After shocking the football world by becoming a playoff team in what was widely expected to be a rebuilding season, what with many of the team's Super Bowl stars being replaced by mid-round contributors on rookie-scale contracts, the Los Angeles Rams have become one of the more interesting teams in the NFL, with many penciling in the team as a Wildcard favorite despite playing in one of the hardest divisions in football.
And the best part? After reloading the roster with instant upgrade veterans at positions of need and a few high-profile rookies in the 2024 NFL draft, it's safe to say this team is a whole lot better than the squad Sean McVay had punching above their weight class last season at SoFi.
So, with big-name performers all over the roster of varying ages, talents, and experience levels, it's a very fun time to be a fan of LA's finest, but that doesn't mean the team doesn't have some under-the-radar additions who could play major roles for the club this fall, including the other Florida State Seminole drafted back in April and a returning fan favorite looking to shore up a position of need in the secondary.
Keep an eye on these two Los Angeles Rams hidden gems.
2. Braden Fiske
On paper, it's weird to say a second-round pick that the Rams actually traded up to acquire is a “hidden gem,” but considering almost all of the outside conversations about the team's draft have been about how bad a decision it was to trade away a future second to move up a few spots to acquire the defensive tackle out of Florida State, it feels like he's rapidly become just that.
A six-year college performer who played his first five seasons at Western Michigan before taking advantage of the COVID year to transfer to Flordia State as a grad student, Fiske really came into his own in 2023 as a member of the Seminals, amassing 43 tackles, nine tackles for loss and six sacks while playing alongside future first-round pick and Rams teammate Jared Verse. Though he was one of the oldest players on his team and, in turn, at the NFL Draft Combine, at 24, Fiske was able to back up his impressive work in the ACC with a strong showing in Indianapolis, recording a 20-yard shuttle, broad jump, vertical jump, 40-yard dash, and 10-yard split that were in the 83rd percentile or higher according to Mockdraftable, even if his height, wingspan, and arm length ranks in the 17th, fifth, and third percentiles, respectively.
Is Fiske a bit of a tweener? Sure, he's a tad undersized to play 4-3 defensive tackle in the modern era, and considering teams rarely play 3-4 base defenses more than a third of any given game anymore, the Michigan City native will have to come up with ways to win against guards and centers instead of shaded on the offensive tackles inside shoulder. Still, considering Fiske already has a pre-existing relationship with Verse, there's little reason to believe the duo couldn't translate their A+ combo game to the Rams' defense right out of the gate, especially with Kobie Turner and Byron Young manning the opposite side of the field on obvious passing downs.
Could Fiske win Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024? Eh, probably not, especially with Verse playing next to him, but that doesn't mean he can't be a serious contributor right away and cement himself as a long-term starter as a rookie.
1 Darious Williams
Keeping things on the defensive side of the ball, after a few years away, Darious Williams has officially returned to Los Angeles after leaving the team for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022, reuniting the team with one of its Super Bowl starters.
A player who famously doesn't look like an outside cornerback, standing 5-foot-9, 187 pounds with a 4.44 40-yard dash, Williams plays with a tenacity that transcends his size, using his football IQ to defense plenty of passes that come his way, while keeping opposing players out of the endzone, as he only allowed three touchdowns during his two years in Jacksonville, according to Pro Football Reference.
Back in LA with a newfound fire and a new former All-Pro partner on the opposite side of the field in ex-Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'davious White, Williams looks like a clear upgrade on the outside for new defensive coordinator Chris Shula, who was in place during his first tenure as a linebackers coach. Though White may earn the majority of the headlines, don't be surprised if, when the chips are down and the game is tight, Williams is the one getting targeted by opposing QBs and thus, having an inordinate impact on the team's overall record. Fortunately, as the second-highest-ranked WAR CB in the NFL last year, according to PFF, Williams is certainly up for the challenge.
Darious Williams: 2nd most valuable CB in the NFL last season (per PFF WAR) 💥 pic.twitter.com/5AJri6Pqyv
— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) March 12, 2024
Darious Williams: 2nd most valuable CB in the NFL last season (per PFF WAR) 💥
