Blair Walsh and Justin Tucker have attempted more from 50-plus over the past two seasons than Zuerlein. Plus, the average successful kick for Tucker (36.7) and Walsh (37.2) last season covered less distance than Zuerlein, who averaged 38.75 yards per made field goal.

“Obviously, his numbers aren’t what we’d hoped they would be. We have confidence in him. But in all likelihood, there will be some competition in camp next year.” Zuerlein might not make it that far. Even as the majority of kickers have steadily improved, Zuerlein owns the worst career field goal percentage in the NFL among active kickers.

His 2015 season is the worst from a Rams kicker since the team’s debut season in St. Louis (1995). A new locale might well mean a new kicker in 2016. “We have really good special teams, typically,” Fisher said. “Greg just had a rough year.”


#1 (K) TAYLOR BERTOLET 5'8 188 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/24/2016)

TEX A&M Career.. 37 of 56.. Accuracy 66.1%.... Extra Points.. 128 of 138.. 92.8%.. Long 55 Yards

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/11586/taylor-bertolet
April 30, 2015: Rams signed Texas A&M K Taylor Bertolet. Bertolet (5'8/188) spent a little more than two seasons as the Aggies' placekicker, finishing his career 37-of-56 (66.1%) on field goals and 128-of-138 on extra points. Simply put, Bertolet isn't accurate enough to nail down a job in the NFL. Apr 30

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/6...ms-roster-preview-depth-chart-taylor-bertolet
During a three-game stretch from Weeks 5-7, Greg Zuerlein made just three of nine field goal attempts. If this is your first time tuning in to the particulars of kicking as it pertains to American football, allow me to explain that that is bad. Very bad.

It was that kind of stretch that pushed Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher in January to call for competition at the kicker position in training camp this preseason even after signing GZ to a one-year deal out of free agency. Enter Texas A&M K Taylor Bertolet to provide that competition.

I'd personally think Zuerlein's locked in from the outset, but the question for me is more mid-range. What would GZ have to do to entice the Rams to make a call-up mid-season for Bertolet? Put another way, I'd put Zuerlein's chances of being the starter for Week 1 at 100%. Week 10? Not 100%. That's the Bertolet window. Expectations: Well, I think we're going to get a decent sense of things as camp kicks up (pun intended).

Here's how I'd gauge it. What are GZ's chances of hitting a 60-yard kick? What are Bertolet's chances of hitting the same kick? Now line up their chances from 40.

There's likely a gap between GZ and Bertolet. We'll get a sense of it during camp. That gap, though, will grow increasingly smaller with each struggling performance from GZ. If he can get through October without any big minuses on the report card, that gap will likely remain in tact. A similar season to 2015? That gap may flip in Bertolet's favor...

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/05/nfl_draft_texas_am_kicker_tayl.html
Despite losing the job to Josh Lambo, now with the San Diego Chargers, during his sophomore season, Bertolet continued to handle kickoff duties and would finish with 185 career touchbacks.

Regaining the placekicking chores in 2015, the All-Southeastern Conference second-team pick converted 22 of 30 field goals with a career-long of 55 yards against Mississippi State. Bertolet earned all-state honors during his senior year at Exeter Twp. and was ranked the No. 1 overall kicker in the nation by Rivals.com.


#6 (P) JOHNNY HEKKER 6'5 227 lbs (Turns 27 on 02/08/2017)

Rams Career: Games 64.. Punts.. 336.. Yards.. 15,687.. Blocked.. 2.. Yds Per Punt.. 46.7.. Long.. 68 yds

(Passing: Att.. 10.. Comp.. 6.. Yds.. 99.. Yds per comp.. 9.9.. Rating.. 126.7.. TD.. 1.. INT.. 0..)

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/8073/johnny-hekker
Dec 5, 2014: Rams signed P Johnny Hekker to a six-year, $18 million extension through 2020. There was really no reason for this high-dollar extension with Hekker slated for restricted free agency in 2015. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the $9 million guarantee is the most in league history for a punter or kicker. Hekker is an excellent punter, but this is a Raidersian move.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/zuerlein-704779-season-nfl.html
Feb 18, 2016: In fact, the other strong-legged specialist on the Rams’ roster wasn’t just good. He had one of the best punting seasons in NFL history. Diagnosing a punter’s value can be an inexact science, but after a second straight All-Pro season, Rams punter Johnny Hekker has made it abundantly clear he’s already among the best the NFL has ever seen at the position.

Hekker is the first punter since the NFL began recording punt stats more thoroughly in 1977 to lead the league in gross punting average (47.9), net punting average (43.7), and inside-the-20 punts (41).

According to statistical models from FiveThirtyEight.com, Hekker contributed a mind-blowing 271 extra yardsrelative to the average expectation of a baseline punter, making him one of the most important field-position weapons in the NFL.

His contributions were so significant in 2015 that FiveThirtyEight named Hekker the second-most valuable punter or kicker in the league, behind only Patriots All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski.


#44 (LS) JAKE MCQUAIDE 6'2 247 lbs (Turns 29 on 12/07/2016)

http://www.rotoworld.com
July 1, 2013: Rams signed LS Jake McQuaide to a four-year extension through 2017. An undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2011, McQuaide took over as St. Louis' deep snapper as a rookie and held onto the job in 2012. He was previously scheduled for restricted free agency in 2014.

http://www.therams.com
TRANSACTIONS: Signed with the Rams (7/27/11).. signed a four-year contract extension in July 2013 to extend his contract into 2017. PRO: Fifth-year pro has played in all 64 games.. tallied 575 clean snaps through first four seasons.. has made eight tackles on special teams.

2014 SEASON: Registered 145 clean snaps.. vs Denver (11/16): Recorded 12 clean snaps.. vs Oakland (11/30): Notched a career-high 14 clean snaps.. vs Arizona (12/11): Tallied 10 clean snaps.

2013 SEASON: Played in 16 games.. notched 141 clean snaps.. vs. San Francisco (9/26): Recorded a then career-high 13 clean snaps.. vs. Jacksonville (10/6): Registered 13 clean snaps for the second consecutive week.. at Indianapolis (11/10): Recorded 11 clean snaps.

2012 SEASON: Recorded 139 consecutive clean snaps.. had four special teams tackles.. at Arizona (11/25): Tallied 12 clean snaps.. vs San Francisco (12/2): Registered 12 clean snaps.. at Buffalo (12/9): Tallied eight clean snaps.. recorded one tackle on special teams.

2011 SEASON: Recorded 150 consecutive clean snaps.. notched two special teams tackles...vs. New Orleans (10/30): Tallied 12 clean snaps...vs. Seattle (11/20): Made 11 clean snaps.. vs Arizona (11/27): Recorded 12 clean snaps.. at San Francisco (12/4): Recorded eight clean snaps.. made one special teams tackle.. vs Cincinnati (12/18): Tallied 11 clean snaps.. added one special teams tackle.

MCQUAIDE’S CAREER SNAP STATISTICS: RAMS: 2014 (145), 2013 (141), 2012 (139), 2011 (150). TOTAL: 575.


#42 JEFF OVERBAUGH (LS) 6'2 235 lbs (Turns 24? DOB n/a)

http://www.adn.com/sports/article/nfls-rams-snap-anchorages-overbaugh/2016/05/01/
May 31, 2016: Los Angeles Rams snap up Anchorage's Jeff Overbaugh: Once the NFL draft ended Saturday afternoon, Jeff Overbaugh's pro football career began to take shape. The Service High graduate received a call from the Los Angeles Rams shortly after the final round of the draft, and by dinnertime he was celebrating an offer to join the Rams later this week.

"As of right now I'm headed down to L.A. this coming Thursday to sign the contract and begin rookie camp," Overbaugh said. Overbaugh is a long snapper who enjoyed a stellar four-year career at San Diego State, and he said he knew his chance to make a deal with an NFL team would come after the draft wrapped up.

"As a long snapper, not many of us are drafted," he said, "so mostly the expectation was to become an undrafted free agent." And sure enough, not long after the Tennessee Titans picked this year's Mr. Irrelevant — the name traditionally bestowed on the final player chosen in the draft — Overbaugh became relevant.

His phone rang and the caller ID said it was John Fassel, the special-teams coach for the Rams. "At first I was just answering the phone — I didn't want to jump to any conclusions," Overbaugh said. "And he kind of gave me the news from there. I'm tremendously honored and excited."

A while later, his phone rang again. It was the Seattle Seahawks calling with an invitation to a mini-camp tryout. But Overbaugh had already agreed to a deal with the Rams, who made the better offer. Overbaugh ended his college career as one of the college football's top long snappers.

He appeared in all 53 games since the 2012 season at San Diego State, where he had a perfect senior season: He was 134 for 134 in PATs, 55 for 55 in field goal attempts and 164 for 164 in punts. He added two tackles and a fumble recovery to help the Aztecs to a 11-3 record. With his bachelors degree already in hand, he spent much of this spring working out for NFL teams. He attended a three-day combine for special-teams players in Phoenix and went through workouts at San Diego State for the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers.

(The Early Camp Top 3 K/P/LS until proven different)

1.) P- J. HEKKER
2.) K- G. ZUERLEIN
3.) LS- J. McQuaide

(The Next Tier Up)

4.) K- T. BERTOLET
5.) LS- J. OVERBAUGH
_______________________________________________________________________________


This was the Offense Position Count for the first Available 2015 Final 53

QB Nick Foles .... Case Keenum .... Sean Mannion ....... 3 QB's

C Tim Barnes .......... Demetrius Rhaney
RG Rodger Saffold .... Garrett Reynolds
LG Jamon Brown .... Cody Wichmann ........................ 10 O-LINEMAN
RT Rob Havenstein .... Andrew Donnal
LT Greg Robinson .... Darrell Williams

TE Lance Kendricks .... Cory Harkey .......................... 3 TE's
TE Jared Cook

WR Tavon Austin .... Bradley Marquez .... Brian Quick
WR Kenny Britt .... Stedman Bailey .... Chris Givens ....... 6 WR's

RB Todd Gurley .... Tre Mason .... Chase Reynolds
RB Benny Cunningham .... Isaiah Pead ............................ 5 RB's

PK Greg Zuerlein
P John Hekker ................................................................... 3 SP Teams
LS Jake McQuaide



I hope most of you ROD members found this piece informal & enjoyed (Part 1) of The Offense from this complete Camp Roster Guide... (Part 2) The "Defense" will be posted very soon....

Thanks for observing, Florida

 

[bubbaramfan]

Thx Florida, for taking the time to compile that piece.

 

[Ramhusker]

That's a ton of info! Thanks

 

[Tron]

Hell of a job putting that all together. Good shit man!

 

[DaveFan'51]

For archive entertainment and a reference guide, I thought I would condense the Entire Camp Roster for the Offense and Defense in a 2 part series. A quick Summary of the all the Rams players to view as we wait to see how the Rams 2016 final 53 man roster shakes out.

As camp and preseason begin to sort out the Roster based on Performance, Injures & miscellaneous reasons, this should be a good Go to Guide to for a quick reference and review of each player and what their estimated roster value was at the beginning of camp.

(Part 1) The entire Camp Roster for the 2016 Rams "OFFENSIVE" Personnel


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of WR's on the current Roster is (11)

(The Wide Receivers)


#11 WR/RB/PR TAVON AUSTIN 5'8 180 lbs (Turns 26 on 03/16/2017)

2015 Rams CATCHES 52 YARDS 473 YPC.. 9.1 TD 5.. Rushing TD 4
2014 Rams CATCHES 31 YARDS 242 YPC.. 7.8 TD 0.. Rushing TD 2
2013 Rams CATCHES 40 YARDS 418 YPC 10.5 TD 4.. Rushing TD 1

CAREER RUSHING 44 GAMES.. ATT 97 YARDS 809 YPA 8.3 TD 7

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavon_Austin
2015: Austin had arguably his best season in 2015. He posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (473), and receiving touchdowns (5). Austin further proved to be a dynamic player on offense as he ran the ball 52 times for 434 yards and 4 touchdowns.

In 2015 Austin became the first player to score at least five receiving touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, and a punt return touchdown in a single seasonsince Gale Sayers did so for the Chicago Bears in 1965.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pr...-means-more-reshuffling-along-cowboys-d-line/

Austin caught 64.2 percent of the passes sent his way in 2015, meaning that, for him to top 100 catches this season at that same rate, he would need 156 targets, which would have been the sixth-highest total of 2015.

The issue for Austin is that the five players with more targets than that in 2015 are all outside, perimeter,unquestioned No. 1 targets for their offenses, and Austin can’t be that guy at his size.

He may be thought of as a slot receiver, but only 17 of his 81 targets (21.0 percent) came from the slot in 2015.

The Rams have been lining Austin up outside and then feeding him the ball on bubble screens and quick hitches with the occasional deep route worked in. Austin runs one of the most basic route trees in the NFL, and until that develops, there is little to no chance of him catching those 100 passes.

#18 WR KENNY BRITT 6'3 223 lbs (Turns 28 on 09/19/2016)

2015 Rams CATCHES 36 YARDS 681 YPC 18.9 TD 3
2014 Rams CATCHES 48 YARDS 748 YPC 15.6 TD 3

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5130/kenny-britt
2015: Britt flashed some big-play ability down the stretch of 2015 and was the recipient of a few downfield shot plays by Case Keenum against San Francisco.

Britt finished the season with a receiving line of 36-681-3. As Britt did not hit the statistical standards to void his contract head of the 2016 offseason, he will be under contract for at least one more year. He's combined for 84 catches, 1,429 and six touchdowns in two seasons the Rams.


#10 WR/RB/PR/KR PHAROH COOPER 5'11 207 lbs (Turns 22 on 03/07/2017)

2015 S.CAR CATCHES 66 YARDS... 973 YPC 14.7 TD 8
2014 S.CAR CATCHES 69 YARDS 1,136 YPC 16.5 TD 9

http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/pharoh_cooper_854486.html
2015: Earned first-team All-SEC honors by the league’s coaches as both a wide receiver and as an all-purpose back... was an AP first-team All-SEC wide receiver and a second-team all-purpose back... also named a first-team All-SEC wide receiver by ESPN.com... Gamecocks’ leading receiver with 66 receptions for 973 yards... ranked second in the league with 81.1 receiving yards and fifth with 5.5 catches per game... caught 35 percent of the team’s passes for 39 percent of the yards thrown... his 66 receptions were more than the rest of Carolina’s wide receivers combined total of 56...

His 66 catches was the seventh-highest single-season total in school history, while his 973 receiving yards was the sixth-best mark... led the team with eight receiving touchdowns and with nine TDs overall... had five 100-yard receiving games in 2015 (Kentucky, Missouri, LSU, Vanderbilt, Citadel) and nine in his career... best game came against The Citadel when he caught 11 passes for 191 yards and a score... also had a 160-yard effort against Vanderbilt... averaged 94.9 all purpose yards per game... rushed 24 times for 111 yards and a score... completed 2-of-5 passes for 11 yards and a touchdown... returned 12 punts for 55 yards...

Finished his junior season with 138 career catches (ninth all-time) for 2,163 yards (eighth all-time) with 18 touchdown receptions (sixth all-time)... team captain... was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection... logged 513 rushing yards, 118 passing yards, 2,163 receiving yards, 359 kickoff return yards and 172 punt return yards in his 36-game career that included 25 starts... had six plays of 70-plus yards (two rushing and four receiving).

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/pharoh-cooper?id=2555419
WEAKNESSES: Has neither height nor length for desired catch radius. Was unable to reach big-play throws downfield. Contested catches became a chore. Battled focus and concentration drops at one point. Hip tightness creates rounded routes and limited wiggle after catch. The more wrinkles in the route, the less effective Cooper becomes. Relies on straight line quickness over speed or agility in open field. Limited route exposure while at South Carolina.


#83 WR BRIAN QUICK 6'3 218 lbs (Turns 27 on 06/05/2016)

2015 Rams CATCHES 10 YARDS 102 YPC. 10.2 TD 0
2014 Rams CATCHES 25 YARDS 375 YPC 15.0 TD 3
2013 Rams CATCHES 18 YARDS 302 YPC 16.8 TD 2
2012 Rams CATCHES 11 YARDS 156 YPC 14.2 TD 2

( 4 Year Career: Catches 64 YARDS 935 YPC 14.6 TD 7 )

2016: Rams re-signed WR Brian Quick to a one-year deal. Incentives worth up to $3.75 million, and includes $1.5 million guaranteed. 2015: Recovered from major shoulder surgery but finished the season with a paltry 10 catches for 102 yards 0 TD's. (Quick has a dismal 4 year career receiving line of 64-935-7)

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/10/27/7078483/brian-quick-likely-out-for-season-per-report
2014: Wide Receiver Brian Quick is likely going to miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn rotator cuff and dislocated shoulder, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Quick has 25 catches for 375 yards and three touchdowns in 2014 -- all career highs -- although Quick only had four catches over the last three games before his shoulder injury happened.


#15 WR/SP Teams BRADLEY MARQUEZ 5'10 196 lbs (Turns 24 on 12/14/2016)

2015 Rams CATCHES 13 YARDS.. 88 YPC.. 6.8 TD 0
2014 TECH CATCHES 65 YARDS 821 YPC 12.6 TD 10
2013 TECH CATCHES 49 YARDS 633 YPC 12.9 TD 6

(In his Rookie season, Marquez was a Special Teams Standout for the Rams but only had a receiving line of 13-88-O and 6.8 YPC TD 0)

COLLEGE: Appeared in 43 games and caught 155 passes for 1,866 yards and 17 touchdowns...two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention...three-time Academic All-Big 12 (1st Team)...NFLPA Collegiate Bowl participant...played in 12 games (11 starts) with 65 receptions, 821 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns as a senior...led Big 12 in receiving touchdowns and was fifth in receptions... as a junior, caught 49 passes for 633 yards and six touchdowns...


#13 WR MIKE THOMAS SOUTHERN MISS 6'1 200 lbs (Turns 22 on 08/16/2016)

2015 S.MISS CATCHES 71 YARDS 1,391 YPC 19.6 TD 14
2014 S.MISS CATCHES 41 YARDS....592 YPC 14.4 TD 5

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/cfb/134998/michael-thomas
2015: Thomas spent two years at Southern Miss after transferring from community college, posting a 112-1,983-19 (17.7 YPR) receiving line and setting single-season school records for receiving yards (1,391) and receiving TDs (14) as a senior.

Shockingly snubbed for a Combine invite, Thomas ran 4.54 with a 36-inch vertical and 10-foot-6 broad jump at the Golden Eagles' Pro Day. A terrific route runner who won 50:50 balls and dominated after the catch in Conference USA, Thomas has a Marvin Jones-like skill set with No. 2 receiver upside

Pro Football Focus continues to tout Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas as an early-round talent. PFF ranks Thomas as the No. 7 receiver overall. "He plays bigger than his 6-1 height on tape, making contested catches better than any of the other top receivers in the class," Steve Palazzolo wrote.

"Thomas will also dabble with the spectacular catch, turning poor throws into productive plays. The wide receiver class features a healthy mix of skillsets and Thomas’ ball skills and upside as a route-runner should have teams eyeing him as early as the second round." Thomas caught 72 balls for 1,319 yards and 14 touchdowns on 19.3 yards per reception last year.

Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas ran the 40-yard dash in an unofficial time of 4.40 seconds during Thursday's Pro Day. While Thomas should be proud of his 40-yard time, he understands that being able to sprint in a straight line without football gear says little about his overall ability as a receiver. "The game tape never lies. (Scouts) told me I did pretty good today, but game film tells the tale," he said.

Last season, he caught 72 passes for 1,319 yards and 14 touchdowns with a smooth 19.3 yards per reception on the ledger. Bleacher Report's Luke Easterling noted in mid-February that Thomas "could easily outplay" his late-round status, while the Pro Football Focus analysis team believes that he "has the ability to really surprise some people down the road."

Pro Football Focus grades Southern Miss WR Michael Thomas as a better NFL prospect than well-known prospects like Will Fuller, Braxton Miller and Tyler Boyd. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Thomas, inexplicably snubbed from the Combine, posted a monster 72-1,391-14 last year on an average of 19.3 yards per reception.

He also forced nine missed tackles over the course of the year. "It’s understandable to question the level of competition, but Thomas was tied with [Laquan] Treadwell in terms of receiving grade, and warrants consideration on Day 2," Gordon McGuiness wrote. PFF ranks Thomas as the No. 7 receiver overall and a second-round value.


#86 WR NELSON SPRUCE 6'1 205 lbs (Turns 24 on 12/05/2016)

2015 COL CATCHES 89... YARDS 1053 YPC 11.8 TD 4
2014 COL CATCHES 106. YARDS 1198 YPC 11.3 TD 12
2013 COL CATCHES 55... YARDS.. 650 YPC 11.8 TD 4
2012 COL CATCHES 44... YARDS.. 446 YPC 10.1 TD 3

http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205238584
2015: He started all 13 games and led the team in receiving for the second straight year with 89 receptions for 1,053 yards, averaging 11.8 yards per catch with four touchdowns; he had 46 catches for 10 or more yards (10 of 20-plus) and a pair of 100-yard games, which came at Washington State (10-120) and at Utah (5-111, 1 TD).

He caught at least five passes in all 13 games and finished second in the Pac-12 and 14th in the NCAA in receptions per game (6.8), with his 81.0 yards per game ranking fifth and 31st, respectively; he was also sixth in the conference in punt returns (7.1 avg.). He had an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game, but opted out after suffering a slight ankle injury, but he was fine by the NFL Combine a month later. He again was a candidate for both the Biletnikoff and Maxwell awards.

http://www.ralphiereport.com/2016/4/28/11526638/2016-nfl-draft-profile-nelson-spruce
Spruce doesn't rely on his speed (4.69, 40-yard dash) when making plays, but rather his hands and feet. He's a tremendous route runner who will edge out defenders to the ball and use his body to create space. Spruce won't be a primary receiver in most NFL systems, but will likely be a No. 2 seeing a steady amount of looks. The NFL teams that scouted him have noticed his physical abilities and his skilled route running.

At 6'1" and 205 pounds, he broke the Pac-12 record for career receptions and rarely drops passes when targeted. What's deceiving about Spruce is his ability to trick out defenders in routes by often using inside/outside double moves in coverage. He's not a huge downfield threat but he will make up for what he lacks by being a quarterbacks "best friend" in the slot. Spruce's game as a punt returner and run blocker shows his versatility when it come to making a big team impact. His willingness to learn the playbook and adapt to an offensive system makes him a great addition to any roster.


#81 WR D'HAQUILLE Duke WILLIAMS 6'2 220 lbs (Turns 24 on 05/13/2017)

2015 AUB CATCHES 12 YARDS 147 YPC 12.3 TD 1
2014 AUB CATCHES 45 YARDS 730 YPC 16.2 TD 5

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2131681/dhaquille-williams
A JUCO transfer, Williams arrived at Auburn in 2014 and led the Tigers in catches (45) and receiving scores (5) despite missing three games due to injury. However, he routinely rubbed coaches the wrong way and his inconsistent effort on and off the field led to his dismissal in October.

STRENGTHS: Natural tools are encouraging. Lining up mostly inside in Auburn's offense, Williams is a good-sized target with long-striding speed to accelerate quickly into his routes, displaying hesitation with his footwork at the top of his patterns. He is best on stick and stop routes.

WEAKNESSES: Like Sammie Coates, he is raw in several areas. He doesn't consistently play up to his size and often misjudges his highpointing jumps when attacking the ball. Williams found himself in the dog house during preseason practices and his lackadaisical route-running has NFL scouts worried about his passion and commitment, failing to lift up the offense while his teammates struggled prior to his dismissal from the program.

IN OUR VIEW: William's didn't look like a first round pick on 2014 tape, but many scouts graded him as the top senior receiver over the summer. However, he might find himself undrafted or a late rounder at best unless he makes some changes. Dane Brugler (11/1/15)

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...iams-might-go-undrafted-in-16-after-dismissal
"He has great size, and he has very good hands and he's tough, but if you're not a good locker-room guy, and I've heard from scouts that he's a selfish player and not a good guy, then you better have a great trait like speed. He doesn't. Size isn't enough," Zierlein said. "He's not a Marcus Peters, who was a first-round pick after being kicked off his (college) team.


#3 WR MARQUEZ NORTH 6'2 3/4 216 lbs (Turns 22 on 04/21/2017)

2015 TENN CATCHES.. 6 YARDS.. 58 YPC 9.7. TD 0
2014 TENN CATCHES 30 YARDS 320 YPC 10.7 TD 4
2013 TENN CATCHES 38 YARDS 496 YPC 13.1 TD 1

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2071852/marquez-north
STRENGTHS: Built like a running back with a muscular, filled-out frame. Long arms to track and extend his catch radius, making tough grabs look easy away from his body. Above average body control and strong hands to adjust and stab. Accelerates well off the line of scrimmage and quickly gets into his routes.

Enough speed to stack receivers vertically. Nifty to catch the ball in stride. Body power to trample defensive backs and shrug off tacklers. Uses physicality to separate. Balanced blocker to engage and control his target, keeping busy. Blocks with violence and not shy about delivering blows.

WEAKNESSES: Better timed than play speed and more of a one-note runner. Tips his routes and doesn't set up cornerbacks, lacking nuance or tempo. Allows his feet to get tied up at stem. Doesn't have the start/stop burst to quickly redirect or be efficient at the top of patterns - ran a lot of comeback and rudimentary routes to keep things simple.

Average leaper. Not elusive after the catch and not a consistent YAC threat. Overaggressive tendencies as a blocker leads to the occasional whiff. Poor career production. Struggled to stay healthy, missing several games each of his three seasons in Knoxville (10 total games).

IN OUR VIEW: North is rocked up with the size/athleticism profile that is highly intriguing, showing strong hands and the body control to contort his body mid-air. North is also one of the most physical blocking receivers in this class, but is a below average route-runner and his athleticism doesn't consistently translate to football production.

A player who will be drafted higher than his resume suggests due to his raw traits and upside, North can be a better pro than college player if he stays healthy and focuses on the details of the position - he projects as a developmental receiver worth the gamble in the mid-rounds to be a snatch-and-secure wideout.
Dane Brugler (4/13/16)


#8 WR PAUL MCROBERTS 6'3 192 lbs (Turns 24 on 11/15/2016)

2015 SE.MI.St CATCHES 76 YARDS 940 YPC 12.4 TD 9
2014 SE.MI.St CATCHES 44 YARDS 711 YPC 16.2 TD 9
2013 SE.MI.St CATCHES 44 YARDS 646 YPC 14.7 TD 9

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1998595/paul-mcroberts
McRoberts received the call-up from the Shrine Game to the Senior Bowl as a replacement for injured TCU receiver Josh Doctson and was the first SEMO player to participate in Mobile. The St. Louis native was a first team All-Ohio Valley Conference player by the media after catching 76 passes for 940 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 12.4 yards per catch in 2015.

McRoberts broke Southeast's all-time career record in receiving touchdowns (29) and had four 100-yard receiving games. He also compiled 162 yards on 14 punt returns, including a 69-yard return for a touchdown. McRoberts finished his Southeast career with 2,435 receiving yards, third-most in school history.

STRENGTHS: Good-sized athlete with long-striding acceleration. Not explosive, but nifty. Quick hands and long arms to pluck and secure, swallowing the ball with his large mitts. Tracks well with the body control and catch radius that gives him a chance. Will aggressively attack and fight for the rebound.

Won't break many tackles, but runs tough and physical to finish. Nice job working for body position, paying attention to his feet along the sideline. Two-time team captain and reliable (SEMO HC Tom Matukewicz: "When your best player is your hardest worker it makes your job pretty easy." Special teams experience, averaging 11.5 yards on punt returns (14/162/1) and 19.5 yards on kick returns (4/78/0). Highly productive and holds the school-record for career receiving touchdowns (29).

WEAKNESSES: Doesn't consistently play up to his size. Average-at-best play speed with only one gear in his routes, struggling to create separation. Upright runner and doesn't set up defenders in his patterns, lacking tempo. Allows cornerbacks to slow or re-route him. Limited after the catch and won't create on his own as a ball carrier.

Too many almost catches and needs to better time his leaps. Needs to improve his recognition of coverage's and concepts. Good pop, but little sustain as a blocker and needs refinement in this area. Missed five games in 2014 due to a Lisfranc fracture in his right foot (Sept. 2014). Most of his experience has come vs. lower competition.


#87 WR/PR DEON LONG 6'0 192 lbs (Turns 25 on 06/14/2016)

2013 MARYLAND CATCHES 32 YARDS 489 YPC 15.3 TD 1
2014 MARYLAND CATHCES 51 YARDS 575 YPC 11.3 TD 2

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/10686/deon-long
May 2, 2015: Long (6'0/192) spent two seasons as a Terp after transferring from JUCO, catching 83 passes for 1,064 yards (12.8 YPR) and three TDs. He ran 4.51 at the Combine with a 34-inch vertical and 10-foot broad jump. Neither physically dominant nor explosive enough to win as a perimeter wideout in the NFL, Long is likely headed for the slot and has special teams value.... (2015 Rookie Season: Practice Squad & Team History:TEN, MIA, LA)

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/deon-long?id=2552457
2014: Started all 13 games. 2013: Played in first seven games with six starts, prior to suffering lower right leg fracture to his tibia and fibula vs Wake Forest.

STRENGTHS: Good foot quickness. Hits top speed quickly. Gets desired release off the line of scrimmage. Has strong hands. Attacks the ball and can make contested catches. Adjusts to the ball mid-air and finishes the catch. Survivor. Spent time at three FBS schools, a junior college and out 5 games in 2013 with a broken leg. Scouts like the talent and say production was hurt by quarterback play in 2014.

WEAKNESSES: Has below-average long speed for "X" receiver. Lack of consistent effort and desire as a run blocker. Gets only average separation at top of routes. Hand usage needs work both off the line and into routes. Coaches have questioned his practice habits and maturity in the past. Must prove he wants to put in work in film room and on practice field.


2016 CAMP SUMMARY WR's

The Rams will likely only keep 6 WR's so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 6 WR's until proven different)

1.) T. AUSTIN...... 4.) B. MARQUEZ
2.) K. BRITT......... 5.) B. QUICK
3.) P. COOPER..... 6.) M.THOMAS

(The Next Tier Up)

7.) N.SPRUCE........ 10.) P. McROBERTS
8.) D. WILLIAMS.. 11.) D. LONG
9.) M. NORTH
_________________________________________________________________________________


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of TE's on the current Roster is (6)

(The Tight Ends)


#88 TE LANCE KENDRICKS 6'3 250 lbs (Turns 29 on 01/30/2017)

Rams Career: 5 years 2011-2015 ( Catches 154.. Yards.. 1,633.. YPC.. 10.6.. TD.. 15 )

[www.rotoworld.com]
ESPN: TE Lance Kendricks Never a dynamic receiving threat, Kendricks has averaged under 10 yards a reception each of the last three seasons. He is a solid blocker with some red-zone ability, but Kendricks is unlikely to find fantasy relevance in the Rams' run-heavy offense.

Kendricks, 30, is expected to see an expanded role in the Rams’ passing game after the team cut ties with tight end Jared Cook during the off-season. Now in his sixth year, he appeared in 15 games last season, including 12 starts, catching 25 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns. He will earn $4.5 million this season as part of a four-year, $18.5-million extension he inked a year ago.


#46 TE CORY HARKEY 6'4 259 lbs (Turns 26 on 06/17/2016)

Rams Career: 4 years 2012-2015 ( Catches 27.. Yards.. 215.. YPC.. 8.0.. TD.. 3 )

[www.rotoworld.com]
03/15/16 Rams re-signed FB/TE Cory Harkey Harkey is a tight end who doubles as the Rams' lead blocker. His 53-man roster spot should be assured.

Rams re-signed restricted free agent FB/TE Cory Harkey to a one-year, $1.542 million contract.
Harkey will slot back in as the Rams' fullback and No. 3 tight end after Lance Kendricks re-upped on a three-year contract last month. He's a great lead blocker and can move out in space as a bigger man.


#89 TE TYLER HIGBEE 6'6 249 lbs (Turns 24 on 01/01/2017)

2015 WKU CATCHES 13 YARDS 169 YPC 13.0 TD 1
2014 WKU CATCHES 15 YARDS 230 YPC 15.3 TD 4
2013 WKU CATCHES 38 YARDS 563 YPC 14.8 TD 8

[www.nfl.com]
STRENGTHS:Former wide receiver with a smooth, wide-open gait when he hits top gear. Has big hands. Had just one drop this season and showed ability to recover the catch when he juggled a throw. Becomes a body catcher who can protect the ball in traffic. Willing to work middle of the field and take hits. Quick and slippery off line of scrimmage and into routes. Very good acceleration out of his breaks and can be a tough cover for safeties.

Has the speed and toughness to work all three levels of the field. Can own the Y-seam with his vertical speed and hands. Immediately opens and looks for expedited throws when he's over the top of inside linebackers. Has frame for more muscle mass. Extremely competitive after the catch with speed, elusiveness and decent power. Can carry body tacklers after the catch.

WEAKNESSES: Still has work to do filling out his frame. Slow to adjust to blocking assignment during flow of play. Not powerful enough yet to handle NFL edge power as inline blocker. Doesn't run feet through block to sustain. Upright into his breaks. Needs route polish for underneath routes. Can get better at creating additional leverage through crisper routes. Suffered through a knee sprain that cost him four games before re-aggravating it in Conference USA Championship Game. Missed his bowl game and expected to miss Senior Bowl because of it.


#84 TE TEMARRICK HENINGWAY 6'5 244 (Turns 23 on 07/30/2016)

2015 SCST CATCHES 38 YARDS 418 YPC 11.0 TD 1
2014 SCST CATCHES 18 YARDS 251 YPC 13.9 TD 1
2013 SCST CATCHES 26 YARDS 223 YPC.. 8.6 TD 4
2012 SCST CATCHES 11 YARDS 164 YPC 14.9 TD 1

[www.rotoworld.com]
Hemingway (6'5/244) was South Carolina State'ssecond leading receiver as a senior, posting a 38-418-1 line en route to first-team All-MEAC honors. He showed plus athleticism in Indy, running 4.71 with a 9-foot-7 broad jump and impressive 6.88 three-cone time.

With long arms 34" big hands 10" and NFL-level movement skills, Hemingway was one of Josh Norris' favorite pre-draft sleepers. Hemingway is still far from ready to play with almost no honed blocking ability or notion of NFL route concepts.


#48 TE JUSTICE CUNNINGHAM 6'3 258 lbs (Turns 26 on 01/14/2017)

Rams Career: 2 years ( 0 Catches)

2015 SEASON: Rams Practice Squad
2014 SEASON: Placed on the Rams’ practice squad (10/29/14)...activated to the 53-man roster (11/25/14)...declared inactive Week 13 through Week 17.

2013 SEASON: Spent the last four weeks of the season on the Rams’ practice squad...played in one game as a member of the Indianapolis Colts, at Arizona 1 catch for 4 yards (11/24/13).


#82 TE BROWN BENSON 6'5 254 lbs (Turns 24 on DOB n/a)

________

NC St Career: Catches 4.. Yards.. 18.. YPC 4.5.. TD 2

AS A RS JUNIOR (2014): Played in every contest, mainly as a blocking tight end.
Graduated from NC State prior to his junior campaign.

AS A RS SOPHOMORE (2013):
Saw action in two games.

AS A RS FRESHMAN (2012):
Played in 12 games, mainly on special teams.


2016 CAMP SUMMARY TE's

The Rams will likely only keep 3 or 4 TE's so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 3 TE's until proven different)

1.) L. Kendricks
2.) C. HARKEY
3.) T. HIGBEE

(The Next Tier Up)

4.) T. HEMMINGWAY
5.) J. CUNNINGHAM
6.) B. BENSON
_______________________________________________________________________________


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of RB's on the current Roster is (8)

(The Running Backs)


#30 RB TODD GURLEY 6'1 227 lbs (Turns 22 on 08/03/2016)

2015: ATT.. 229.. Yards.. 1,106.. YPA.. 4.8.. TD.. 10 (Rec.. 21.. Yds.. 188.. YPC.. 9.0 .. TD.. 0 )

[www.sbnation.com]
Todd Gurley's historic debut season ends with Offensive Rookie of Year honor: Gurley went bonkers once given a prominent role, rushing for 146, 159, 128 and 133 in each of his first four starts, becoming the first rookie in league history to run for at least 125 yards in four straight games.

The only other rookie to run for 100-plus yards in four of his first five games was Adrian Peterson, in 2007. His 566 total yards in that span were the most by any player in his first four career starts since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. Although he cooled off after that scorching-hot start, Gurley still finished as the NFL's third-leading rusher with 1,106 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns in just 12 games.

His yards-per-rush average of 4.83 ranked second in the league among backs with at least 150 carries. What made Gurley so special was his explosiveness and ability to break tackles. He posted the second-most runs of 20-plus yards (11) and led all players with five 40-yard rushes.


#36 RB/KR BENNY CUNNINGHAM 5'10 217 lbs (Turns 26 on 07/07/2016)

Rams Career: ATT.. 150.. Yards.. 647.. AVG.. 4.3.. TD.. 4 (Rec.. 77.. Yds.. 661.. YPC.. 8.6.. TD.. 1)

[profootballtalk.nbcsports.com]
Rams re-signed restricted free agent RB Benny Cunningham to a one-year, $1.671 million contract.

Cunningham has played 46 games for the Rams over the last two seasons and his offensive contributions have primarily come as a receiver out of the backfield. Cunningham has 71 catches for 602 yards over the last two seasons while also serving as the team’s No. 1 kickoff returner.


#39 RB MALCOLM BROWN 5'11 224 lbs (Turns 23 on 05/15/2016)

2015 RAMS ATT:....4 YARDS:...17 AVG 4.3 TD 0
2014 TEXS ATT: 183 YARDS: 708 AVG 3.9 TD 9
2013 TEXS ATT: 214 YARDS: 904 AVG 4.2 TD 9

09/06/2015: Rams signed RB Malcolm Brown to the practice squad. An undrafted rookie out of Texas, Brown rushed 17 times for 69 yards (4.1 YPC) in the preseason, adding a 9 receptions for 127 yards and 1 TD as a receiver. He should get the first call if the Rams need a running back.

[www.cbssports.com]
Considered the nation's top running back out of high school four years ago, Brown led the Longhorns in rushing yards in 2013 (904 yards), but he hasn't exactly lived up to the monumental hype. Nonetheless, his talent is obvious and was on display when he finished the 2013 season strong with three straight 100-yard performances (128, 131, 130).

Unfortunately, Brown wasn't able to continue this momentum in Charlie Strong's first season as the head 'Horn, eclipsing the 100-yard mark just one time in 2014 - a 116-yard, two-touchdown effort (on a season-high 22 carries) in a 34-13 win over Texas Tech.

Brown looks the part, boasting a combination of power and balance to keep his feet and drive through contact for additional yardage. Unfortunately, he lacks the wiggle and breakaway speed that teams value in today's NFL, leaving the former five-star recruit hoping just to get drafted.


#34 ST/RB CHASE REYNOLDS 6'0 205 lbs (Turns 29 on 10/22/2016)

SP Teams 3 Year CAREER: 43 GAMES.. 23 TACKLES.. 2 ASSISTS (Special Teams ACE)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Rams re-signed RB Chase Reynolds to a one-year contract. Although listed as a running back, Reynolds only plays special teams. He finished the 2015 season with three special teams tackles in ten appearances. Apr 18, 2016


#36 RB AARON GREEN 5'11 205 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/15/2016)

2015 TCU: ATT.. 244... YARDS... 1,272 AVG.. 5.2.. TD 11
2014 TCU: ATT.. 129... YARDS......922. AVG.. 7.1.. TD. 9
2013 TCU: ATT.... 72... YARDS......232. AVG.. 3.2.. TD. 0
2011 NEB: ATT.... 24... YARDS......105. AVG.. 4.4.. TD. 2

[www.cbssports.com]
Green arrived at Nebraska in 2011 as a top high school recruit, but with a crowded running back depth chart led by Rex Burkhead and Ameer Abdullah, He elected to transfer. Green chose TCU over Baylor, Oklahoma and Texas Tech, sitting out the 2012 season due to transfer rules.

He stepped into the starter role as a junior with a team-high 922 yards and nine scores, earning second team All-Big 12 honors. Green had his bests season in 2015 as a senior (10 starts) with a career-high 1,272 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.

STRENGTHS: Balanced athlete and light on his feet to make sharp lateral cuts, creating with ankle-breaking jukes. Shifty movements and open-field wiggle to explode north-south. Easy acceleration to burst away from defenders in space. Natural run instincts to read blocks and usually has a plan at the line of scrimmage. Runs tough and keep his legs churning, fighting for every yard.

Focused receiver with reliable hands, often lining up in the slot. Has the chops to at least make an effort in pass protection. Only three fumbles in his career. Driven individual and well-respected by people around the program "phenomenal young man".

WEAKNESSES: Lacks an ideal build for the position and his frame doesn't have the growth potential to get much bigger. Runs with minimal power and is limited as an inside runner. Tunnel vision at times and gets bounce happy, dancing and taking too many steps in the backfield.

Needs to take what is blocked for him instead of trying to create on his own. Bad habit of stopping his feet and won't pick up yards after initial contact, too easily taken down by finger-tip tackles. Doesn't have elite downfield speed and can be caught from behind. Route-running and field sense need improved. Steps up as a blocker, but too easily knocked off his feet. Ball security needs improved, holding the ball too loose.

IN OUR VIEW: Green has video game-like cuts, making quick reads and reacting with his feet to keep defenders off-balance, but he needs space to be effective. He isn't a strong between-the-tackles runner and struggles with congestion, not consistently trusting his vision or allowing blocks to develop. Green is quicker than fast with the athleticism to create on his own as a runner or receiver, but his lack of run power will limit his role in the NFL.
Dane Brugler (2/8/16)

#37 RB TERRENCE MAGEE 5'8 213 lbs (Turns 24 on 03/16/2017)

(Career at LSU: 2011-2014: ATT.. 226.. YARDS.. 1,330.. YPA.. 5.9.. TD.. 12

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/10666/terrence-magee
05/07/2015: Ravens waived RB Terrence Magee. A 2015 UDFA, Magee spent his rookie year on Baltimore’s practice squad. He made four late-season appearances in a backup role with 2 carries for 5 yards.

The Ravens didn't have room for Magee with the addition of fourth-rounder Kenneth Dixon.


#45 FB/RB ZACH LASKEY 6'1 218 lbs (Turns 25 on 07/08/2017)

http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...skey-and-the-state-of-the-nfl-fullback-052515
05/25/2015: This offseason, Rams free-agent signee and recent college graduate Zach Laskey has a bigger hurdle to overcome than the moniker "undrafted."

He's trying to become the first true fullback to make the team's regular-season roster since Mike Karney in 2010, two years before current coach Jeff Fisher came aboard. Laskey is an intriguing candidate for the position. At Georgia Tech, he was listed as a B-back, and though productive enough to be a significant factor in Tech's rushing game, he couldn't irrevocably secure the starting job. Missing three games with a shoulder injury his senior year didn't help, though he still managed to land on the 2014 All-ACC second team.

During the 2015 draft, he got a call from the Tennessee Titans, who said they'd taken a running back in the fifth round and might be taking another one in the seventh. They called again to let him know they weren't going to be able to pick him in the draft, but wanted him in free agency. Right after that, Laskey heard from the Rams.

http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/zach_laskey_756483.html
2014 (Senior): Named to 2014 All-ACC Second Team by media and coaches ... Saw action in 11 games, starting seven.

Missed three games due to injury. Rushed for 851 yards and team-best nine touchdowns (5.0 yards per carry) Lost only two yards on 171 rushes... Added six receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown.. Finished career 13th in school history with 2,033 rushing yards and one of only 14 2,000-yard rushers in program history


#27 RB TRE MASON 5'8 207 lbs (Turns 23 on 08/06/2016)

2 Year CAREER: ATT: 254 YARDS 972 AVG 3.8 TD 5.. Rec.. 34.. Yds.. 236.. YPC.. 6.9.. TD 1

[www.dailynews.com]
Mason was arrested March 5 in Hollywood, Fla., where police allegedly saw him drive more than twice the speed limit in a 35-mile-per-hour zone. According to a written report, police subdued Mason by tasing him twice after pulling him over. They then found 12 grams of marijuana in his Porsche.

A third-round draft pick in 2014, Mason is facing misdemeanor charges that include reckless driving, resisting arrest, and possession of marijuana.
MASON is in the final year of his contract:

[www.spotrac.com]
Tre Mason signed a 4 year, $2,980,938 contract with the St. Louis Rams, including a $637,500 signing bonus, $637,500 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $745,235. In 2016, Mason will earn a base salary of $641,146. Mason has a cap hit of $800,521 while his dead money value is $318,750.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/07/tre_mason_fails_to_report_for.html
Before the Los Angeles Rams got to their first practice of training camp, the NFL team had put running back Tre Mason on the reserve/did not report list.

On Saturday afternoon, the Rams were scheduled to hold the first practice of their first training camp since the franchise relocated from St. Louis. By that time, Mason's name already was on the NFL's official transactions wire as being designated for reserve/did not report. The Rams held a mandatory team meeting on Friday at their training-camp headquarters at the University of California-Irvine, and Mason wasn't there.


2016 CAMP SUMMARY RB's

The Rams will likely only keep 4 or 5 RB's so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 4 RB's until proven different)

1.) T. GURLEY
2.) B. CUNNINGHAM
3.) M. BROWN
4.) C. REYNOLDS

(The Next Tier Up)

5.) A. GREEN
6.) T. MAGEE
7.) Z. LASKEY
8.) T. MASON (personal not at camp)
_______________________________________________________________________________


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of QB's on the current Roster is (4)

(The Quarter Backs)


#16 QB JARED GOFF 6'4 220 lbs (Turns 22 on 10/14/2016)

CAL 2015.. Att.. 529.. Comp.. 341.. %.. 64.5.. Yds.. 4,714.. YPC.. 9.4.. Rating.. 161.2.. TD 43.. INT.. 13
CAL 2014.. Att.. 509.. Comp.. 316.. %.. 62.1.. Yds.. 3,973.. YPC.. 8.6.. Rating.. 147.6.. TD 35.. INT.... 7
CAL 2013.. Att.. 530.. Comp.. 320.. %.. 60.4.. Yds.. 3,508.. YPC.. 6.6.. Rating.. 123.4.. TD 18.. INT.. 10

http://www.therams.com
June 16, 2016: While there are obvious expectations that come with being the No. 1 overall pick, Fisher maintained Thursday his usual stance with highly drafted players: Goff will play when he’s ready. He may start Week 1 or he may not. “He can start anywhere from the opener to whenever,” Fisher said.

“And we haven’t changed our philosophy on that. We’re going to coach him to be successful. We’re not going to put him in with a chance to fail. That’s the most important thing in developing a young quarterback.”

And the QB reps will continue to vary as the Rams begin training camp after summer break. “Case is our starter right now, so Case needs first-team reps,” Fisher said. “And to give Jared an opportunity — and Sean for that matter — to run with the first team, it’s easier to evaluate them. So we’ll change things up. And once we get in there, we’ll make some decisions as to who plays when and how much in the preseason.”

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/11205/jared-goff
June 9, 2016: Rams signed No. 1 overall pick QB Jared Goff to a four-year, $27.9 million contract. The deal includes an $18.6 million signing bonus and, as with all first-round picks, a fifth-year team option. The most NFL-ready quarterback in the draft, Goff is the heavy favorite to start Week 1, but his opportunities will likely be limited in the Rams' run-heavy attack.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pff-scouting-report-jared-goff-qb-cal/

GOFF: What he does best:
• Makes incredible throws with defenders bearing down on him. Fearless in the pocket

• Pocket presence. Moves in the pocket to find passing lanes, keeps his eyes up while maneuvering the pocket

• Processes information quickly, zips through progressions, always keeping body in position to throw

• Will get to second and third reads on backside of field and can make accurate throws late in progression

• Shows outstanding accuracy on “bucket” throws down the field. Can drop it in with touch

• Quick release

• Shows creativity when throwing receivers open. Will lead receivers to space or throw them open with anticipation

• Led an overmatched Cal team and made them competitive in difficult Pac-12
• Showed well both under pressure and against the blitz
• Throws the anticipation post route on time and accurately

GOFF: Biggest concern:
• Short area ball location is not ideal, even on completions
• May move around the pocket too much, sometimes compromising the leverage of the offensive line

• Misdiagnosed cover-2 on multiple occasions. Is either fooled pre-snap or predetermining his read without adjustment

• Was more careless with the ball in his final season, had too many turnover-worthy plays

• Has enough arm, but not a cannon. May leave a few plays on the table that can’t be zipped in there.

• Arm strength wanes when forced to reset his feet in the pocket. Will make some throws that lack velocity and float after a quick reset

Bottom line: Goff has gotten better every year at Cal and his strengths should translate into NFL success. He manages the pocket, fires through progressions, and makes big plays under duress. He helped to turn around a subpar program while dealing with poor offensive line play, elevating the level of his teammates in one of the most difficult conferences in the nation. While he has his limitations, Goff has the tools to succeed as a starting quarterback in the NFL.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/why-jared-goff-is-the-best-qb-prospect-in-the-country/
Jared Goff is PFF’s top-graded college quarterback, a Heisman candidate and the leader of an undefeated Cal team — but perhaps most importantly, he’s arguably the best available quarterback prospect for the 2016 NFL draft. Can he legitimately become the face of an NFL franchise, or is he emblematic of the relative lack of NFL-ready quarterbacks that are coming out of college at the moment?

We’re going to take a look at the tape to pinpoint exactly where he excels — and where he falls short. The first point to note is that Goff does run a dreaded spread offense at Cal. He won’t get any automatic “pro-style” bonus points the way Jameis Winston did or Christian Hackenberg seems to at the moment when it comes to evaluators.

The system Goff plays in will be used by some as a knock against him, because how well he’ll play if plugged into a “vanilla” pro-style offense will remain a question mark until the time comes. That’s the same issue people had with Marcus Mariota.

When I dug into Josh Rosen’s incompletions last week, the single biggest reason for incomplete passes was him throwing high and missing his receivers on the play. Obviously Rosen is a freshman, so he isn’t going to be as polished, but the top reason for Goff’s incomplete passes are drops (10) and passes defensed (10).

Though there will be some questionable decisions in that latter group, generally those plays are more about coverage defenders making a play on the ball than quarterbacks missing their targets. Passes thrown away is next (6), tied with the first real “QB-negative” incompletion type: overthrows (6).

Of Goff’s incompletions this season only 30.2 percent have been poor quarterback accuracy or plays. If you adjust only for dropped passes, Goff has been accurate on 79.9 percent of his attempts, good for sixth in the nation. When you factor in the kind of pass-protection Goff is dealing with, that becomes even more impressive.

Despite getting rid of the ball on average in 2.28 seconds (33rd of 130 qualifying QBs in FBS), Goff’s offensive line has surrendered 52 total pressures in five games. He’s been sacked 12 times. He is under duress more than most quarterbacks but is as accurate as almost any of them.

Goff’s deep ball is among the best in football. If we look at just passes that travel 20+ yards in the air, Goff hascompleted 19 of 26 passes this season, and two of the incompletions were dropped.

That’s an accuracy percentage of 80.8 on some of the most difficult passes in the game. That isn’t just the best mark in the nation — only eight other quarterbacks in the FBS can come within 20 percent of that figure.

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-b...l-outsiders-calls-jared-goff-best-qb-prospect
Apr 4, 2016: Football Outsiders detailed an analytics study on Sunday that broke down 50,000 simulations for each quarterback prospect in this draft. It came up with a clear conclusion: Jared Goff of Cal is far and away the prospect who projects best into the NFL.

This study shows how numbers can be used in the NFL, and how they can help. It may not be definitive or a final answer, but it is, as the Browns say, a legitimate tool to use to peek inside the numbers at the quarterbacks in this draft. It is based on metrics like Quarterback-Adjusted-Stats-and-Experience (QBASE) and Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement (DYAR). Yes, it's above most of the mortal world. It then tries to project three to five years forward based on the simulations, and on the player's past performance. The longer a player played, the better the projection.

According to the study, Goff is the ninth-best quarterback prospect since 1999, based on QBASE. He ranks right behind Ben Roethlisberger, and just ahead of Aaron Rodgers. Marcus Mariota, now with Tennessee, ranked ninth last year; he now ranks sixth based on his rookie season.

This doesn't mean Goff will be Rodgers, just that his resume most closely matches those of other prospects who succeeded. In all, Goff has a 37.8-percent chance of being an upper-tier or elite quarterback and a 28-percent chance of being a bust.

There are many other numbers and insights in the study, which resembles a Bill James look at college quarterbacks.The bottom line from Football Outsiders' analytics study: "Our projection gives Goff the best shot this year, almost 40 percent, of being the kind of upper-tier player who solves a team's long-term QB dilemma."

(LINK to Football Outsiders Detailed charts/graphs from their original QBASE breakdown article)
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2016/qbase-2016


#17 QB Case Keenum 6'1 210 lbs (Turns 29 on 02/17/2017)

Career: Texans/Rams Att.. 455.. Comp.. 258.. %.. 56.7.. Yds.. 3,023.. YPC.. 6.6.. TD 15.. INT.. 9

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/7696/case-keenum
Rams re-signed QB Case Keenum to a one-year, $3.635 million contract. Keenum was laughably tendered at the first-round level as the Rams pretended he would be their 2016 starter, but that's out the window now after their daring trade up to No. 1 overall.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher is "confident" the team can win with Case Keenum at quarterback "I feel good with Case," Fisher said. Fisher pointed to the fact that Keenum was a "field goal away" from a four-game winning streak at the end of last season, which, of course, presupposes that Keenum was a major factor in those wins.

Although he was not an outright liability, Keenum was hardly an asset. Despite his claims of faith in Keenum, Fisher also said "we're going to give Nick (Foles) a chance to compete as well," and admitted "it's a position we need to upgrade." Quarterback is a strong possibility for the Rams at No. 15 in the draft.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/j...pick-jared-goff-is-not-our-no-1-qb-right-now/
Jared Goff will almost certainly be the Rams starting quarterback at some point in 2016, but his first start might not come in the regular season opener, because as of right now, he's not the top guy on the depth chart. Rams coach Jeff Fisher made it clear on Thursday that Goff's going to have to win the starting job, which currently belongs to Case Keenum.

"Case is our starter right now," Fisher said, when asked if Goff would be getting all the first-team reps when the Rams open training camp next month. "Case needs the first-team reps," Fisher said. "To give Jared the opportunity -- and QB Sean (Mannion) for that matter - to run with the first-team, it's easier to evaluate them. We'll change things up. Once we get in there and we'll make some decisions as to who plays when and how much in the preseason."

Goff played in a no-huddle, spread offense at Cal, so he must transition from taking snaps exclusively from the shotgun formation to taking them under center and then dropping back for passes.

Keenum played in a no-huddle, spread offense in college at Houston before signing with the Texans in 2012. “It’s a tough adjustment, getting to that pro-style, huddle-up, under-center stuff,” Keenum said. “Jared’s done a great job already. It’s not an easy thing.”

Offensive coordinator Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke are Goff’s primary conduits for learning the Rams’ offense. Keenum said he benefited early in his career from veterans who shared tips and experiences, so he will be available to Goff. “My first job is to try to be the best quarterback I can be -- and that’s hard enough in this league,” he said. “But I want to help in whatever way I can.

I definitely want to pass on any knowledge that I have. That’s an important part of the position. “He’s being a sponge right now. He’s listening to everything in the meeting room. Sometimes there’s a lot of voices coming at him so I don’t want to try to add to it because coach Weinke and coach Boras do a great job.”


#14 QB SEAN MANNION 6'6 229 lbs (Turns 25 on 04/25/2017)

OreST Career:
Att. 1,838.. Comp. 1,187.. %.. 64.6.. Yds.. 13,600.. YPC.. 7.4.. Rating.. 135.8.. TD 83.. INT.. 54

Apr 7, 2016: http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...s-still-excited-to-watch-sean-mannion-develop
Much has been made of the Los Angeles Rams' quarterback situation this offseason. After a season in which the Rams finished at the bottom of the league in almost every major passing category, the questions about the position are certainly understandable.

That conversation has largely centered on the Rams' consistent votes of confidence for Case Keenum or constant speculation on potential additions from the outside. Every once in a while, Nick Foles' name is brought up, but that's usually more a discussion of his potential departure than his role in 2016.

However, there's still another quarterback on the roster who has been mostly ignored when talking about the future of the position. That's second-year signal-caller Sean Mannion, who was a third-round pick in 2015. Despite playing in just one game and attempting only seven passes, Mannion still figures in the Rams' plans moving forward. At least, that seems to be the company line.

"I'm excited to watch him develop and move through that second year," coach Jeff Fisher said, "especially with some familiarity with the system. There were some minor system changes, but he's got a football brain, and processes it. Gets the ball out. He's changed his body a little bit."

With such a small sample size to evaluate, there's really not an answer to any of those questions at this point. Relegated to the third quarterback spot most of the season, Mannion rarely got reps in practice. Even when Keenum was bouncing back from a concussion and the Rams found themselves in some meaningless late-season games, Mannion didn't get any opportunities save for the blowout loss to Cincinnati.

Mannion's understanding of a pro-style offense, combined with a strong arm, make him intriguing in the eyes of Fisher and Snead. But he has yet to have the chance to show it in a full game with something on the line. Armed with three picks in the top 45, many believe the Rams will take a quarterback early in this year's draft -- perhaps as soon as their first pick at No. 15 overall. How they approach the draft should offer a better answer on just how bright they believe Mannion's future with the club is.

"He’s got a nice skill-set, came from a pro-style offense," Snead said. "So doing what we do in the NFL doesn’t overwhelm him. He can read things pre-snap, he can get the ball out quickly, he’s less mobile than most but I think he was probably that way in high school, so he’s learned to get the ball out quick. The answer is, from freshman to sophomore year there’s a big jump in a lot of different things like experience, confidence; you’re not the new kid."

By that time, the Bengals had made it clear they were willing to give up short completions and keep the clock running though Rams coach Jeff Fisher used his three timeouts despite being down 24 in an effort to get Mannion more reps. So while Mannion did OK in his small sample size, there wasn't much to take from it other than him getting a chance to get some NFL snaps under his belt.

“Well, he’s doing everything he can," Fisher said. "He’s been in the meetings with the quarterbacks every day since the draft. He got reps during camp. He got to play in preseason games. Once you get in the regular season, your ones and twos are getting the reps. It’s hard to get your three reps. Number one gets probably 95 percent of the reps.

Your No. 2 gets to work against the defense. Last week because of the circumstances, Sean got a little bit more work against the defense. But, I think when he comes in the game in mop up situations like that where the defense declared itself and still 6 of 7 and making good decisions and putting the ball where he’s supposed to, there’s light there and there’s hope there.”

The Rams used the second of their third-round picks in this year's draft on Mannion, who, if nothing else, at least looks the part of a prototypical NFL quarterback at 6-foot-6, 233 pounds. Mannion appears to have the strongest arm of the team's three signal-callers (which admittedly isn't saying a whole lot), and he comes from a pro-style offense at Oregon State that has made his transition to an NFL scheme a bit easier.

Mannion did get a small taste of the speed at which things have to be done in last week's game. “You get a taste of it in the preseason," Mannion said. "Everybody tells you, and I think it’s true, preseason is a whole different animal compared to the regular season. It was great to get in there.

I tried to play a simple game. I focused on getting the ball out of my hand fast, being accurate, completing some passes. I think the other thing is trying to stay engaged all game long on the sideline — helping the defense, doing whatever I can to help Nick [Foles] — tell him if I see anything, or ask if he wants me to look at anything in particular.

I think staying engaged all game long really helped me to be prepared for the looks. I just tried to complete some passes and operate the offense.” Mannion (6-foot-5, 227) has ideal size and played in a pro-style offense, but completely falls apart in the face of pressure, turning the ball over and taking sacks.


#2 QB DYLON THOMPSON 6'2 215 lbs (Turns 25 on 10/25/2016)

SCar Career:
Att.. 669.. Comp.. 390.. %.. 58.3.. Yds.. 5,391.. YPC.. 8.1.. Rating.. 140.9.. TD 40.. INT.. 16

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/06/06/rams-sign-qb-dylan-thompson/
June 6, 2016: Rams sign QB Dylan Thompson SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Dylan Thompson #13 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 22, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. The Rams signed quarterback Dylan Thompson Monday, adding depth to their quarterback room with Nick Foles staying away from the team during organized team activity (OTA) practices.

Thompson broke into the league as an undrafted rookie last year with the 49ers and was promoted from the practice squad when Colin Kaepernick was injured last November. Thompson was cut by the 49ers last month after they added Thad Lewis in free agency and drafted Jeff Driskel. The Rams need a practice arm for now, and with Foles eventually leaving via release or trade seeming like a certainty, Thompson will have a chance to make an impression and earn a shot to stick around. Rams Quarterbacks Coach Chris Weinke trained Thompson during the 2015 pre-draft period.

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/cfb/130949/dylan-thompson
May 3, 2015: Thompson 49ers signed South Carolina QB Dylan Thompson. Thompson (6'2/217) succeeded Connor Shaw for the Gamecocks, starting for one season and completing 59.9 percent of his passes with a 26:11 TD-to-INT ratio. He showed good athleticism for a quarterback at the South Carolina Pro Day, running 4.74 with a 35-inch vertical. Thompson flashed the ability to drive throws in the SEC, but is viewed as a mess mechanically and his ball placement was scattershot.

He's not much of an NFL prospect. Thompson has plenty of starting experience, filling in for the likes of Connor Shaw and starting this season. His career TD to INT ratio is 38:16 with a career high completion percentage of 59.5 for this season. The Shrine now has all six of their quarterbacks: Duke's Anthony Boone, Nevada's Cody Fajardo, ODU's Taylor Heinicke, Georgia's Hutson Mason, Arizona State's Taylor Kelly and Thompson.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/dylan-thompson?id=2552571
STRENGTHS: Adequate height with good bulk on his frame. Recognizes when to take a deep shot and is decisive in doing so. Puts some pepper on his throws. Able to throw the deep out to the field side.

WEAKNESSES: Footwork is an absolute mess. Has issues getting feet set on many throws and compounds issue by short-arming throw. Inaccurate, with tendency to sail the ball or throw behind receiver. Below average leading receivers to give them a chance to pick up yards after catch. DRAFT PROJECTION Priority free agent

BOTTOM LINE: One-year starter in the SEC with adequate size. Poor footwork and substantial accuracy and ball placement issues have him tabbed as a draft reject on several draft boards, according to scouts.

http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/dylan_thompson_710276.html
2014: Team captain... named to the SEC Community Service team... was the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award winner and named a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy... named the quarterback on the academic all-district team... set a Carolina school record and led the SEC with 3,564 passing yards.

Led in the league in passing yards per game (274.2) and was third in total offense (268.6)... his 3,492 yards of total offense was a school record... ranked third in the SEC with 26 touchdown passes, the second-highest single-season mark in school history...

led the SEC and set the school records with 270 completions and 451 pass attempts in a season... tied Connor Shaw's record for touchdowns responsible for in a season with 31... threw for a career-high 366 yards and four scores in the season opener vs. Texas A&M... the 366 yards passing was the ninth-highest single-game total in school history.

Tied a school record with five touchdown passes at No. 5 Auburn, while completing 29-of-50 for 402 yards, the fifth most passing yards in a single game in school history... completed 20-of-32 with two TDs, including one for 85 yards, versus Tennessee.

Finished his career ranked in the Gamecocks' all-time top-10 in passing yards (8th-5,391), passing attempts (9th-669), pass completions (8th-390), completion percentage (5th-.583), passing touchdowns (5th-40) and total offense (9th-5,385)...

2016 CAMP SUMMARY QB's

The Rams will likely keep only 3 QB's so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 3 QB's until proven different)

1.) J. GOFF
2.) C. KEENUM
3.) S. MANNION

4.) D. THOMPSON
_______________________________________________________________________________


2016 Rams Camp: Total Number of Offensive Lineman on the current Roster is (16)

(The Offensive Lineman)


#73 LT GREG ROBINSON 6'5 332 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/21/2016)

Greg Robinson working with LeCharles Bentley in Arizona: Nick Wagoner ESPN Staff Writer Apr 5, 2016
"He’s learned a lot," general manager Les Snead said. "He got more consistent down the stretch this year than let’s call it the first eight games and like we were talking about, long story short he was a redshirt sophomore from a spread offense when he got there. [espn.go.com]

Hey, playing at Auburn his junior year probably would have been good for him, maybe even his senior year. He had to learn the hard way in our league. Because he played out there on an island and he’s a left tackle we all see the moments where he’s not where you want him to be. But in that, there’s some moments where like 'Holy cow, he just did that to Calais Campbell.’

When you see that you want to continue developing him and getting him to be a more consistent player."To that end, the onus falls on Robinson himself even more than it does the Rams coaching staff. Which is why Robinson has been spending most of his offseason working to make himself better. Last year at this time,Robinson was recovering from a toe surgery that prevented him from having a full offseason to prepare.

With no such limitations this year, he's spending his offseason at "O-Line Performance," a training center in Scottsdale, Arizona, run by former NFL offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley. ( VIDEO: Training Center Link[twitter.com] )


#68 G JAMON BROWN 6'4 323 lbs (Turns 24 on 03/15/2017)

[www.rotoworld.com] (In week 10 vs Chicago the rookie guard injured his right leg)
Rams RG Jamon Brown is out for the season with a broken leg. Brown opened the season as St. Louis' left guard. He was later moved to right guard and wound up struggling mightily at both positions, currently ranking 77th among 82 qualified guards in Pro Football Focus' charts.

Third-round G/T Jamon Brown will be the Rams' starting left guard. Brown was initially penciled in at right guard, but has settled in on the left side. Rodger Saffold will man the right. The Rams reportedly believe Brown can be a "dominant run blocker."

[espn.go.com] Jul 23, 2015: The Rams see Brown's future as a "dominant run blocker at guard." NFL.com's Gil Brandt reported earlier this month that St. Louis believes Brown, who played tackle in college, could be a Pro Bowler. Brown is an upside prospect, but he can't be counted on to immediately thrive for an offensive line the Rams pieced together on the fly this offseason.


#61 C TIM BARNES 6'3 300 lbs (Turns 29 on 05/14/2017)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Rams re-signed C Tim Barnesto a two-year, $5.5 million contract.
A 2011 undrafted free agent, Barnes emerged as a 16-game starter last year. He graded out No. 32 of 40 in Pro Football Focus' center rankings. He'll have the inside track on starting duties in camp, but might not make it another full season. Mar 9, 2015: Source: Sam Farmer on Twitter

[espn.go.com] Dec 27, 2015
Just like you never expected, it took the center to break the streak. As the St. Louis Rams' fourth-quarter lead bounced awkwardly around the CenturyLink Field turf, it was center Tim Barnes who came to the rescue. Barnes recovered two fumbles in a span of three plays, extending the fourth-quarter drive that ultimately allowed running back Todd Gurley to put Sunday's game away with a 2-yard touchdown run.

And with each Barnes recovery, the Rams took a step closer to doing what they hadn't done in Seattle since Jan. 8, 2005: Beat the division rival SeattleSeahawks on their home field and sweep the season series. As it turned out, that's exactly what the Rams did as they produced a dominant defensive performance and just enough offense to close out a 23-17 victory. That ended Seattle's streak of 10 consecutive home wins against the Rams.

For Barnes, it was the culmination of an interesting year in which he was non-tendered as a restricted free agent, re-signed at a cheaper rate, won the starting job and held on to it throughout the year despite some rough outings.


#76 G/T RODGER SAFFOLD 6'5 318 lbs (Turns 28 on 6/06/2018)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Rams RG Rodger Saffold (shoulder surgery) tweets he's been cleared to play. Mar 11, 2016
It's in line with the five-month timeline Saffold was given after going under the knife in October. Saffold was bandied about as a potential cap casualty, but survived the Rams' roster purge. Saffold was performing as one of the league's worst players before going down last season, but he'll get another shot for the Rams' shaky line.

[espn.go.com] Feb 11, 2016
Saffold had his left shoulder surgically repaired last January and landed on injured reserve in October with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He is expected to be fully healed by mid-March, but his long injury history and below-average play make him a strong candidate to be cut. Saffold is set to count $5.65 million against the cap next season.

It's possible the Rams might decide they don't need the additional cap space so they could hang onto Saffold, but they haven't showed much hesitation to go young on the offensive line, and Saffold's experience is the most appealing part of retaining him.


#79 RT ROB HAVENSTEIN 6'7 321 lbs (Turns 25 on 05/13/2017)

Los Angeles Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein received an impressive accolade on Tuesday.
(Havenstein was the only OT to play 12 plus games andnot give up a single sack in 2015.)

[www.scout.com]
Rams RT Rob HavensteinNamed to PFWA All-Rookie Team: NATE LATSCH 01/19/2016
The Los Angeles Rams' top two draft picks in 2015 both earned some honors on Tuesday from the Pro Football Writers of America. Running back Todd Gurley, the team's first-round pick a year ago, was honored by the PFWA as the 2015 Rookie of the Year, 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year and a member of the All-Rookie team.

The team's second-round pick, offensive tackle Rob Havenstein, also landed on the All-Rookie squad. The Havenstein selection in the second round didn't make the same kind of headlines like the Gurley pick did, but he quietly pieced together a strong rookie campaign as the team's starting right tackle. A three-year starter at the University of Wisconsin, Havenstein proved to be exactly what the Rams needed in that position.


#71 G/T GARRETT REYNOLDS 6'7 310 lbs (Turns 29 on 07/01/2016)

[espn.go.com] Oct 15,2015
With Rodger Saffold lost for the season because of shoulder surgery, the St. Louis Rams will turn to the one backup on the roster with extensive NFL experience to replace him. That would be seventh-year veteran Garrett Reynolds, a free-agent offseason addition from Detroit. After playing the first four games with the same five offensive linemen in place,

Reynolds got his first extended action with the offense last week in Green Bay when he came in for Saffold. According to coach Jeff Fisher, Reynolds fared well upon entering the game. "When Garrett went in, it was kind of almost a settling factor in there," Fisher said. Where it goes now that Saffold is on injured reserve is that Reynolds will step into the starting lineup at one of the guard positions.

He filled in for Saffold at right guard against the Green Bay Packers but he played a lot of left guard in the preseason. Some in the organization believe he's more suited to that side, though he's played both guard spots and right tackle in his career. Either way, Reynolds instantly becomes the most experienced lineman on the roster with 57 games and 27 starts to his credit. In his time with Atlanta and Detroit, Reynolds has moved around on the line which makes him a logical fit in the sense that there's very little he hasn't seen.

[www.rotoworld.com] March 18, 2015
Rams signed G/T Garrett Reynolds to a two-year, $2.2 million contract. Reynolds appeared in 10 games (four starts) as a versatile reserve for Detroit last year. He can play both guard and right tackle, and knows OL coachPaul Boudreau's scheme from their time in Atlanta March 18, 2015


#63 OT DARRELL WILLIAMS 6'5 296 lbs (Turns 23 on 08/03/2016)

[espn.go.com]
Williams wasn't selected in the 2015 NFL draft despite a solid career at South Florida. Even after the Rams spent four draft picks on offensive linemen, Williams saw an opportunity and elected to sign with them as a rookie free agent. Still, Williams figured to face an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, odds that only grew longer when the Rams used a supplemental draft pick on Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle over the summer.

Hiding under the radar from many of the casual fans, Williams played above his draft stock rating in last years camp and preseason. He quietly earned his place on the Rams 53-man roster.

Williams was a pregame inactive in the Rams' first two games and four of the first five games before injuries elsewhere allowed him to be on the game-day roster and get a few snaps, mostly on special teams. In that game against Chicago, right tackle Robert Havenstein suffered a calf injury that got Williams onto the field.

Just 10 snaps into Williams' first extended action, Rams quarterback Nick Foles threw an interception to Bears linebacker Willie Young. As Young raced down the Rams sideline, Williams and fellow rookie offensive lineman Jamon Brown pursued him. Williams lunged to tackle Young and landed awkwardly on his wrist.

"I'm excited to get started for next season, get in the weight room, get strong, bigger, watch some more film," Williams said. "Obviously it sucks that my season is over, but everything happens for a reason, and like I said, stay in the weight room, stay in the film room, keep a positive attitude and get ready."


#69 OG CODY WICHMANN 6'5 324 lbs (Turns 25 on 03/25/2017)

[www.stltoday.com]
Rams coach Jeff Fisher likes the progress he’s seen from the 6-5, 319-pound Wichmann. “He’s coming on, yeah,”Fisher said. “He’s a strong inside player. He’s smart. He’s been playing some good three-techniques and some good defensive tackles, so he’s hanging in there.

He understands angles downfield and he’s getting to the second level. He and Rob (Havenstein) are doing a good job communicating. It’s valuable playing experience for him.” After Sunday’s game in Seattle, the Rams will remain in California to train in Napa Valley to prepare for the season finale against San Francisco.

“I have some buddies there, but I don’t think I’ve been to Napa,” said Wichmann, who’s from Mariposa, Calif, which is about 2½ hours from Levi’s Stadium, home of the 49ers.


#64 G/T ANDREW DONNAL 6'5 296 lbs (Turns 25 on 03/03/2017)

[www.rotoworld.com] Nov 22, 2015
Rams RT Andrew Donnal exited Week 11 against the Ravens with a knee injury and will not return. Donnal got the start with starting RT Rob Havenstein (calf) and backup Darrell Williams (wrist) hurt. LG Garrett Reynolds has moved to right tackle, LG Cody Wichmann shifted to right guard, and Demetrius Rhaney is at right guard.

Rams T/GAndrew Donnalsuffered a sprained MCL in the Week 11 loss to the Ravens. Donnal went down in considerable pain and was immediately ruled out, so this is actually viewed as a positive. He's expected to miss multiple weeks. The fourth-round rookie has made a couple spot starts on the Rams' injury-riddled line. Mon, Nov 23, 2015

Rams selected Iowa G/T Andrew Donnal with the No. 119 overall pick in the 2015 draft. May 2, 2015
Donnal only started one year in college, book ending Brandon Scherff as the Hawkeyes' right tackle. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick. Donnal is a passable athlete with adequate arm length (33 1/2), but struggled as
a run blocker at Iowa and demonstrated limited strength at the Combine, managing 17 reps on the bench. Donnal's calling card is versatility, as he can play both tackle and guard. He could carve out a career as a "swing" reserve.


#77 OT ISAIAH BATTLE 6'6 312 lbs (Turns 23 on 02/10/2017)

[www.profootballrumors.com]
Rams Promote OT Isaiah Battle: In the wake of injuries to the offensive line, the Rams will promote supplemental draft pick Isaiah Battle to the active roster, coach Jeff Fisher told reporters (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).

Battle will help bolster the offensive line now that rookie offensive linemen Jamon Brown and Darrell Williams are done for the year with injuries, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets. Brown will undergo leg surgery while Williams will have his wrist treated. Fisher added that in addition to promoting Battle, the Rams will look for outside offensive line help.

Of course, with the trade deadline in the rear view mirror, the Rams can only find out-of-house solutions via free agency or the waiver system. Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for 2015, decided to enter the supplemental draft instead, citing “family” reasons, including a forthcoming child.

Earlier in the year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com had identified Battle as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.” Of the seven prospects eligible for the supplemental draft,

Battle was considered the one most likely to be picked, with some pundits suggesting that a team could go as high as a third-rounder for the lineman. However, teams were reportedly wary of Battle due to possible off-the-field concerns, so he ultimately cost the Rams only a fifth-rounder. As it turns out, Battle was the only player taken in this year’s supplemental draft.


#65 C/G DEMETRIUS RHANEY 6'2 300 lbs (Turns 24 on 06/22/2016)

[espn.go.com] Nov 26, 2015
Most of Rhaney's preseason was spent battling for the role as starting center, a job he lost to Tim Barnes. Since, he's worked as a backup at all three interior spots. The Week 11 loss to Baltimore was Rhaney's first extended action aside from special teams.

In his own evaluation of his play, Rhaney said he felt comfortable but didn't deny having his own "welcome to the NFL" moment as Ravens defensive tackle Brandon Williams beat him and got to running backTodd Gurley quickly in the backfield.

"I talked to coach Bou [offensive-line coach Paul Boudreau] and said we got to cut him, that’s a grown man out there," Rhaney said. "It was a rude awakening. Him beating me across my face was a technique issue.

I took a bad first step. "In an effort to get up to speed, Rhaney said injured guard Rodger Saffold has been helping him with technique this week. "He stayed back and worked with me on a few technique things, my steps and my hands and hand placement," Rhaney said.

[www.rotoworld.com] June 12, 2014
Rams signed No. 250 overall pick C Demetrius Rhaney to a four-year contract. Rhaney can play any position along the interior of the offensive line. He is also athletic, running a 4.9-forty and vertical jumping 29 inches at his Pro Day. Rhaney lacks starting upside, but he could carve out a niche as a reserve interior lineman in the NFL.


#67 C/G BRIAN FOLKERTS 6'4 303 lbs (Turns 27 on 01/30/2017)

[www.turfshowtimes.com]
Ability to play both center and guard, Folkerts was an undrafted free agent in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football for Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.

He’s played in 26 games since being drafted, but has started in none. Since joining the league, he’s made the practice squad or active roster for the Saints, Panthers, 49ers, and now Rams. For a brief period he played for the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League.


#66 G/C DAVID ARKIN 6'5 306 lbs (Turns Turns 29 on 10/07/2016)

[www.turfshowtimes.com]
Also a guard, David Arkin was added to the practice squad today by the Rams. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2011 NFL Draft [110th overall] out of Missouri State.

He’s played in only one game since being drafted. In his 4+ year career in the NFL, he’s been on the roster in some capacity for the Cowboys, Dolphins, Seahawks, Colts, and now Rams.

[www.spotrac.com]
David Arkin signed a 2 year, $1,450,000 contract with the St. Louis Rams, including an average annual salary of $725,000. In 2016, Arkin will earn a base salary of $675,000. Arkin has a cap hit of $675,000.


#60 C ERIC KUSH 6'4 304 lbs (Turns 27 on 09/09/2016)

[www.turfshowtimes.com]
Recently signed [and released] by the Texans, Kush was drafted in the 6th round of the 2013 NFL Draft [170 overall]. He played his college ball at California [PA].

He’s played in only three games since being drafted, and has started in only one. In a little over two years, he’s made the practice squad or active roster for the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Panthers, Texans, and now Rams.


#70 T JORDAN SWINDLE 6'7 307 lbs (estimated age 23 DOB N/A)

[www.rotoworld.com]
Kentucky T Jordan Swindle completed 22 reps on the bench and ran a 5.38 second forty at the Wildcats' pro dayon Friday. Some felt Swindle was robbed of a Combine invite. Since he was, this was his time to shine. That's because only one NFL team was not represented in Lexington.

Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis was on hand in addition to the directors of college scouting for the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. Swindle added a broad jump of 9-5 and a vertical jump of 29 inches. Mar 7, 2016

[www.ukathletics.com]
Two-year starter at right tackle Following the departure of Darrian Miller, spent a lot of time at left tackle in the spring. Has played the position before when Miller was not in the game.

Has shown plenty of toughness and competitive fire. Team’s top reserve at offensive tackle as a true freshman. Very intelligent player whose toughness enabled him to play his first season. Has played in 35 games, starting 24. Aspires to be a doctor.

2014 (Junior): Started every game, one at left tackle and the final 11 on the right side. In his two seasons as a starter, the UK offense has improved from 18 points per game, to 20 ppg, to 29 ppg last season. UK had five players rush for at least 300 yards, first time that has happened since 1977. 2013 (Sophomore): Started every game at right tackle. Big, physical tackle that helped three different UK players rush for 400-plus yards.

[nflmocks.com]
Jordan Swindle has all the physical attributes you’d like to see in an offensive tackle. However, for him to fully maximize his potential he will have to focus on the technical side of game. If he can improve his balance, footwork, and play with a lower pad level he should vastly improve in pass protection.

He needs to improve his lateral motion, as he is just too slow right now to hang with the speed rushers he’ll face in the NFL. Due to his physical size and upside I expect to see Swindle make it on an NFL roster for the 2016 season. However, I do not think he’ll be drafted and instead be picked up by a team as a UDFA.


#72 OT/G PACE MURPHY 6'6 296 lbs (Turns 24 on 05/15/5017)

NWState 2015: USA College Football Preseason All-American List, Second Team, Offensive Tackle (Played College at Northwestern State) 2014 Southland Conference Second Team, Left Tackle: Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana College Football Team, second-team Offensive Lineman

2013 Season: Played in every game, including seven starts. Earned an 85 percent grade on 40 snaps against Southern. Played 81 snaps and received a 79 percent at Sam Houston State. Earned a 79 percent grade on 19 snaps against Central Arkansas. A 71 percent grade on 83 snaps at UAB.
[www.nfldraftscout.com] ( Rated Murphy #66 out of 108 OT's )


2016 CAMP SUMMARY OFFENSIVE LINE

The Rams will likely keep 9 or 10 Offensive Lineman so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp. The players who were on the 53 man in 2015 get the benefit of the doubt until they're knocked out by the lesser unknown players fighting for their roster spot.

(The Early Camp Top 10 Offensive Lineman until proven different)

1.) G. ROBINSON ............. 6.) G. REYNOLDS
2.) R. HAVENSTEIN ......... 7.) D. WILLIAMS
3.) T. BARNES ................... 8.) C. WICHMAN
4.) R. SAFFOLD ................ 9.) C. RHANEY
5.) J. BROWN .................. 10.) A. DONNAL

(The Next Tier Up)

11) I. BATTLE
12) B. FOLKERTS
13) D. ARKIN
14) E. KUSH
15) J. SWINDLE
16) P. MURPHY
_______________________________________________________________________________

2016 CAMP SUMMARY Kicker-Punter-Long Snapper

The Rams will keep only 3 from these Special Teams units so this is the Rankings of which players will be kept on the final 53 at this early stage in camp.


#4 (K) GREG ZUERLEIN 6'0 187 lbs (Turns 29 on 12/27/2016)

2015 20/30.. 66.7%.. 20-29 yds.. 2/2.. 30-39 yds.... 9/10.. 40-49 yds.. 5/8.. 50 plus yds 3/9.. LONG 61
2014 24/30.. 80.0%.. 20-29 yds.. 6/7.. 30-39 yds.. 10/12.. 40-49 yds.. 2/3.. 50 plus yds 5/7... LONG 56

2013 26/28.. 92.9%.. 20-29 yds.. 7/7.. 30-39 yds.. 10/10.. 40-49 yds.. 8/9.. 50 plus yds 1/2... LONG 54
2012 23/31.. 74.2%.. 20-29 yds.. 4/4.. 30-39 yds.... 4/6.... 40-49 yds.. 7/7.. 50 plus yds 7/13.. LONG 60

(Career Extra Points made 120 of 123 total)

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/7616/greg-zuerlein
April 15, 2016: Rams re-signed K Greg Zuerlein to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. Zuerlein was one of the worst kickers in the league last year, converting 66.7% percent of his field goals. He has the range to hit 50-plus yarders, but struggles with accuracy. Zuerlein will need to hold off competition to keep his job.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher expects competition at kicker if free agent Greg Zuerlein is re-signed for 2016. Zuerlein was woeful in 2015, making just 20-of-30 field goals. For his career, he's now a 78.6 percent kicker, which is below the generally-accepted "acceptable" threshold of 80. Zuerlein has one of the league's biggest legs, but it's gotten progressively shakier throughout his four-year career.

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...to-have-competition-at-kicker-for-next-season
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Among the 37 kickers who attempted a field goal in 2015, Zuerlein ranked 35th in the league in field goal percentage as he converted 20 of 30 for the season. Only former Steelers kicker Josh Scobee and former Tampa Bay kicker Kyle Brindza came in below Zuerlein's 66.7 percent conversion rate, and that duo attempted 10 and 12 field goals, respectively. Zuerlein was also 26-of-28 on extra points.

As Fisher pointed out, the Rams did ask a lot of the 28-year-old Zuerlein when it came to his field goal tries. He attempted nine field goals of 50-plus yards, making three. Those nine tries were the second-most among all kickers. Perhaps most frustrating was the timing of some of Zuerlein's misses.

He missed a field goal and an extra point in a three-point loss to Baltimore, missed a 48-yard field goal in an overtime loss to Minnesota and failed to convert two field goals in a three-point overtime loss to San Francisco. A make or two in there and the Rams' season might have been much different.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/zuerlein-704779-season-nfl.html
Zuerlein’s 2015 struggles were often attributed to distance, and to some extent, this is a reasonable excuse. Only Blair Walsh and Justin Tucker have attempted more from 50-plus over the past two seasons than Zuerlein. Plus, the average successful kick for Tucker (36.7) and Walsh (37.2) last season covered less distance than Zuerlein, who averaged 38.75 yards per made field goal.

“Obviously, his numbers aren’t what we’d hoped they would be. We have confidence in him. But in all likelihood, there will be some competition in camp next year.” Zuerlein might not make it that far. Even as the majority of kickers have steadily improved, Zuerlein owns the worst career field goal percentage in the NFL among active kickers.

His 2015 season is the worst from a Rams kicker since the team’s debut season in St. Louis (1995). A new locale might well mean a new kicker in 2016. “We have really good special teams, typically,” Fisher said. “Greg just had a rough year.”


#1 (K) TAYLOR BERTOLET 5'8 188 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/24/2016)

TEX A&M Career.. 37 of 56.. Accuracy 66.1%.... Extra Points.. 128 of 138.. 92.8%.. Long 55 Yards

http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/11586/taylor-bertolet
April 30, 2015: Rams signed Texas A&M K Taylor Bertolet. Bertolet (5'8/188) spent a little more than two seasons as the Aggies' placekicker, finishing his career 37-of-56 (66.1%) on field goals and 128-of-138 on extra points. Simply put, Bertolet isn't accurate enough to nail down a job in the NFL. Apr 30

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/6...ms-roster-preview-depth-chart-taylor-bertolet
During a three-game stretch from Weeks 5-7, Greg Zuerlein made just three of nine field goal attempts. If this is your first time tuning in to the particulars of kicking as it pertains to American football, allow me to explain that that is bad. Very bad.

It was that kind of stretch that pushed Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher in January to call for competition at the kicker position in training camp this preseason even after signing GZ to a one-year deal out of free agency. Enter Texas A&M K Taylor Bertolet to provide that competition.

I'd personally think Zuerlein's locked in from the outset, but the question for me is more mid-range. What would GZ have to do to entice the Rams to make a call-up mid-season for Bertolet? Put another way, I'd put Zuerlein's chances of being the starter for Week 1 at 100%. Week 10? Not 100%. That's the Bertolet window. Expectations: Well, I think we're going to get a decent sense of things as camp kicks up (pun intended).

Here's how I'd gauge it. What are GZ's chances of hitting a 60-yard kick? What are Bertolet's chances of hitting the same kick? Now line up their chances from 40.

There's likely a gap between GZ and Bertolet. We'll get a sense of it during camp. That gap, though, will grow increasingly smaller with each struggling performance from GZ. If he can get through October without any big minuses on the report card, that gap will likely remain in tact. A similar season to 2015? That gap may flip in Bertolet's favor...

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/05/nfl_draft_texas_am_kicker_tayl.html
Despite losing the job to Josh Lambo, now with the San Diego Chargers, during his sophomore season, Bertolet continued to handle kickoff duties and would finish with 185 career touchbacks.

Regaining the placekicking chores in 2015, the All-Southeastern Conference second-team pick converted 22 of 30 field goals with a career-long of 55 yards against Mississippi State. Bertolet earned all-state honors during his senior year at Exeter Twp. and was ranked the No. 1 overall kicker in the nation by Rivals.com.


#6 (P) JOHNNY HEKKER 6'5 227 lbs (Turns 27 on 02/08/2017)

Rams Career: Games 64.. Punts.. 336.. Yards.. 15,687.. Blocked.. 2.. Yds Per Punt.. 46.7.. Long.. 68 yds

(Passing: Att.. 10.. Comp.. 6.. Yds.. 99.. Yds per comp.. 9.9.. Rating.. 126.7.. TD.. 1.. INT.. 0..)

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/8073/johnny-hekker
Dec 5, 2014: Rams signed P Johnny Hekker to a six-year, $18 million extension through 2020. There was really no reason for this high-dollar extension with Hekker slated for restricted free agency in 2015. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the $9 million guarantee is the most in league history for a punter or kicker. Hekker is an excellent punter, but this is a Raidersian move.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/zuerlein-704779-season-nfl.html
Feb 18, 2016: In fact, the other strong-legged specialist on the Rams’ roster wasn’t just good. He had one of the best punting seasons in NFL history. Diagnosing a punter’s value can be an inexact science, but after a second straight All-Pro season, Rams punter Johnny Hekker has made it abundantly clear he’s already among the best the NFL has ever seen at the position.

Hekker is the first punter since the NFL began recording punt stats more thoroughly in 1977 to lead the league in gross punting average (47.9), net punting average (43.7), and inside-the-20 punts (41).

According to statistical models from FiveThirtyEight.com, Hekker contributed a mind-blowing 271 extra yardsrelative to the average expectation of a baseline punter, making him one of the most important field-position weapons in the NFL.

His contributions were so significant in 2015 that FiveThirtyEight named Hekker the second-most valuable punter or kicker in the league, behind only Patriots All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski.


#44 (LS) JAKE MCQUAIDE 6'2 247 lbs (Turns 29 on 12/07/2016)

http://www.rotoworld.com
July 1, 2013: Rams signed LS Jake McQuaide to a four-year extension through 2017. An undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2011, McQuaide took over as St. Louis' deep snapper as a rookie and held onto the job in 2012. He was previously scheduled for restricted free agency in 2014.

http://www.therams.com
TRANSACTIONS: Signed with the Rams (7/27/11).. signed a four-year contract extension in July 2013 to extend his contract into 2017. PRO: Fifth-year pro has played in all 64 games.. tallied 575 clean snaps through first four seasons.. has made eight tackles on special teams.

2014 SEASON: Registered 145 clean snaps.. vs Denver (11/16): Recorded 12 clean snaps.. vs Oakland (11/30): Notched a career-high 14 clean snaps.. vs Arizona (12/11): Tallied 10 clean snaps.

2013 SEASON: Played in 16 games.. notched 141 clean snaps.. vs. San Francisco (9/26): Recorded a then career-high 13 clean snaps.. vs. Jacksonville (10/6): Registered 13 clean snaps for the second consecutive week.. at Indianapolis (11/10): Recorded 11 clean snaps.

2012 SEASON: Recorded 139 consecutive clean snaps.. had four special teams tackles.. at Arizona (11/25): Tallied 12 clean snaps.. vs San Francisco (12/2): Registered 12 clean snaps.. at Buffalo (12/9): Tallied eight clean snaps.. recorded one tackle on special teams.

2011 SEASON: Recorded 150 consecutive clean snaps.. notched two special teams tackles...vs. New Orleans (10/30): Tallied 12 clean snaps...vs. Seattle (11/20): Made 11 clean snaps.. vs Arizona (11/27): Recorded 12 clean snaps.. at San Francisco (12/4): Recorded eight clean snaps.. made one special teams tackle.. vs Cincinnati (12/18): Tallied 11 clean snaps.. added one special teams tackle.

MCQUAIDE’S CAREER SNAP STATISTICS: RAMS: 2014 (145), 2013 (141), 2012 (139), 2011 (150). TOTAL: 575.


#42 JEFF OVERBAUGH (LS) 6'2 235 lbs (Turns 24? DOB n/a)

http://www.adn.com/sports/article/nfls-rams-snap-anchorages-overbaugh/2016/05/01/
May 31, 2016: Los Angeles Rams snap up Anchorage's Jeff Overbaugh: Once the NFL draft ended Saturday afternoon, Jeff Overbaugh's pro football career began to take shape. The Service High graduate received a call from the Los Angeles Rams shortly after the final round of the draft, and by dinnertime he was celebrating an offer to join the Rams later this week.

"As of right now I'm headed down to L.A. this coming Thursday to sign the contract and begin rookie camp," Overbaugh said. Overbaugh is a long snapper who enjoyed a stellar four-year career at San Diego State, and he said he knew his chance to make a deal with an NFL team would come after the draft wrapped up.

"As a long snapper, not many of us are drafted," he said, "so mostly the expectation was to become an undrafted free agent." And sure enough, not long after the Tennessee Titans picked this year's Mr. Irrelevant — the name traditionally bestowed on the final player chosen in the draft — Overbaugh became relevant.

His phone rang and the caller ID said it was John Fassel, the special-teams coach for the Rams. "At first I was just answering the phone — I didn't want to jump to any conclusions," Overbaugh said. "And he kind of gave me the news from there. I'm tremendously honored and excited."

A while later, his phone rang again. It was the Seattle Seahawks calling with an invitation to a mini-camp tryout. But Overbaugh had already agreed to a deal with the Rams, who made the better offer. Overbaugh ended his college career as one of the college football's top long snappers.

He appeared in all 53 games since the 2012 season at San Diego State, where he had a perfect senior season: He was 134 for 134 in PATs, 55 for 55 in field goal attempts and 164 for 164 in punts. He added two tackles and a fumble recovery to help the Aztecs to a 11-3 record. With his bachelors degree already in hand, he spent much of this spring working out for NFL teams. He attended a three-day combine for special-teams players in Phoenix and went through workouts at San Diego State for the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers.

(The Early Camp Top 3 K/P/LS until proven different)

1.) P- J. HEKKER
2.) K- G. ZUERLEIN
3.) LS- J. McQuaide

(The Next Tier Up)

4.) K- T. BERTOLET
5.) LS- J. OVERBAUGH
_______________________________________________________________________________


This was the Offense Position Count for the first Available 2015 Final 53

QB Nick Foles .... Case Keenum .... Sean Mannion ....... 3 QB's

C Tim Barnes .......... Demetrius Rhaney
RG Rodger Saffold .... Garrett Reynolds
LG Jamon Brown .... Cody Wichmann ........................ 10 O-LINEMAN
RT Rob Havenstein .... Andrew Donnal
LT Greg Robinson .... Darrell Williams

TE Lance Kendricks .... Cory Harkey .......................... 3 TE's
TE Jared Cook

WR Tavon Austin .... Bradley Marquez .... Brian Quick
WR Kenny Britt .... Stedman Bailey .... Chris Givens ....... 6 WR's

RB Todd Gurley .... Tre Mason .... Chase Reynolds
RB Benny Cunningham .... Isaiah Pead ............................ 5 RB's

PK Greg Zuerlein
P John Hekker ................................................................... 3 SP Teams
LS Jake McQuaide



I hope most of you ROD members found this piece informal & enjoyed (Part 1) of The Offense from this complete Camp Roster Guide... (Part 2) The "Defense" will be posted very soon....

Thanks for observing, Florida

XLNT Work! I'm Book Marking this!!

 

[hotanez]

Thank you and I can't wait to read part 2

 

[Leuzer]

Holy shit that's a lot of info! I bookmarked this to read the rest later tomorrow (only got through the wide receivers, skimmed the rest).

Just one quick change I saw, Benny Cunningham is now #23 I believe. IIRC he switched jersey numbers over the off season. Not sure why.

Great stuff though on the wide outs. Mike Thomas sounds like a steal if PFF rated him the no. 7 WR in college and a low second round draft grade. I'm looking forward to seeing reports on these rookie wide receivers and seeing them play in the preseason. Also, it look like our receivers run pretty basic route trees according to the Tavon Austin statistic, and the info provided on Cooper, Williams, and North. I'd like to see how that compares with wide receiver groups around the NFL.

Great stuff, @Florida_Ram! I'm looking forward to reading the rest.

 

[jrry32]

I didn't realize we had picked up Terrence Magee. Will be interesting to see how he does. I thought he played well at LSU when given opportunities.

 

[OldSchool]

 

[Warner4Prez]

Aaron Green vs. Malcom Brown could be a colorful battle. I don't expect RB3 to get much run barring catastrophe, but they both appear to be very good in very different ways, so I'm curious to see which dynamic the staff prefers.

Kind of surprised by the lack of size in our WR corps outside of Quick (who I still don't think is a lock) and Britt. Don't know if that gives guys like Duke Williams or McRoberts a leg up on the competition or not, but it could factor in.

I think it could end up being Britt, Austin, Cooper, Marquez, Thomas and Quick. I'm still hoping they find a way for Spruce to grab a roster spot, even at the cost of Quick who really needs to shine non-stop through camp and preseason, imo.

 

[Leuzer]

I'm kind of rooting for Laskey to make the squad as a true FB, but he's got a load of talent to try and blow past. I think you got the position depth chart right for every category. Also, I'm hoping Battle can turn the corner and make this a good competition at tackle since we chose him in the supplemental draft. I didn't notice any other mistakes. This was a fantastic read, @Florida_Ram. Very good stuff.

 

[Leuzer]

One more thing to note: If you are at a Rams training camp session and you're looking for Tavon Austin, he'll be wearing #1 instead of #11. Last year the Rams allowed him to practice wearing the jersey because he wore #1 at West Virginia. Whatever makes Tavon happy and play better I suppose. It worked pretty well last year. (He will still wear #11 for preseason and regular season games)

 

[LACHAMP46]

I shoulda been a long snapper.... I did it once in pop warner...

Long is already cut....like Battle way more than Rhaney & Donnal....Like Kush too...yep, just on pictures...and reports...Duke Williams will be cut in less than 3 weeks...probably b4 the 1st preseason game....Green just loses out to M. Brown...Chase is in trouble...and that damn Bradley Marquez keeps beating the odds...

Great work Florida! Wonder if you live close to Boni?

 

[Florida_Ram]

I shoulda been a long snapper.... I did it once in pop warner...

Long is already cut....like Battle way more than Rhaney & Donnal....Like Kush too...yep, just on pictures...and reports...Duke Williams will be cut in less than 3 weeks...probably b4 the 1st preseason game....Green just loses out to M. Brown...Chase is in trouble...and that damn Bradley Marquez keeps beating the odds...

Great work Florida! Wonder if you live close to Boni?

close to Boni?... I did see WR Deon Long was cut less than 24 hrs from when this was posted. (down to 10 WR's which is plenty for camp. How quickly the bottom of the roster can change even this early in camp.

You're right Duke has no room for repeat mental errors and if his confidence is down he will be cut sooner than later unless he starts showing flashes in practice soon.

I'm hoping he gets at least 1 preseason game to showcase his talent.. I say that meaning some players show up very well in live games vs practice but Dukes leash is so short it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't last 2 weeks .... I'm expecting A.Green to make some big plays in preseason and sneak on the 53 unless Fisher just won't cut ties with C.Reynolds... long way to go yet