Turf Show Times
Oregon linebacker Jeffrey Bassa would be a great fit for the Rams and is a Senior Bowl player to watch
The NFL offseason does not wait and the Los Angeles Rams will certainly be busy over the next few months. Over the weekend, the Shrine Bowl will take place with the Senior Bowl kicking off next week. These are two places where the Rams have targeted players in the past. In fact, six of the Rams draftees last year participated in the Senior Bowl and were in Mobile.
While there is still a long draft process left with athletic testing and player meetings, it makes sense to find which players the Rams may be keeping a close eye on at the Senior Bowl. I will be in Mobile next week for the Senior Bowl representing TurfShow Times. Be sure to check in on that coverage. However, in the meantime, let’s take a look at players the Rams might be interested in next week.
Since the 2020 NFL Draft, I’ve done a series called Snead’s Snacks. In other words, we try to find and look at common themes and traits of previous Les Snead draft picks and see which players in the upcoming NFL Draft fit the mold for the Rams. A lot of that does depend on testing and I’ll have those official fits following the Combine. With that said, the Rams do tend to prioritize player traits.
Looking simply at traits, I’ve put together a list of players on offense and defense that fit the typical Rams prototype. Below we wrap up on defense.
The Rams typically haven’t valued the linebacker position and that likely won’t change this year. That doesn’t mean they won’t draft one, but it may not be until day two or even day three of the draft. They’ve had success getting production out of undrafted free agents such as Omar Speights and Christian Rozeboom.
Still, if the Rams do draft a linebacker, it would not be a surprise if it ended up being Jeffrey Bassa from Oregon. Bassa is exactly what the Rams have typically looked for in linebackers. He’s a former safety and that shows in coverage where he has proven to be able to cover tight ends down the seam. Bassa is a great lateral mover sideline to sideline and has good arm length. Additionally, he has special teams experience. These are all traits that the Rams have targeted in the past.
Prior to the 2024 season, the Rams traded away a former South Carolina linebacker. It would make sense to draft another one from the same school. Knight Jr. has natural instincts, has length, and displays lateral agility. He’s an older prospect at 25, but that also means there won’t be as much physical development needed much like Byron Young. Jack...
