This undrafted free agent signing could launch the legend of DC Chris Shula

If I were a young football player emerging from college and looking to breathe life into my dreams to play in the NFL, it would be a difficult blow to go undrafted. In that scenario, the Los Angeles Rams would be my first stop in terms of signing on with a team as an undrafted free agent. That is the path that 6-foot-1, 225-pound University of Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac has taken. And it could be the best decision he could have made.

There is something very special about Shaun Dolac. He is one of the most productive defensive players in college football over the past 20 years. And no, he did not get an invitation to compete in the 2025 NFL ScoutIng Combine. And yes, the system that allows that to happen is flawed.

He was not invited to the Senior Bowl. He was not invited to the Shrine Bowl. But he was signed to the Los Angeles Rams after the 2025 NFL Draft. And I'm here to tell you that he could be the guy who earns a starting role. He is a true phenomenon.

And here is his story (click this link).

The annual NFL Draft process is imperfect. The reputation bestowed by fans that presumes Round 1 rookies are consistently better than later rounds is simply not supported by the statistics. The odds of finding a successful rookie in Round 1 are often greater, but that could be the result of significant investment in coaching, training camp tutelage, practice reps with the first team, and more gameday opportunities.

The Rams found rookie RB Kyren Williams in Round 5 of the 2022 NFL Draft. But he only exceeded expectations when he inherited the feature RB mantle from traded RB Cam Akers. So too WR Puka Nacua was discovered in Round 5 of the 2023 NFL Draft. But does he set the NFL All-Time WR Rookie record for receptions and receiving yards if veteran Cooper Kupp stays healthy, creating an opportunity for Nacua to wow the coaching staff and the NFL?

It all comes down to a perfect storm of contributing factors: Passion, skills, coachability, repetitions/work ethic, and opportunity. As former DL Coach Eric Henderson summarized so well: DAWGWORK - Discipline, Attitude, Work-Ethic, and Grit Works.

There are limited roster slots. The Los Angeles Rams will eventually need to make tough decisions, perhaps more difficult than in many years, to pare the training camp roster down to the 53-man limit, while rerouting promising prospects to the practice squad. NFL teams can carry 16 players on their practice squad, plus a bonus player if he is an international player participating in the NFL's International Pathway Program.

The Rams may have stumbled into an undrafted rookie who does not fit the traditional categories of positional players. To take advantage of a unique combination of skills, the Rams need a creative and confident coordinator. And DC Chris Shula is up to the task.

DC Chris Shula can cement his legacy

The Rams hired Chris Shula as the team's new defensive coordinator in 2024. And I have to say that in just his first year, DC Shula showed innovation, creativity, and resolve with a young and inexperienced group. This was his defense, but he inherited many of the moving pieces from his predecessor, DC Raheem Morris. If you doubt the fact that Shula wants to put his thumbprint on his defense, consider the number of significant changes the Rams defense underwent in 2024.

Veteran starting ILB Ernest Jones IV was traded away before the season started. The Rams' defensive front, including edge rushers, invested heavily in younger players, many of whom earned starting roles to start the season. The Rams' safety positions were retooled as well, adding veteran Kamren Curl, while giving both rookies Kamren Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough significant rotational roles.

The defense started rocky. But that is not unusual for a new defensive coordinator with a new defensive philosophy. The true litmus test for the 2024 season, as far as the defense is concerned, was how they competed in the NFL Playoffs. You may want to sit down for this, as it gets pretty impressive.

The Rams' defense allowed just 309.5 yards per game, good enough to be ranked fifth in a field of 14 of the best teams in the NFL. The team allowed just 18.5 points per game, good enough to be the second-ranked defense among 14 teams. The Rams allowed 195.5 rushing yards per game, courtesy of Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley. But no defense had an answer for Barkley. As far as the team's passing defense, the Rams' pass rush led the entire NFL with 16 quarterback sacks. That is even more impressive when you consider the fact that the Rams played just two playoff games and faced the most formidable offensive lines in the NFL.

The Rams also were Scrooge-level stingy in surrendering passing yards. This defense allowed just 114.0 passing yards per game. That is less than half the amount of passing yards allowed by the next-best passing defense.

Just another day at the office for the merry band or Chris Shula's relentless pass rush. And this defense has a window of opportunity to get a lot better. One of the intriguing chess pieces joining this defense is 6-foot-1, 225-pound inside linebacker Shaun Dolac from Buffalo University. While an undrafted collegiate free agent, he is a tackling machine who is a far more effective defensive weapon than he was used in college.

Dolac is a unicorn, a phenomenally effective defender whose versatility affords the creative juices of Chris Shula a new blank canvas to paint a new role for Dolac. Okay, so we have assigned Chris Shula a huge responsibility. Now, let's tout the achievements of Shaun Dolac. and showcase why he is worth the trouble.

Here we go:

His production was off the charts

In his final season at the University of Buffalo, Shaun Dolac proved to have the type of production and versatility to become his future defensive coordinator's most dangerous weapon. He put up 168 tackles, 6.5 quarterback sacks, and 5.0 interceptions in 2024 alone, becoming a one-man wrecking ball to opposing offensive coordinators. And with that single season performance, he proved to showcase a weapon that can be used in many ways and roles

Need a productive inside linebacker? Check. Need a third-down player to substitute in on passing downs? Check. Need a hybrid LB/S who can float into various roles throughout the defense? Check.

The only limits to how great of an impact Shaun Dolac can make in the Rams' defense are how DC Chris Shula schemes to use him and how many opportunities the Rams give him in 2025.

Athletic freaks are always welcome

You can't fix the height and weight of a player. So that is simply the risk assumed by the team in signing Dolac to the roster. But you can't coach athleticism either, and Shaun Dolas buries the needle in that category. Based on his Relative Athletic Score, he gets dinged for his height and weight. But he excels at speed, agility, strength, and sphere of radius. That sets a great foundation for football.

The thing is, track and field athleticism does not always translate into football field production. Dolac has already checked the production box. So the athleticism scores are a bit of a bonus. The robust speed, power, agility, and sphere of influence do open up the possibility of a larger role. After all, imagine the benefit of a defender who can play the pass like a defensive back, yet stuff the run and sack the quarterback like a linebacker.

A hybrid defender who can be a linebacker/defensive back, depending on the play circumstances, is exactly the type of weapon that Chris Shula needs for his defense.

Ringing coach endorsements are great too

The only box left to check off is his demeanor. Is he coachable? Does he approach the game with discipline, focus, and fearlessness? Well, based on one coach's ringing endorsement, his fit in the locker room is virtually guaranteed. Just check out these comments:

The Rams locker room expects players to arrive ready to go, prepared to play, and willing to contribute. If limited to special teams, Shaun Dolac brings an upgrade to the team. Limiting him to special teams is like buying a Jeep to run to the neighborhood grocery store. He has far more to offer.

If DC Chris Shula can create a role on the defense to leverage the unique and massive number of skills that ILB/DB Shaun Dolac offers, he will cement his legacy. He is the grandson of the legendary NFL Coach Don Shula. But if he can unlock Shaun Dolac's full potential, he will become an NFL legend in his own right.

No coach can do it on his own. He needs elite players in effective schemes. Dolac's NFL career may depend entirely on the creativity of his defensive coordinator. He is in very good hands.

As always, thanks for reading.

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