When the Los Angeles Rams selected Nick Scott in the seventh round of the 2019 draft, some fans were left scratching their heads. The Rams already drafted Taylor Rapp earlier in the draft and had John Johnson and Eric Weddle penciled in as starters, so why did they use another pick on a safety?
Scott was viewed as a developmental prospect on defense but an immediate contributor on special teams – and that’s exactly what he was in 2019. He played just 15 defensive snaps as a rookie but 378 on special teams (80%).
It was only his third year as a defensive back after beginning his college career as a running back, so it was always expected that he’d take time to get acclimated in the secondary. Entering 2020, he hopes to accelerate his development as a safety and contribute more on that side of the ball.
“I’m just working out, watching a lot of film. I would say for me, this year, I’m really trying to hone in or fine-tune my craft as a DB. Just because it’s really only my third year being a defensive back,” Scott told the Rams’ official site. “I came in as a running back, so I got the athlete part covered. I can run, I can flip my head, but in terms of fine-tuning and being the best defensive back I can be in terms of technique… [I’m]trying to accelerate that process a little bit. And I’ve had a lot of help this year with [Aubrey Pleasant] and Coach [Evero].”
Scott has great athleticism for the position and was one of the smartest players to come out of the 2019 draft – a trait that caught the Rams’ eye. His instincts are evident and showed while he was at Penn State, too.
There’s a lot that goes into being a great safety, though, and Scott is trying to hone his craft heading into next season. There’s no doubt he feels like a defensive back instead of a running back, and has felt that way since he switched positions at Penn State.
“I fully feel like a DB now,” he said. “I felt like that probably once I started at Penn State at safety, then I was just a safety. That’s how I think now.”
With Marqui Christian set to become a free agent, the Rams could have an opening at the third safety spot. Scott still has plenty of work to do if he wants to capture that role, but he’s on the right path.