LA Rams DL talent still overflowing for 2021

Fast defensive lineman

When the LA Rams signed undrafted free agent DL Michael Hoecht. he had quite a bit to like. He was a powerful defensive lineman who had been a former running back at high school. On that front, he was clocked with a 4.6-second 40-yard dash time. Yes, that raised our eyebrows. But we were not the only ones. A few well-known NFL analysts were impressed as well.

That was a huge endorsement for the young man who only had a remote shot of making the Rams roster due to the lack of training camp and preseason games needed to showcase his talents

Why he could see a larger role in 2021:

This guy is a treasure trove of skillsets and versatility. He is powerful, fast, smart, coachable, and humble. And he fits the Rams need of a big strongman who can hold his own as a defensive end on a Rams roster suddenly in need of two defensive linemen to back up the starters. He is 6-foot-4 and weighs 310-pounds, the identical height and weight of starter Sebastian Joseph Day.

He possesses all of the right measurables, even down to a solid football IQ. He even was once a running back in his high school days. He is one of the more intriguing undrafted players signed, and certainly with a year of direct and intimate contact with the Rams’ organization, should be in line for a spot on the 53-man roster this year.

Why he won’t see a larger role in 2021:

It could be that he is so gifted in so many areas, that the coaches simply do not have a clearly defined role for him. He moves like an outside linebacker, roars out of a three-point stance like a defensive tackle, and had the football IQ that competes with a defensive back. Can the Rams harness so many unrelated skillsets into a single role for him this year? It’s certainly one helluva problem to have, isn’t it?