Rams NFL Draft Scouting Report: ROVER Tavante Beckett, Marshall

What is a ROVER?

The ROVER position is not one that you often see across the internet. No, not many people use this distinguished action. The ROVER is a glorified nickel player. With the NFL playing so many three-receiver sets nowadays, the response on defense has been that almost every defense has shifted to a base nickel defense, meaning that they play five defensive backs on the field.

A lot of teams like to play a cornerback as the fifth defensive back – it works best in man-to-man coverage against the three receivers and allows you to maintain two deep safeties. Other teams prefer the safety – so that they can play zone coverage. The safety also plays more like a linebacker and more effectively replaces the player that was just pulled off of the field.

The ROVER is my designation for that safety type. Someone who’s either too small or not athletic enough to play in the back-end that fits that nickel role, playing out of the slot and as an outside linebacker.

The Rams, presumably losing both Dareus Williams and Troy Hill, will be looking for a nickel defender. A ROVER type very well may be in their plans to keep the secondary fast and agile.

Now, let’s get into Tavante Beckett.