Tag: Omar Speights

Saquon Barkley runs the Rams out of SoFi Stadium, carrying the Eagles to their 7th straight win

A sea of Eagles fans took over SoFi Stadium, carrying Philadelphia to its 7th straight win on Sunday night as Saquon Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night

The Eagles are 9-2 and have won seven straight games after Saquon Barkley exploded in the running game, and A.J. Brown was dominant in the passing game. Philadelphia put the league on notice with a 37-20 win at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

If not for a late Matthew Stafford touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp, Philadelphia would have exited Los Angeles with a 37-14 road win just seven days before a monster matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13.

Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night and had 302 total yards of offense in a game that saw A.J. Brown log 109 yards receiving and a touchdown on seven targets.

Rams Week 10 snap counts: LA makes changes at TE, LB and safety

The Rams made changes at tight end, linebacker and safety, turning two three young starters against the Dolphins

The changes just keep coming for the Los Angeles Rams. In addition to having three new starters along the offensive line on Monday night against the Miami Dolphins, they had three new starters elsewhere, too.

The snap counts show that Davis Allen is the new starting tight end over Colby Parkinson, Omar Speights leapfrogged Christian Rozeboom as the primary inside linebacker and Kamren Kinchens played more than veteran Kam Curl at safety.

These may not be permanent changes, and it’s possible that Curl is simply still nursing a knee injury that’s limited him in the last two weeks, but the switch from Parkinson to Allen seems like something that’s going to stick for a while.

Below are the full snap counts on offense and defense, with breakdowns of each position group.

Offense

Starting with the offensive line, Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson and Joe Noteboom all played every snap in their returns from injured reserve. Alaric Jackson and Kevin Dotson played every snap, too.

At tight end is where the most notable change occurred. Allen played 56 of a possible 70 snaps, leading the position group by a wide margin. Parkinson was second with 11 snaps played, barely more than the nine that Hunter Long got. Parkinson’s role has been decreasing for weeks and it seems he’s now officially a backup.

Kyren Williams continues to dominate the snap share at running back, playing 65 of the 70 snaps. Blake Corum came in for five snaps on one drive, touching the ball three times for a total of 15 yards.

At wide receiver, Cooper Kupp played all but seven snaps. Demarcus Robinson actually played more than Puka Nacua barely out-snapping him 58 to 55. That’s not anything to be concerned about with Nacua, though. Tutu Atwell was the No. 4 receiver with a 19% snap share, followed by Tyler Johnson (14%) and Jordan Whittington (7%). This was Whittington’s first game since Week 7.

Defense

Both Speights and Rozeboom played significant snaps, but for the first time all year, Speights led the linebacker group in playing time. He was on the field for 74% of the snaps compared to 62% for Rozeboom, and it was Speights announced as a starter, not Rozeboom.

At safety, Kinchens and Curl were both technically starters alongside Quentin Lake, but Kinchens played six more snaps than Curl. It’s unclear if that’s because of Curl’s lingering knee injury but it is something to monitor moving forward. Jaylen McCollough played 13 snaps as the fourth safety.

Cobie Durant and Darious Williams are the clear-cut top cornerbacks for the Rams, playing every snap in the loss. Ahkello Witherspoon’s role remains limited as the third cornerback, as the Rams prefer to deploy their safeties in nickel and dime packages instead of an extra corner.

Jared Verse and Byron Young remained the top edge rushers for the Rams with 45 and 43 snaps, respectively. Michael Hoecht’s role isn’t going anywhere, as he played 66% of the snaps, and Brennan Jackson rotated in for three plays.

Along the defensive line, Kobie Turner once again led in snaps played with a 79% share. Surprisingly, Bobby Brown III played more snaps (33) than Braden Fiske (28) did in the loss. Tyler Davis played 17 snaps and Jonah Williams played eight snaps of his own.

Sean McVay: Omar Speights is ‘mature beyond his years’

Sean McVay paid compliments to undrafted rookie Omar Speights after the linebacker’s critical tackle helped seal the Rams’ win over Seattle.

According to Sean McVay, Omar Speights’ maturity level is way beyond his years. The 23-year-old undrafted rookie linebacker has slowly begun to incorporate himself into the Rams’ defensive rotation beyond already being a contributor on special teams.

McVay was asked about Speights on Monday and shared some positive remarks about the rookie defender.

“I’ve seen a guy that’s consistently put in the work,” he said. “You can see he’s got a routine and a rhythm that he has established where he’s doing extra work, taking care of his body, he’s got film, very conscientious. This guy was a pro. I use the word a lot as it relates to this rookie class, especially the guys on defense. They’re grown men and they’re mature beyond their years. I think that’s been reflected in Omar Speights and that’s why you’re not surprised that when he does get an opportunity to be able to step up and play more snaps, he makes his impact felt. He certainly did that yesterday and I’ve been really happy for him. [ILBs coach] Greg Williams does a great job leading that group. We’ve had a lot of different guys playing at that spot. Yesterday, Omar made some big plays and I thought [Christian] Rozeboom had a really good game. I thought he was productive. I thought he made a lot of different plays and was able to influence and affect the game in a positive way, but Omar’s a stud. Mature beyond his years for a rookie.”

Since Troy Reeder’s injury, Speights has stepped up in his absence, doing exactly what he did in college and that’s making the routine plays look routine.

He’s been a solid tackler, racking up six total tackles in the past two games, including a shared tackle with Bobby Brown to stop Kenneth Walker on fourth down in OT.

For the Rams to put Speights on the field in that situation – a situation that determined the game – is only further testament that the team loves what it’s been seeing from him.

One of the key members of Chris Shula’s turnaround, Speights continues to shine as the Rams’ UDFA class keeps standing out.

Omar Speights impressed Sean McVay in his defensive debut vs. Vikings

Rams rookie Omar Speights played his first defensive snaps last week and Sean McVay came away pleased with how he performed

Rams linebacker Omar Speights was a fan favorite during the preseason, making a name for himself as an undrafted rookie with standout performances against the Cowboys and Chargers. He played so well in those two games that the Rams held him out of the third preseason matchup because he had already locked up a roster spot.

In the first six games of the regular season, Speights only played special teams. Fans were calling for him to get opportunities at linebacker, but it wasn’t until Troy Reeder got hurt that he earned a chance to play defense.

In his debut against the Vikings last Thursday, Speights made four tackles in only 22 snaps played on defense, getting the start next to Christian Rozeboom. He was the Rams’ fourth-highest graded player on defense, per PFF, earning a mark of 67.7 in Los Angeles’ win.

Sean McVay came away impressed with Speights’ performance, complimenting the rookie on Monday.

“I thought he did a nice job,” McVay said. “He played in our base package, and you could see he was in the right spots. He had a couple of those plays where he is arriving violently at the point of attack. Good recognition of some of the concepts that they were doing, whether that be run or play action. I was pleased with Omar.”

Speights may not have made highlight-reel plays, but he also didn’t allow any catches in coverage (he wasn’t targeted) and he also didn’t miss any tackles. Against a talented team like the Vikings, that’s a good sign.

He’ll likely be asked to keep playing meaningful snaps for at least the next three weeks while Troy Reeder is on injured reserve and if he performs well enough, he may never give up his starting job.

It doesn’t sound like the Rams plan to make a change at LB anytime soon

Omar Speights and Jacob Hummel shined in the preseason but it doesn’t sound like the Rams are looking to make a change at LB right now

There was a lot of excitement about undrafted rookie linebacker Omar Speights in the preseason after he shined in the first two exhibition games for the Los Angeles Rams. Even before the third preseason game, Speights had earned a spot on the 53-man roster, with Les Snead calling him someone who would be active on game days.

Snead was accurate in saying that because Speights has been up all four weeks, but he hasn’t played a single defensive snap yet. The same goes for Jacob Hummel, who also stood out in a positive way during the preseason.

Meanwhile, Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom, have struggled badly in the middle of the Rams’ defense. Of the 55 linebackers in the NFL who have played at least 159 snaps this season, Reeder ranks 38th and Rozeboom is 47th in total defensive grade, per Pro Football Focus.

They’ve taken poor angles to ball carriers, have a hard time getting off blocks and Rozeboom has allowed 17 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown on only 18 targets. It doesn’t sound like the Rams are planning to make a change at linebacker anytime soon, though.

Sean McVay was asked Wednesday how the team develops young players like them and what it’ll take for them to get an opportunity on game days, responding by saying they do get reps in practice but it hasn’t gotten to the point where they’ve earned snaps on Sundays.

“Those guys do get reps in these settings,” he said. “The preseason is somewhat similar, but very different than the regular season in terms of the things that we’re asking, the types of schemes that are being seen by the opposing offenses. You continue to give those guys opportunities throughout the course of these practices. If it got to a point where we felt like that was the best option for us, then those guys would be out there.”

The Rams have one more game before their Week 6 bye, a matchup with the Packers this Sunday. Green Bay ranks second in the NFL in rushing, so this will be yet another test for the Rams’ linebackers.

Perhaps if Reeder and Rozeboom struggle again, McVay and Chris Shula might consider making a change during the bye. But based on the coach’s comments, it doesn’t sound like that’s in the cards right now.

Five undrafted rookies made Rams’ 53-man roster, all on defense

The Rams kept five undrafted rookies on their 53-man roster, all of them on defense

With how many late-round picks and undrafted rookies have made the Los Angeles Rams’ roster over the last seven years, it’s clear that Sean McVay and Les Snead aren’t afraid to bet on lesser-known players. That’s the case again this year.

As the Rams were going through final roster cuts before Tuesday’s deadline, they decided to keep five undrafted rookies. That’s a high number for any team, particularly one with as much talent as the Rams.

The five undrafted rookies who made the 53-man roster are all on defense, too.

  • LB Omar Speights
  • LB Elias Neal
  • CB Josh Wallace
  • CB Charles Woods
  • CB Jaylen McCollough

Speights, Wallace, Woods and McCollough all seemed likely to make the team after they were held out of the third preseason game, but Neal’s inclusion comes as a big surprise. Perhaps he made the team after the Rams decided to trade Ernest Jones to the Titans, which opened up a roster spot. Regardless, he earned a spot on the roster with a strong preseason.

In addition to the five undrafted rookies, the Rams kept nine of their 10 drafted rookies on the 53-man roster. The only exception is seventh-rounder KT Leveston, who was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return.

Les Snead confirms rookie LB Omar Speights has made Rams’ roster, will play on game days

Les Snead confirmed during Sunday’s game that undrafted rookie Omar Speights has made the Rams’ 53-man roster and will dress on game days

Fans won’t have to wait until Tuesday afternoon to find out if standout rookie linebacker Omar Speights has made the Los Angeles Rams’ 53-man roster. General manager Les Snead confirmed during Saturday’s broadcast that Speights has made the team.

Not only that, but he will be one of the 48 active players on game days, a clear indication that the Rams view him as a player who will contribute this season. Speights was a star in the team’s first two preseason games, flying around the field on defense with controlled aggressiveness, while also playing a role on special teams.

It’s a huge accomplishment for the undrafted rookie out of LSU, though the work isn’t done for him. He’ll look to rise up the depth chart and potentially become a key player on defense alongside Ernest Jones at inside linebacker.

The Rams also have Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder at linebacker, and Jacob Hummel could also be in position to make the 53-man roster after playing well in the first two preseason games.

How LSU rookies performed in their first preseason games

Here’s how LSU’s rookies performed in their preseason debuts.

The NFL preseason is underway. As we get closer to playing football that matters, we’re getting our first real look at rookies on a professional field.

As usual, LSU has several former players starting their NFL careers in 2024. The Tigers’ draft class was headlined by QB [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], who the Washington Commanders selected with the No. 2 overall pick. Daniels was joined in the first round by receivers [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag]

Later in the draft, three defensive tackles were taken out of LSU. The Jaguars took [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Jefferson[/autotag] while [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] landed in Detroit with the Lions.

Five of the six made their preseason debut in the last several days with Jefferson being the only holdout.

LSU’s put a few stars in the NFL in recent years and there’s hope this group produces a few more. Here’s how they performed in their pro debuts, starting with Daniels.

Jayden Daniels

Daniels played just one series but made a strong impression in a few plays. In three dropbacks, Daniels completed two passes for 45 yards.

We saw Daniels excel with ball placement downfield last year and it was more of the same in his pro debut.

The drive was capped with a Daniels rushing score.

Malik Nabers

Nabers played 12 snaps in his debut, but he wasn’t targeted, leaving his stat line empty.

Despite the numbers, Nabers ran routes at an NFL level. If New York can get him the ball, he’ll make plays in 2024.

Brian Thomas Jr.

Thomas wasted no time putting his perimeter playmaking skills on display. His lone catch was a 42-yard shot down the sideline that saw Thomas fight for position to haul it in as he went to the ground.

Thomas posted an impressive 79.2 PFF grade in limited action.

Mekhi Wingo

Wingo played 31 defensive snaps in his debut with Detroit. He didn’t record a tackle but he did manage one pressure.

After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke highly of Wingo’s performance.

Maason Smith

Maason Smith played 21 snaps in his first game and according to PFF, was the 11th best-graded rookie defensive tackle in the first week. Smith was only on the field for nine rush plays, so it was tough to make an impact there.

Like Wingo, he added one QB pressure.

How did some of the UDFAs do?

The draft picks weren’t the only LSU rookies to make their debut. LSU had some undrafted free agents take to the field as well.

[autotag]Charles Turner III[/autotag] played 10 snaps for the Patriots and allowed two pressures but still posted a 75.0 PFF pass block grade.

[autotag]Ovie Oghoufo[/autotag] made a good first impression, recording four tackles, a pressure, and a batted pass for the Giants.

Linebacker [autotag]Omar Speights[/autotag] was one of the top-graded rookie linebackers after making four tackles and pressuring the quarterback twice with the Rams.

In his debut with the Eagles, safety [autotag]Andre Sam[/autotag] played 19 snaps and made a tackle.

As for players who didn’t play, Jefferson and [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] are awaiting their debuts.

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Where does LSU’s linebacker unit rank entering 2024 season?

LSU doesn’t have many positions on defense where it feels good about its two-deep, but linebacker is one of them.

There aren’t many positions on LSU’s defense where it can feel pretty good about its two-deep, but the linebacker spot is one of them.

The Tigers bring quite a bit of experience to the table despite losing starter [autotag]Omar Speights[/autotag] this past offseason. The group is headlined by [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], a projected first-round pick who began his career playing on the edge but spent 2023 off the ball. He’s expected to play off the ball again this fall, albeit in a more varied role.

Playing alongside Perkins is [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag], LSU’s second-leading tackler in 2023 who has as much experience as anyone on the team having started 27 of the last 28 games for the Tigers. Depth-wise, brothers [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] and [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag] have both shown impressive flashes so far in their careers.

Phil Steele ranked that group inside the top 25 entering the 2024 season, placing it at No. 22. With new defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s background being as a linebackers coach, it’s fair to expect that unit will be a strength this fall.

The Tigers need more production out of Perkins this fall for the unit to live up to the expectations, but the starting duo is solid, and Whit Weeks especially looks poised for a breakout entering his sophomore season.

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Where Jayden Daniels ranks among quarterbacks on Mel Kiper Jr.’s final draft board

Here’s where Jayden Daniels and other Tigers rank on Mel Kiper Jr.’s final draft board.

We’re just over 48 hours away from the start of the 2024 NFL draft, and that means it’s time for analysts and prognosticators to put forth their final predictions.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his final big board on Tuesday ahead of the draft, and when it came to LSU players, there weren’t a lot of changes from what we’ve seen over the past few months.

LSU quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] — the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner — is still ranked second overall and among quarterbacks behind only Caleb Williams. Meanwhile, Daniels’ favorite college targets [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] rank fifth and 17th, respectively, as well as third and fourth among receivers.

The Tigers don’t have as many mid-round prospects as we’ve seen in past years. That trio comprises the only LSU players in the top 75 with [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] coming in at 78th overall followed by [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] at 92.

Those were the only players Kiper had in his top 150, though [autotag]Charles Turner III[/autotag] (No. 11 center), [autotag]Jordan Jefferson[/autotag] (No. 12 defensive tackle), [autotag]Omar Speights[/autotag] (No. 32 inside linebacker), [autotag]Ovie Oghoufo[/autotag] (No. 28 outside linebacker) and [autotag]Andre Sam[/autotag] (No. 30 safety) all cracked the positional rankings.

It likely won’t be as many players as LSU has seen drafted overall in some recent years, but it’s a top-heavy class for the Tigers, and Thursday’s Round 1 should be an eventful one.

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