Tag: Orlando Pace

Best NFL player to wear each jersey number: How many Rams were picked?

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar picked the best player ever to wear each jersey number and 6 Rams made the list. Can you guess who?

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There are some players in NFL history who became impossible to see wearing any other jersey number. Tom Brady and the No. 12 go hand in hand, just as Aaron Donald and No. 99 do.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar went through the fun (and challenging) exercise of picking the best player to ever wear each jersey number, from No. 00 to 99. The Rams have had some historic names suit up for them throughout the franchise’s history, many of whom made Farrar’s list.

It’s easy to think of a few, like Marshall Faulk and Eric Dickerson rocking Nos. 28 and 29, as well as Orlando Pace in his No. 76 uniform. In total, six Rams were selected, including Donald at the very end.

Marshall Faulk: No. 28

Eric Dickerson: No. 29

Aeneas Williams: No. 35

Jerome Bettis: No. 36

Orlando Pace: No. 76

Aaron Donald: No. 99

Faulk wore No. 28 throughout his NFL career, including his first five seasons with the Colts before going to the Rams in 1999. It was a tough number to sift through because there were a lot of deserving picks, including Adrian Peterson, Darrell Green and Darren Woodson, but Faulk was the best choice.

Dickerson edged out Harold Jackson, Earl Thomas, Ken Houston and others at No. 29, a number he wore his entire NFL career, too. No. 35 wasn’t as loaded as some other numbers, but the Hall of Famer Williams made those digits look good for both the Cardinals and Rams.

Bettis is best known for his time with the Steelers but he got started with the Rams, where he also wore No. 36. Pace and Steve Hutchinson were the top candidates at No. 76, along with Marion Motley and Steve Wisniewski.

At No. 99, there were a host of current and future Hall of Famers alongside Donald. J.J. Watt is one of the best ever, as is Warren Sapp. Jason Taylor also got consideration thanks to his Hall of Fame resume. But Donald is one of the rare all-time greats who’s still currently playing, and his resume at the end of his career will be the best of anyone to wear No. 99.

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Son of NFL legend attends Badger football practice

Landon Pace, son of NFL Hall of Famer Orlando Pace and class of 2025 recruit visited Madison on Thursday.

Landon Pace, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Orlando Pace and a class of 2025 recruit, visited Madison on Thursday. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete still has two more years of high school football at St. Louis University before he would make the leap to a collegiate program.

The Badgers offered Pace in January, and he made his official visit this week, bringing his dad with him. His father played 13 seasons in the NFL as an offensive tackle, mostly with the St. Louis Rams, winning a Super Bowl in 1999. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2016.

Landon Pace has received seven Division I offers, including one from his dad’s alma mater, Ohio State. Considering the family connection, Pace seems likely to end up in Columbus, but Luke Fickell spent many years with the Buckeyes and could draw the recruit to Madison.

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Ohio State football: ‘Face of the Position’, Offensive Line

Who do you think of historically when offensive linemen are brought up with Ohio State? Help us select a face of the offensive line at OSU. #GoBucks

It’s the doldrums of almost summer and you are most likely stuck between queueing up last year’s Rose Bowl victory over Utah on the DVR for the umpteenth time, reading rankings and listicles that include Ohio State, and yearning for the start of the college football season.

Sounds like a perfect time to kick off a series we are embarking upon here at Buckeyes Wire. We call it the “face of the position” and it’s really exactly as it sounds. When you think of a position group at Ohio State, who do you think of? From quarterback to linebacker, to placekicker and beyond, OSU has some of the most iconic and historical college football players that have taken their place among the best in the game.

However, one player stands out above all else when you shroud them behind the colors of scarlet and gray, and that’s where we are going to ask for your assistance.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting players that are in the running for the face of a position at Ohio State and asking for your vote in a Twitter poll to have one player identified as the one you think immediately at that position.

We’ve already looked at the quarterback position, running backs, and wide receivers. We’ll stay on the offensive side of the ball and take a look at the offensive line as a group. It’s a position that is probably a little underrated in OSU history with some all-time great ones that went on to become a force in the NFL as well.

We’ll keep voting up for five days, and at the end of it, we’ll reveal the winner of each. Make sure you scroll to the bottom to cast your vote from the nominees and write in a candidate if you think of another player.

Ohio State offers son of OSU legend Orlando Pace

In case you missed it, Ohio State extended an offer to the son of a Buckeye Legend. #GoBucks

Orlando Pace may be the greatest football player in Ohio State history. At the very least, he is the best in a long list of offensive linemen to wear the scarlet and gray. Now his son may look to follow in his footsteps.

Landon Pace is a tight end in the class of 2025. The high school sophomore participated in one of Ohio State’s camps earlier in June and did some on-field work with the Buckeye’s offensive coordinator, Kevin Wilson. Pace did enough to impress Wilson and announced that he had landed an offer courtesy of OSU.

The Pace family resides in St. Louis, Missouri where Orlando spent the bulk of his 13-year NFL career after being the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams.

Being the son of a legend may not always be the easiest path in life, but it looks like this young man is putting in the work to carve his own way. Of course, having the genes of an NFL hall of fame doesn’t hurt either. His recruitment will be one to keep an eye on for the next few years.

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Ohio State freshman offensive lineman Carson Hinzman to wear a coveted number as a Buckeye

Should Ohio State just go ahead and “retire” No. 75?

When you really think about it, the No. 75 should probably have been retired by the Ohio State program. However, it’s not, and that’s good news for freshman offensive tackle Carson Hinzman. According to a Twitter graphic, the freshman from Hammond, Wisconsin shared, he’s decided to wear the coveted No. 75 at least to start his career in Columbus.

So what’s the big deal about No. 75? Well, arguably the best offensive lineman in Buckeye history donned No. 75, the one — the only — Orlando Pace. Not only did Pace have a decorated career in college, he followed it up as a Hall of Famer in the NFL’s class of 2016.

Now, Hinzman will sport the same number and had a shout-out to Pace on Twitter Tuesday.

The most recent player to wear No. 75 was, of course, Thayer Munford, another offensive tackle who graduated from the program this season. He donned the number for four years at Ohio State and it looks like the torch will be passed to Hinzman to live up to.

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Orlando Pace will announce Rams’ draft picks on Day 2

Orlando Pace will announce the Rams’ selections on Day 2 of the draft, which includes the second and third rounds.

Barring a massive and completely unforeseen trade up in the draft, the Los Angeles Rams will once again sit out the first round on Thursday night. But they will make their first selection at No. 57 overall, with two third-round picks following at Nos. 88 and 103.

When they send in their pick, it’ll be a Rams legend announcing their selections on Day 2 of the draft. Hall of Fame left tackle Orlando Pace will have that honor next week, announcing the Rams’ second- and third-round picks.

Each team will have either a current or former player announce its Day 2 picks, and Pace is one of just seven Hall of Famers in the group of 32 honorees.

Pace and Jackie Slater announced the Rams’ Day 2 picks in 2019, so this isn’t the first time he’s done it. Pace played 12 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Rams, earning seven Pro Bowl selections and being named a first-team All-Pro three times. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016 and is regarded as one of the best left tackles in NFL history.

Ohio State football legend’s son commits to Buckeyes

Ohio State has a legacy recruit that has joined the football team as a preferred walk-on. Orlando Pace’s son, Jalen joins the class of 2021.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are still hoping for one last commitment to the 2021 recruiting class, but in the meantime, they snagged a recognizable name in Jalen Pace who has accepted an offer to be a preferred walk-on at outside linebacker.

The reason Pace is sounding familiar is due to his father being Ohio State legend and NFL Hall of Famer, Orlando Pace. The former number one overall selection is easily one of the greatest to ever wear the scarlet and gray, and his lengthy resume includes being named a unanimous All-American twice and taking home the Lombardi Award twice.

Obviously, with Jalen being a walk-on, expectations are set much lower, but the newest Buckeye was receiving a few offers from the FCS level including from Dayton, and despite currently standing at 6-foot, 3-inches, and only 193-pounds, the linebacker from St. Louis, Missouri has a large enough frame to become a solid contributor down the road.

It’s so easy to focus on the four and five-star recruits when it comes to Ohio State and the plethora of athletic freaks that enroll on a yearly basis. But one must remember that the Buckeyes have a history of churning out fantastic walk-ons like Kyle Andrews, Nate Ebner, and — most notably — Terry Glenn.

Ohio State football 2022 recruiting commitment tracker

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Two Rams Hall of Famers to compete on ‘Celebrity Family Feud’

Orlando Pace and Kevin Greene will be on TV this weekend.

It may not be in the traditional football sense, but a pair of Rams will be on TV this Sunday night. The upcoming episode of ABC’s “Celebrity Family Feud” will feature two Rams on the NFLPA Hall of Famers team, which will square off against the Rising Stars. It airs on Sunday, July 12 at 8 p.m. ET.

Orlando Pace and Kevin Greene will represent the Rams this weekend, teaming up with Michael Irvin, Bruce Smith and Cris Carter. On the Rising Stars squad, it will be Marlon Humphrey, Darius Leonard, Courtland Sutton, Aaron Jones and Damien Williams.

This isn’t the first time a Rams player has appeared on “Family Feud.” In 2018, Todd Gurley and his family competed on the show, which is hosted by Steve Harvey. It’s also the fifth year in a row that the NFL will be represented on “Celebrity Family Feud.”

Pace is regarded as one of the best left tackles in NFL history, making seven Pro Bowls, being named a three-time All-Pro and winning one Super Bowl. He spent all but one year with the Rams, finishing his career with the Bears in 2009.

Greene’s resume is quite decorated, too, making the Pro Bowl five times and being selected to two All-Pro teams. He spent eight years with the Rams, recording 72.5 of his 160 career sacks in Los Angeles.

Watch: Rams legends put Keegan Michael-Key, Ian Karmel through a football practice

Keegan-Michael Key and Ian Karmel were challenged to make a 20-yard field goal at the Coliseum.

There’s a lot of work put in by football players behind the scenes that fans don’t see. Not only are they practicing throughout the week where fans are unable to watch, but they’re constantly working out, watching film, attending meetings and staying in shape at all costs.

Steven Jackson, Torry Holt and Orlando Pace all know that very well, having put together extremely successful careers with the Rams. Practices were especially tough during their playing days, since teams were allowed to hold two-a-days then and there were far more padded practices.

Those three Rams legends put celebrities through a football practice on a new show called “Game On!” and trained them for a kicking competition at the Coliseum before L.A. took on the Bears last season.

The two celebrities were comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Ian Karmel, who hilariously went through receiving and blocking drills, as well as kicking practice. After practicing, the two comedians had to kick a 20-yard field goal at the Coliseum as part of the game show.

Tennis legend Venus Williams also joined in on the fun while in attendance at the game and attempted the kick, too.

It’s hilarious that Karmel hit the crossbar not once, but twice. Key nailed the kick with ease, while Williams’ attempt was pulled left of the mark.

Rob Gronkowski was also on the show as part of the opposing team, and it seems Karmel wants to overtake him in the tight end ranks.

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Where do Rams players rank among No. 1 overall picks since 1970?

Orlando Pace is the only former No. 1 overall pick by the Rams to make the top 25.

Having the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft is a huge benefit for the team that owns it. Not only do you get the pick of the litter among all draft prospects, but you can also use that pick as leverage to trade down and stockpile selections later in the draft.

Picking first overall isn’t a surefire way to land a future Hall of Famer, though. In fact, countless players taken with the first pick have turned into busts.

The Rams have had the No. 1 selection three times since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, selecting Orlando Pace in 1997, Sam Bradford in 2010 and Jared Goff in 2016. Pace turned into one of the best left tackles in NFL history and made the Hall of Fame, while Bradford is viewed as a bust for St. Louis.

The jury is still out on Goff after four seasons, but considering the contract Los Angeles gave him, the team clearly views him as a successful No. 1 pick.

Luke Easterling of Draft Wire puts all of these picks into perspective by ranking every first overall selection since 2017. Here’s where each of the Rams’ picks checked in.

4. Orlando Pace, 1997

26. Jared Goff, 2016

36. Sam Bradford, 2010

The only players ahead of Pace are Peyton Manning, John Elway and Bruce Smith, who were No. 1, 2 and 3 on the list, respectively. Troy Aikman and Eli Manning are right behind Pace, followed by Earl Campbell, Terry Bradshaw, Lee Roy Selmon and Cam Newton to round out the top 10.

Goff still has a chance to rise on this list if he turns things around in 2020 and turns into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but that’s not certain to happen. After struggling in 2019, Goff has to play more like the way he did two seasons ago if he wants to take the next step as a potential All-Pro.

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