LA Rams: 4 rookies who need to shine most in training camp

Show me, Tutu Atwell

With a high-draft selection comes high expectations. So it will be for rookie Tutu Atwell on this LA Rams roster. After all, the sights of many fans and well-wishers for the 57th pick from round two of the 2021 NFL Draft may not have achieved a consensus, but virtually nobody was looking for the Rams to go wide receiver with their first selection in the draft.

That has fostered a lot of skepticism, a sort of show-me-what-made-you-so-damned-special attitude among many. So far, Atwell has been showing off his speed and agility for the LA Rams coaching staff, but not in the way you might think. You see, the story out of OTAs is that he has been working intensively with special teams, particularly in terms of returning punts.

Now don’t take this the wrong way, but a second-round pick used to select a punt-returner feels very much like overkill or overreach. Thankfully, Atwell has a very positive outlook on his role so far.

So why does he need to shine? Well, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound wide receiver (who is listed at 5-foot-9 155-pounds on his NFL Draft profile) is viewed by many as undersized, some of the opinion that he is too light to even make an NFL roster. So the mindset of ‘too small’ is all set to pounce if Tutu Atwell does anything short of wow coaches and spectators in training camp.

While special teams can and will help rookies make the roster, it cannot be that Tutu Atwell is exclusively destined for that role. He will need to showcase his ability as a sub-package wide receiver as well to truly leverage that blinding speed and help the Rams in a meaningful way this year. He may be an outstanding punt returner, but he will need to contribute in other ways to give the Rams a full return on their second-round draft pick investment.