It’s only OTAs but this Rams rookie is already turning heads in a big way

As soon as the Los Angeles Rams did not put up any effort to re-sign veteran DT/OLB Michael Hoecht, I was a bit surprised. Hoecht was one of the few players remaining on the Rams roster who actively participated in the 2021 NFL season. He even recorded a tackle for the Rams in Super Bowl LVI on a minimal number of defensive snaps.

Hoecht would eventually cross-train in 2022 from defensive tackle to outside linebacker. That would make him a bit of a unicorn in NFL circles, a magical creature that DCs Raheem Morris and Chris Shula would deploy in many different ways to stop opposing offenses.

His departure is just one more indication that the Rams defense is sailing off to parts only known to new DC Chris Shula. Yes, Shula has a plan. He envisions a defense that wins the battle by inflicting 1000s of cuts to opposing offenses. Rather than dominate a handful of statistical categories, Shula is keen on creating a swarming opportunistic defense that operates like a swarm of hornets rather than like the charge of a rhinoceros.

Hoecht was more rhino than hornet.

Rams rookie drafted to DC Shula's specs

The Rams were willing to part ways with a Round 1 and 3 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft for the opportunity to pick up Round 2 and 7 picks in the same draft, plus a Round 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Round 2 pick allowed the team to finally add a talented tight end from Oregon named Terrance Ferguson. The remaining Round 3 pick allowed the team to select an outside linebacker named Josaiah Stewart from Michigan.

But don't think for a moment that Stewart was a consolation prize or merely the best of the rest. The Rams have a plan for Stewart, a reason for adding him to a jam-packed potent pass rush. He is much, much more than a guy coming in to take over for Michael Hoecht. He is about adding even more pop, power, and pain to a pass rush that is coming off an insane 16 quarterback sacks in the postseason.

Can Josaiah Stewart keep up? He may not only keep pace, but he may push this pass rush to new heights:

The Rams roster has had plenty of templates used to define positional needs in the past. WR Cooper Kupp became the template to be used for any wide receiver who hoped to find success on this team. RB Kyren Williams has become the template that the team uses to find contributors to the running back room. And former defensive tackle Aaron Donald has created opportunities on the Rams roster for defensive linemen who stand shorter than 6-foot-3.

But Josaiah Stewart breaks any mold that the team may have as an edge rusher. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 249 pounds, Stewart could just as easily fit the mold of an inside linebacker as an edge rusher. But all you need to do is revisit his collegiate video footage to understand that he is perfectly at home on the edge, rushing the quarterback.

But can his controlled chaos in college translate into professional football?

It's too quiet

There will always be waves of positive reports and hype from OTAs about offensive players whose performance in shorts and t-shirts triggers an insane amount of positive clichés. And that is great for rookie players on offense who are fighting for limited snaps, carries, and targets in the upcoming NFL season. But what are you going to hear in OTAs about a guy whose bread and butter is tackling the quarterback when he cannot even lay his hands on him?

Not much.

But you can expect to hear something. Perhaps he is a great fit for what the defense intends to do. Perhaps he is like a sponge, shadowing veterans on the team. But none of that seems to be occurring for Josaiah Stewart. In all likelihood, the way teammates refer to Stewart already is as though he were a returning veteran. And there is our first clue.

2024 DROY Jared Verse has no reason to lower the bar for incoming rookies. In a recent post-OTA press conference, Verse did not hesitate to include Josaiah Stewart among the names listed as key pass rushers for 2025. He did not overhype the guy. He did not ignore him. He simply matter-of-factly included him with Braden Fiske and Byron Young.

That says quite a bit by saying nothing.

It was not an intentional oversight to other edge rushers like Brennan Jackson, Keir Thomas, or Nick Hampton. It was simply Jared Verse sharing what he knew. He knows that Josaiah Stewart is very much included in the first-string drills. That translates into Stewart having the inside track on a significant number of defensive snaps this season. Either Stewart has to make mistakes that force the coaching staff to demote him, or one of his teammates must perform in such a compelling way as to be promoted.

Until that happens, rookie OLB Josaiah Stewart is unlikely to participate in the 2025 preseason games. The Rams intend to save him for the regular season, along with all the other starters and key contributors.

As always, thanks for reading.

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