Turf Show Times
Les Snead shows no allegiance to draft pedigree when it comes to linebackers
Los Angeles Rams General Manager Les Snead, has appeared to change course on how much draft capital he’s willing to put into the off-ball linebacker position. Back when he was the Atlanta Falcons Player Personnel Director (2009-2011), the Birds of Prey drafted linebackers within the Top 100 in consecutive years (Sean Witherspoon #19 in 2010 and Akkem Dent #91 in 2011). In 2013, his second season as L.A. GM, Snead took Alec Ogletree at #30.
After that, It was an eight-year wait before the Rams took another linebacker within the first three rounds, Ernest Jones at #103 in 2021. From the early to mid part of that span, L.A. filled in LB#2 with tough-as-nails, hybrid safety/linebacker Mark Barron, and a cast of veteran retreads. By the time Sean McVay came aboard in 2017, Snead had zig-zagged again. Now he was stocking both LB#1 and LB#2 with late round picks and undrafted free agents (UDFA). In fact, since 2017, Rams undrafted and late round linebackers have averaged a total of 137 tackles per season. That number includes 2022 (19 tackles total), when Bobby Wagner and Ernest Jones ate up almost all the available snaps.
This year’s unit is consistent with Snead’s past 10 years, of the seven players under contract, five are from the undrafted ranks and two are Round 5 picks. Two rookies are coming aboard for 2025, Chris Paul (#172 of Rd5) and Shaun Dolac. Dolac went undrafted, but has caught the eye of many pundits and is touted as a sleeper candidate.
Pro Day: 1.53/4.63 forty 6.93 shuttle 4.22 3cone 35.5” vert 10’ 1” broad 25 bench reps
It’s been an up and down football road for Dolac, from unrecruited walk-on to consensus All-American in college and finally, an undrafted NFL prospect. Although he was a star running back/linebacker in high school, no college programs came calling. He chose to spend a year at Milford Academy, a boarding school offering a post-graduate football program that prepares players for the college level. Although he was Named Defensive Player of the Year, Dolac received no scholarship offers and took a preferred walk-on tryout with the Buffalo Bulls.
It took a couple of seasons for Dolac to climb the Buffalo depth chart. In that time, the soon to be 24 year-old (September) played in 19 games with two starts before breaking out. In 2002, he totaled 147 tackles, earning ALL-MAC First team and academic honors. He considered a transfer for 2023, but remained at Buffalo. The season ended up being a let down, going out for the season with a shoulder injury after only four games. As a graduate senior in 2025, he led the nation in tackles and was named a consensus All-American. For his career, Dolac started 32 of 49 games played with 392 tackles, 40.5 for loss, 12.5...
