Early injuries paves way for 5 Rams to make a statement at training camp

II: SMU Mustangs rookie DB could be surprise solution

Another rookie cornerback whose stock could surge in the current Rams training camp scenario is former SMU Mustangs rookie cornerback Charles Woods. Woods is a player who put in two years with the West Virginia Mountaineers before transfering to SMU for one season of collegiate football. Now he is trying to earn a spot on the LA Rams roster. And he may do exactly that.

Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 185 pounds, Woods is a solid size for an NFL defensive back, and he has a very versatile range of experience at playing both at the cornerback and at the safety positions.

Why he could move into a major role in secondary

While not a true ball-hawking defensive back, Woods does know how to sniff out the football and put himself into the correct position to break up pass plays. The fact that he broke up 11 passes in just 14 games in 2023 alone proves that he has the great instincts at reading the play and knowing where to be when the football arrives.

While described as a cornerback whose pass coverage skills are more effective in man than zone coverage, he is adept at both. And his speed, balance, footwork, and positioning does give him a solid presence in man and press coverage, he possesses the agility and speed to both shadow receivers or break to the football. He even is a physically challenging type of defensive back, jamming the receiver at the line of scrimmage and effectively throwing off the timing of the play.

Why he may miss the mark of major role in secondary

Because he has the skills to shadow receivers with his speed and agility, and the fact that he has a limited amount of collegiate experience, he is less adept as occupying a spot in zone coverage and diagnosing the offensive play as it unfolds in front of him. He wants to defend a player, not space, sometimes making the wrong reads and failing to take the correct receiver in zone coverage.

Conclusion

Woods has plenty to like about him, and the fact that he has a knack for busting up passing plays is something that the coaches have to love about the guy. But will his lack of zone coverage proficiency hinder him? He can get a meaningful role and a roster spot if he can prove capable of putting up solid pass coverage in either zone or man. But that is a tough task.