8 Rams who are already turning heads at OTAs

VII: DE Desjuan Johnson

It's almost mindblowing to grasp the concept that second-year defensive lineman Desjuan Johnson is one of the 'seasoned veterans' of this defensive front. But the 6-foot-3 252-pound Johnson will turn 25 years old on September 3, 2024, and he is one of the few defensive linemen on this team who has over 100 defensive snaps to his credit.

And lest we forget, he leveraged those snaps to put up nine tackles and 2.0 quarterback sacks in his rookie season.

Johnson is going to get a much larger role in 2024. Just how much greater remains to be seen. But his rookie season was very impressive, even in a limited role. After all, he was drafted with the 261st overall pick in Round 7 of the 2023 NFL Draft. He put up an impressive effort in the Rams Week 12 win, and that led to getting more playing time on a rotational basis.

Desjuan Johnson was Mr. Irrelevant in 2023, an exclusive NFL club comprised of players who were the last to hear their names called out in NFL Drafts. That designation comes with its own bit of fanfare, pomp, and ceremony.

What I think is most noteworthy is the fact that as DeMarco Farr pointed out, several rookies are already posing questions to Johnson, as he is one of the Rams 'veterans' now. It's not uncommon to see that have a positive effect on the player as well, as they not only find themselves explaining their roles and responsibilities to younger players, but must now go out and demonstrate their counsel in practice.

Desjuan Johnson put up 2.0 sacks on just 100+ defensive snaps in 2023. Could he multiply that number of quarterback sacks by a factor of five if he gets 500+ defensive snaps in 2024? I will be eager to find out.