Rams’ next breakout defensive star might be hiding in plain sight

The Los Angeles Rams are a team that seems to defy the odds in finding key contributors. While other NFL teams seem to limit their search for players who can contribute to the draft, the Rams' front office has a more open-minded policy. The team is less concerned about a player's pedigree than the player's passion. The team has been overwhelmingly successful at finding contributors after the draft concludes.

One such surprisingly effective contributor showed up in 2024. Last season, the Rams appeared to be fully stocked at safety. But the team lost veteran safety John Johnson III to injury. At the same time, the defense redeployed safety Quentin Lake as the team's joker defensive back. That left starting roles to veteran Kam Curl and Kam Kinchens.

And that created an opening for undrafted collegiate free agent safety Jaylen McCollough to show up and showcase his amazing talents.

Jaylen McCollough is back, and better than ever

It's fascinating to look back at the Rams defense last season and recognize that rookie defensive back Jaylen McCollough let the team in interceptions, despite only playing 335 defensive snaps. McCollough is a ball hawk, a defender who believes that any pass thrown by a quarterback is his to take. And he did so four times last season, including a pick-six.

The challenge has been getting him on the football field. At 6-foot-0 and 202 pounds, he is sturdy enough to play multiple roles in the secondary. So, that is exactly what the defense has planned for him. In addition to his secondary presence, the team plans to use him as a dime defensive back in place of a linebacker on passing downs.

And he is wowing Rams HC Sean McVay. Just listen to this praise showered on him by McVay:

The more defensive snaps that McCollough can get, the better. He had a limited role last season, yet still managed to outperform his teammates and lead the team in interceptions.

The Rams have a long-standing tradition of landing NFL stars from the ranks of UDFAs. It appears that McCollough is well on the way to joining their ranks soon. In the meantime, he is focusing on a larger role in this defense in 2025. And Rams fans everywhere are excited about the news.

As always, thanks for reading.