Did LA Rams ILB Troy Reeder play himself into a starting role for 2021?

Reeder is a rapidly improving player to keep on your radar

He started eight games in 2019, and just seven games in 2020.  But let’s dive into some numbers so you see what I’m seeing.  In 2019, he allowed a completion rate of 94.1 percent, 14.4 yards per target, and 15.3 yards per completion. In 2020? The completion rate dropped to 76.9 percent. But the true drop happened in yardage, which fell to 5.5 yards per target and 7.6 yards per completion.

He boosted his tackles from 58 to 81 in one fewer game. One of the key factors was shaving his missed tackles from a suspect 13.4 percent down to a much better 9.0 percent rate. He also recorded five tackles for losses in 2020, up from no tackles behind the line of scrimmage in 2019.

Even his Pro Football Focus grade of 28.6 in 2019 rose to a much better 60.4 in 2020, and to 62.7 in the 2020 postseason. However you view their ranking system, the optics on Reeder matches his scoring. He improved rapidly in 2020, and that projects nicely for a similar positive improvement for 2021.

We once compared the undrafted to starter career of Cory Littleton to that of Troy Reeder. For his first two seasons, Littleton was a rotational defensive player who contributed primarily to special teams. When he was given a chance to start in 2018, he elevated his game substantially.  His 2017 PFF score was 60.2 before jumping to 66.0 and finally to 79 in 2019.

Reeder signed on with the Rams in 2019, running three years behind Littleton. Both players stand 6-foot-3. While Littleton plays lighter at 228-pounds to Reeder’s 245 pounds, both fill the inside linebacker role with a taller long-limbed form that gives a huge advantage to defending passes. And it took Littleton to get to his third season to show up in a big way. For Troy Reeder, his third NFL season is this year. Will he become the next Cory Littleton? No. But he can follow a similar career path.

Troy Reeder is worth keeping on your radar for the 2021 NFL season. If you don’t, at least don’t rule him out. Cory Littleton showed up big in year three. Troy Reeder may deliver in year three as well.