Rams 2024 NFL Draft remains a heartwarming testament to friendship

Early results prove that the LA Rams are onto something

Ah, the gloom and doom predictions for the Rams drafting both Jared Verse and Braden Fiske were in full force. It was a textbook case of melodrama. While some of us continued to lobby hard for hope and optimism over the Rams' investment in their young defense, mainstream NFL media was not sold on the concept.

But alas, they were rookies. And even competing alongside one another does not eliminate the challenges of transitioning to a bigger, faster, and more physical brand of football. OLB Jared Verse was the first Rams rookie to pull away from the competition, showing his remarkable forte at putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The thing is, he struggled to wrap up quickly enough to record sacks, or even tackles.

Rams fans found allies. Brian Baldinger, one of the best NFL analysts in the business, was happy to cite the positive performance of this team's young defensive line.

Despite the early season malaise by the rookie defenders, their biggest impact was always expected to be a work-in-process. So where does this Rams defense stand after eight games?

• Kobie Turner | 4.0 sacks | 34 tackles | 4 tackles for a loss | 1 pass deflected
• Byron Young | 4.0 sacks | 31 tackles | 7 tackles for a loss | 1 pass deflected
• Jared Verse | 3.5 sacks | 33 tackles | 9 tackles for a loss | 1 pass deflected
• Braden Fiske | 3.0 sacks | 26 tackles | 4 tackles for a loss | 0 pass deflected
• Michael Hoecht | 3.0 sacks | 24 tackles | 3 tackles for a loss | 1 pass deflected

While this young defense is not led right now by a single player, the group overall is starting to come into their own. Since the Week 6 BYE, the Rams defense has had:

• Week 7 - Raiders - 2.0 QB sacks
• Week 8 - Vikings - 3.0 QB sacks
• Week 9 - @ Seahawks - 7.0 QB sacks

So the evidence and the trend are both pointing in a very positive direction. And that is the beauty of pulling two players from the same outstanding NCAA defense. This is a group of players who act more like family (or #Ramily) than as teammates. In the end, the it's that unity, that willingness to sacrifice individual achievements for the common good that truly defense this defense.

This is a group that not only loves playing alongside one another, but loves playing for one another. It's how greatness is realized.

Thanks for reading.

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