What have we learned as LA Rams OTA Offseason Workouts conclude?

Rams reload with Bill Walsh Fellowship coaches

An aspect of the Rams OTAs that I always enjoy researching is the annual introduction of Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellows. As per the team's official website, this is a proactive program that offers unique opportunities to acquire coaching experience. As the team describes the program:

"The fellowship is named after the late Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach, who first introduced the concept to the NFL in 1987 when he brought a group of minority coaches to the San Francisco 49ers training camp. The fellowship is designed as a vocational tool to increase the number of full-time NFL minority coaches in the league while exposing fellows to the methods and philosophies of an NFL coaching staff."

- Per LA Rams website.

The Rams four Bill Walsh Coaching Fellows are as follows:

• CJ Cox: Outside Linebackers - He is preparing to work with safeties for the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is an up-and-coming collegiate coach who is expanding his profile across a wide range of defensive positional groups.
• Jamil Douglas: Offensive Line - He is a former player who has a diverse career with the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, and Washington Commanders. This is his first venture into coaching.
• Will Blackmon: Defensive Backs - He is a former player who competed for the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Washington Commanders. Like Jamil Douglass, this is his first venture into coaching.
• Kwesi Drake: Defensive Line - He is entering his sixth season as the DL Coach of the Jones College Bobcats football team.

The addition coaching staff for OTAs is a win-win scenario for the team and the coaches. For the coaches, it opens the Rams football team up to offer true real-world experience at working with players and with existing NFL coaches. It's also a vital part of the necessary networking that creates lifelong bonds that can open doors at some future point in time.

For the team, it ensures a more manageable coach to player ratio, allows a better player experience for rookies who are adapting to life in a new city, team, and coaching staff, and it gives players additional options in terms of mentors.

Up Next: Mandatory Minicamp: June 10-12

With OTAs come and gone, we have the team's Mandatory Minicamp to look forward to next. And with that just around the corner, we will offer some sneak previews of what to expect from those sessions as well.

As always, thank you so much for reading.