5 breakout defensive stars for LA Rams Coach Staley in 2020

LB Kiser

LA Rams inside linebacker Micah Kiser was on track to earn a starting linebacker role next to Cory Littleton in 2019. But an injury derailed those plans, an injury which not only put him on the bench but which shattered his hopes to secure his first starting role for the team. Now, as he battles back from injury, Kiser must once more battle for a starting role on this defense. Can he do it?

Kiser is a 6-foot-0 244-pound brute in the Rams defense interior. He is the run-stopper interior linebacker which the Rams have sought in recent years. He was slated to partner with cover-specialist Cory Littleton in 2019, a duo that would have had a devastating impact against opposing offense. Now Kiser must hope for another coverage-type linebacker to pair alongside in the Rams defense for 2019.

Kiser was the pre-draft favorite to land a starting role as an interior linebacker on the defense, and if his rehab has remained on track, we have no reason to change that projection. He is the favorite from the crowded linebacker group simply because he had the starter designation from 2019. While the defense will have new strategies, the Rams will continue to emphasize run defense from the interior, which is directly in Kiser’s wheelhouse. If the Rams can pair up Kiser with a coverage specialist linebacker like Travin Howard, or newly signed UDFA linebacker Bryan London II on defense, the Rams will have both run and pass defense for the interior covered in 2020.