LA Rams: 3 longshots who may make the 53-man roster

DB Lake

When the LA Rams signed up Dayan Lake after the 2020 NFL Draft, the team was in fairly good shape throughout the secondary. The team had three starting cornerbacks in Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams, and Troy Hill, and the presence of returning backups David Long Jr. and Donte Deayon presented a robust roster, as well as formidable competition for an undrafted rookie. In fact, the LA Rams opted to retain just one cornerback from the class of 2020, and Dayan Lake was not the fortunate one

Los Angeles Rams

That was then, this is now.

If you recall, Dayan Lake is also known as Dayan Ghanwoloku.  That stirred a bit of confusion in compiling the LA Rams roster as they added additional players. Lake is a 5-foot-11 200-pound defensive back who boasts a 4.41-second 40-yard dash. That aligns nicely within the Rams 2021 to increase the speed and athleticism of the overall roster, which is likely why the front office recalled Lake back for another go at it.

Lake was a raw but high ceiling prospect when he signed on with the Rams in 2020, but the team simply ran out of time and available slots to work with him and coach him up. Still, he was with the Rams through September 2020, and that gives him an advantageous leg up on any competition this year. He also is much more closely aligned with the type of defensive back that new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis are looking for.

"Doing my thing on special teams is important to me because that is the plus-one right there, the thing that will help me out and set me apart,” Ghanwoloku said per Jay Drew of Deseret.com"

He is an ideal ‘Super Saiyan Safety’ version of defensive back who seems to be the template for success in Raheem Morris’ defense. He’s a solid height at 5-foot-11. He’s a solid weight at 200 pounds. He is ridiculously fast at 4.41-seconds in his 40. But he also has a robust background that covers both cornerback and safety. He fits the bill of athletic freak, as he recorded times of 4.25 seconds in the shuttle run as well as his 6.85-seconds mark in the three-cone drill.  He possesses a huge upside. After a year with the Rams coaching staff, he gets another shot.  I liked his potential in 2020. I love his chances in 2021.