When you see this LA Rams rookie working out, you see NFL star in the making

Work works.

Perhaps one of the areas that this LA Rams roster will miss most about the fact that All-Pro DT Aaron Donald is retired is his leadership by example. No rookie arrived on the team with hopes of playing alongside Donald who did not immediately recognize and understand the commitment and work that went along with that privilege.

Donald placed accountability on auto-pilot. His dedication to putting in the, to holding himself and therefore everyone else around him accountable, was unbelievable. He was the type of teammate whose standards were high enough to put everyone on notice. Either put in the work, or pack your bags.

It's no wonder that the team found so many gems late in the draft, and even after the draft. The team had two basic principles: Put in the work, and be passionate about the sport. And Aaron Donald embodied both of those principles, regardless of how elite and productive he became to the sport of professional football.

But what will happen now that he is no longer with the team?

No, there is another

The LA Rams may no longer boast All-Pro DT Aaron Donald, but let's not pretend that this defense is powerless and inept. The front office pre-armed the defensive front with NT/DT Kobie Turner and OLB Byron Young in 2023, and both proved to be at the top of their rookie class in terms of tackles and quarterback sacks.

But the front office may have hit the jackpot in drafting teammates Jared Verse and Braden Fiske from the same Florida State Seminols defense. Not only does arriving to the NFL with a friend and teammate ease the need to translate into the pros, but it ensures that at least two of the team's top rookies have automatically engaged in their own version of one-upmanship.

And that friendly competition is manifesting itself in some outstanding pre-training camp work by rookie DT Braden Fiske:

Whether or not you believe that Braden Fiske was worth the package of draft picks needed to trade up to acquire him, one thing is certain. That fact is burned into the mind of Fiske. And rather than inflate his ego, or put him into a mindset where he is already plotting his demands from his contract negotiations, he is taking it out on the practice field. In short, he wants to prove worthy of such a lofty investment.

And in doing so, he is trying to ensure that he earns the trust that the team has in the future of his NFL career.

Perhaps the Rams front office is onto something with their 'North Star' factoring into their decisions of which prospect to select to their roster. If the passion and love for the game is off the charts, a large number of benefits come with that single attribute. The willingness to put in the work, the desire to get better every day, the receptiveness to coaching and objective criticisms, and simply the focus in the classrooms are all part of the passion package.

I can't say that rookies DT Braden Fiske or OLB Jared Verse will earn starting roles for this season, but I can say without hesitation that they will make their presence known. Just as the Rams rookies of Turner and Young did in 2023, I can see Verse and Fiske being two of the most productive rookie in the NFL this season.

Drills matter. The work works. And somehow, even the shadow of the Great One, Aaron Donald, continues to push his successors to and beyond normal human limits. Donald may not be on the roster, but his legacy remains.

"Just make sure that they care"

Oh, they do. They most certainly do. And I can't wait to see just how much they care this season.

Thanks for reading.