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Creating the All-Time Rams Roster: Special Teams
http://theramswire.usatoday.com/2016/07/06/creating-the-all-time-rams-roster-special-teams/
By: Jake Ellenbogen | 19 hours ago
In this new series, we will break down our All-Time Rams roster position-by-position. We last covered the safeties, and now it’s time to move on to the special teams unit. We’ll have one starter per position.
Related:
Creating the All-Time Rams Roster: Safety
Starting Kicker: Jeff Wilkins
The man nicknamed Money, Jeff Wilkins is one of the greats in Rams history. Yes, a kicker is seriously one of the team’s greats, but for good reason?Wilkins is the Rams’ all-time leader in field goals made with 265.
After short stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, he went to the Rams for 11 seasons and finished his career there. His career wrapped up with a total average of 81.9 percent of field goals made. Wilkins was responsible for scoring a whopping 1,416 points as well.
Wilkins went to college at Youngstown State, went undrafted and somehow worked his way into the league, eventually finishing second all-time in consecutive extra points without a miss at 371.
Of course, kickers not only get recognition in my article specifically, but the rest of the NFL gives them honors as well. Wilkins received quite the honor by being named a Pro Bowl player and an All-Pro in 2003.
He was a part of two NFC title teams, appeared in two Super Bowls and won one, but he also is the first player in the history of the franchise to get to 1,000 points scored. Wilkins was the obvious choice here, as he is the best kicker in Rams history by seemingly a country mile.
Starting Punter: Johnny Hekker
Yes, I know right now Dale Hatcher is the all-time leader in just about every punting category for the Rams. Here’s the thing, this guy here is really, really good. How good? Well, he already has more Pro Bowl appearances than Hatcher in his four seasons with the Rams, compared to Hatcher’s six seasons with the team. Along with those Pro Bowls, Hekker earned two first-team and one second-team All-Pro honors.
Hekker is still getting better and is considered one of the best in the league today. He came in the league undrafted out of Oregon State and the Rams have since enjoyed the pleasure of finding a once-in-a-generation punter. He is already fourth all-time in career punt yards per attempt, which is pretty crazy. He also holds the single season record for net yards per punt.
The All-Pro has become quite the fan favorite. Hekker up to this point in his young career, has accumulated 15,687 punt yards, started every game since he entered the league in 2012 and averaged 46.7 yards per punt on his 336 career punts.
Hekker has been so valuable to his franchise not only for what he brings on the field but off it. He is a unique personality off the field with a sense of humor that gets all the fans to like him, and is also big in the community. Also keep in mind, Hekker is one of the team’s captains. How many punters are named captains?
Starting Returner: Tavon Austin
Tavon Austin was one of the most explosive players I had ever seen come out of college. There was no way the Rams were going to be able to get him in the 2013 NFL draft, as his stock was going through the roof as he and Stedman Bailey set records at West Virginia University.
The Rams made a bold move though, and traded up to get Austin. Since then it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for the West Virginia star, but he appears to be on an upswing. Austin is finally showing improvement and it could be a matter of time until he nabs his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Obviously, many are going to be a little puzzled by my selection of Austin as the returner on the all-time Rams roster, but there’s a strong case to be made. Austin does not have a Pro Bowl to his name and does not have the stats to say he belongs here over Ron Brown who is listed below. What he does, however, is explosiveness that would be effective in any era of football.
Over three years in the NFL, Austin has tallied up 935 punt return yards and three touchdowns as well as 433 kick return yards. Why are Austin’s numbers low? I can tell you right now if you haven’t watched any Rams games, Austin has had a countless number of touchdowns or long returns called back due to a hold on the opposite side of the field, or even one of those phantom penalties.
The franchise obviously values Austin as well, so much so that they picked up his fifth-year option which will pay him over $12 million dollars next season. That is a hefty price to pay, but Austin is only going to continue getting better.
Honorable Mention
Mike Lansford
The famous barefooted kicker Lansford was drafted in 1980 in the 12th round out of Washington. He is second in field goals made with 158.
He spent his whole 11-year career with the Rams, and he made an average of 72.8 percent of his field goal attempts.
Not to say Lansford was the most intriguing or fun to watch kicker ever, but he did get the job done in clutch situations. He has several last-second field goals, including one that sent the Rams to the playoffs, and another that defeated the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Dale Hatcher
The Rams all-time leading punter Dale Hatcher was drafted in the third round of the 1985 draft out of Clemson. He totaled 17,302 yards punted during his career.
Hatcher had played all but one of his seven seasons in his career for the L.A. Rams. He had an average of 40.1 yards per punt.
The franchise’s all-time leading punter also was named to one Pro Bowl and received first-team All-Pro honors.
Ron Brown
Surprised to see the Rams all-time leader in return touchdowns in the honorable mention section? It makes sense to feel that way.
Brown was drafted in the second round out of Arizona State and he was quite the track star. Brown played seven of his eight seasons with the Rams.
In 1985, Brown was named a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro for the Rams, and he finished his career with the team. His final totals included 3,918 kick return yards, four touchdowns and an average of 23.2 yards per return.
http://theramswire.usatoday.com/2016/07/06/creating-the-all-time-rams-roster-special-teams/
By: Jake Ellenbogen | 19 hours ago
In this new series, we will break down our All-Time Rams roster position-by-position. We last covered the safeties, and now it’s time to move on to the special teams unit. We’ll have one starter per position.
Related:
Creating the All-Time Rams Roster: Safety
Starting Kicker: Jeff Wilkins
The man nicknamed Money, Jeff Wilkins is one of the greats in Rams history. Yes, a kicker is seriously one of the team’s greats, but for good reason?Wilkins is the Rams’ all-time leader in field goals made with 265.
After short stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, he went to the Rams for 11 seasons and finished his career there. His career wrapped up with a total average of 81.9 percent of field goals made. Wilkins was responsible for scoring a whopping 1,416 points as well.
Wilkins went to college at Youngstown State, went undrafted and somehow worked his way into the league, eventually finishing second all-time in consecutive extra points without a miss at 371.
Of course, kickers not only get recognition in my article specifically, but the rest of the NFL gives them honors as well. Wilkins received quite the honor by being named a Pro Bowl player and an All-Pro in 2003.
He was a part of two NFC title teams, appeared in two Super Bowls and won one, but he also is the first player in the history of the franchise to get to 1,000 points scored. Wilkins was the obvious choice here, as he is the best kicker in Rams history by seemingly a country mile.
Starting Punter: Johnny Hekker
Yes, I know right now Dale Hatcher is the all-time leader in just about every punting category for the Rams. Here’s the thing, this guy here is really, really good. How good? Well, he already has more Pro Bowl appearances than Hatcher in his four seasons with the Rams, compared to Hatcher’s six seasons with the team. Along with those Pro Bowls, Hekker earned two first-team and one second-team All-Pro honors.
Hekker is still getting better and is considered one of the best in the league today. He came in the league undrafted out of Oregon State and the Rams have since enjoyed the pleasure of finding a once-in-a-generation punter. He is already fourth all-time in career punt yards per attempt, which is pretty crazy. He also holds the single season record for net yards per punt.
The All-Pro has become quite the fan favorite. Hekker up to this point in his young career, has accumulated 15,687 punt yards, started every game since he entered the league in 2012 and averaged 46.7 yards per punt on his 336 career punts.
Hekker has been so valuable to his franchise not only for what he brings on the field but off it. He is a unique personality off the field with a sense of humor that gets all the fans to like him, and is also big in the community. Also keep in mind, Hekker is one of the team’s captains. How many punters are named captains?
Starting Returner: Tavon Austin
Tavon Austin was one of the most explosive players I had ever seen come out of college. There was no way the Rams were going to be able to get him in the 2013 NFL draft, as his stock was going through the roof as he and Stedman Bailey set records at West Virginia University.
The Rams made a bold move though, and traded up to get Austin. Since then it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for the West Virginia star, but he appears to be on an upswing. Austin is finally showing improvement and it could be a matter of time until he nabs his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Obviously, many are going to be a little puzzled by my selection of Austin as the returner on the all-time Rams roster, but there’s a strong case to be made. Austin does not have a Pro Bowl to his name and does not have the stats to say he belongs here over Ron Brown who is listed below. What he does, however, is explosiveness that would be effective in any era of football.
Over three years in the NFL, Austin has tallied up 935 punt return yards and three touchdowns as well as 433 kick return yards. Why are Austin’s numbers low? I can tell you right now if you haven’t watched any Rams games, Austin has had a countless number of touchdowns or long returns called back due to a hold on the opposite side of the field, or even one of those phantom penalties.
The franchise obviously values Austin as well, so much so that they picked up his fifth-year option which will pay him over $12 million dollars next season. That is a hefty price to pay, but Austin is only going to continue getting better.
Honorable Mention
Mike Lansford
The famous barefooted kicker Lansford was drafted in 1980 in the 12th round out of Washington. He is second in field goals made with 158.
He spent his whole 11-year career with the Rams, and he made an average of 72.8 percent of his field goal attempts.
Not to say Lansford was the most intriguing or fun to watch kicker ever, but he did get the job done in clutch situations. He has several last-second field goals, including one that sent the Rams to the playoffs, and another that defeated the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Dale Hatcher
The Rams all-time leading punter Dale Hatcher was drafted in the third round of the 1985 draft out of Clemson. He totaled 17,302 yards punted during his career.
Hatcher had played all but one of his seven seasons in his career for the L.A. Rams. He had an average of 40.1 yards per punt.
The franchise’s all-time leading punter also was named to one Pro Bowl and received first-team All-Pro honors.
Ron Brown
Surprised to see the Rams all-time leader in return touchdowns in the honorable mention section? It makes sense to feel that way.
Brown was drafted in the second round out of Arizona State and he was quite the track star. Brown played seven of his eight seasons with the Rams.
In 1985, Brown was named a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro for the Rams, and he finished his career with the team. His final totals included 3,918 kick return yards, four touchdowns and an average of 23.2 yards per return.
