Los Angeles Rams: Who is “the Sean McVay Guy”?

When a new head coach comes to town, he brings in his own style of players.  What does that look like for new Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay?

Los Angeles Rams new head coach Sean McVay is making his mark. He is hiring the coaches he wants, bringing in his offense, and calling the plays.

He also has some say on the players they bring in. We do not know how much the decisions are representative of McVay and how much they are the result of Les Snead. Certainly, it is a bit of both. But we have seen a number of players come to the Los Angeles Rams, through free-agency and the draft, and it gives us a sense of “the Sean McVay guy.” Here are a few traits I’m noticing.

Related Story: 5 NFC West stars the Los Angeles Rams need to account for in 2017

High Football IQ

McVay seems to be attracted to smart football players. LT Andrew Whitworth, WR Cooper Kupp, and WR Robert Woods are all examples of this. They are dangerous between the ears. Their football IQ is one of their best qualities.  He wants smart players can make quick decisions in response to the defense. This may have to do with the complexity of McVay’s offensive system and his desire to have players who catch on quickly and work the system as it is designed to be worked. I mentioned Kupp above. He was described in the draft process as “the proverbial coaches son” and a coach on the field. He began to show this immediately when he got to Los Angeles. He is a “Sean McVay guy.”

Good Character

McVay is also interested in character. It is a big part of his message to the team this year: We not Me. McVay wants good teammates. Unselfish players. Jeff Fisher was known for being a good handler of difficult players. He attracted divas because he could get good talent for a cheaper price because other teams avoided those players. McVay seems to be the opposite. He is attracted to the high character players who are not going to be a distraction off the field.

Live Feed

FanSided

Reliable

This may seem obvious because all coaches seek reliable players. But think about what Woods brings to the Rams at the receiver position. He has never had 700 yards receiving or 6 TDs. But he is reliable at catching the ball. He runs good routes He is not a distraction. He is a good blocker. He does the little things needed to help the team win. Kupp was the 7th WR drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. Why was h taken this high by McVay and company? He is reliable. He catches what is thrown to him. He runs good routes.

You may remember the Steve Spagnuolo days of the 4 pillars mindset. It sounds good to preach character to the players and the fans. But if you don’t win, it doesn’t matter. McVay can bring in “his guys,” but he will be judged on how they produce.