LA Rams: Will the shortest player make the biggest impact in 2020?

Can the shortest player on the LA Rams roster make the biggest impact in 2020

The LA Rams have great talent on the current roster, especially with the skill players. WR Greg Dortch is the smallest player wearing a Rams uniform. Would it surprise you if he makes the biggest impact in the upcoming season?

The road to the NFL is a long and tumultuous trip. Some players make several stops before finding their stride. Dortch is on the verge of finding his place as an LA Rams contributor, and an NFL veteran.

He played collegiately at Wake Forest for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He caught 89 passes for 1800 yards with 17 touchdowns. Dortch declared for the NFL Draft after his redshirt sophomore season of 2018.

Dortch stands 5-feet-7 weighing 175 pounds. He signed as an undrafted rookie by the New York Jets. The Carolina Panthers signed him off the Jets practice squad in October of 2019. LA signed him in December 2019 after the Panthers released him.

Special special teams player

Expect Dortch to work primarily on special teams and as a slot receiver. His physical size really limits his ability to outmuscle the larger defenders. Still, he excels in open space as a direct result of his speed and route-running skills.

Dortch ran a 4.49-second and 4.52-second 40-yard dash during his pro day workout at Wake Forest. He should be able to run away from defenders to gain multiple yards after catching the ball. If the Rams go 4 wideouts, Dortch’s speed creates an immediate mismatch.

There’s a chance that he finds his groove by returning kicks for the Rams.  At Carolina, he returned punts and kickoffs. He averages 7 yards per punt return. Dortch averaged 23.8 yards per kickoff return.

Special teams coordinator John Bonamego should be happy to know Dortch will be handling kicks. The small return man could make a big impact for the Rams through timely huge kick returns. Let’s see how everything plays out.