Meet the Rams: Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn anchor one of the NFL’s scariest defensive lines
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald breaks into the Steelers’ backfield during a game on Sept. 27.
As the Rams get to work at training camp at UC Irvine, we’ll take a look at the team’s roster, position by position. Today, the defensive line:
They call themselves the Mob Squad, which fits because they’re always taking out quarterbacks.
Actually, the nickname has a backstory rooted in Wikipedia searches, and is allegedly another name for a group of rams. Be that as it may, it still fits.
The Rams had 41 sacks last season, 11th-most in the NFL, with second-year pro Aaron Donald leading the way with 11, tied for the most by a defensive tackle in 2015.
The flock kept finding its way into the backfield of their opponents thanks to Donald and run stopping nose tackle Michael Brockers’ presence in the middle, and speed coming off the edge from pass rushers Robert Quinn and William Hayes.
The Rams allowed their opponents to convert on 34.7% of their third downs (fourth-best in the NFL) while allowing just 20.6 points per game (13th in the league).
That strength is no accident.
Since 2011, the Rams have invested three of eight first-round draft picks on their defensive line. It’s an effort that’s resulted in four Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro years out of Donald and Quinn, who was named a captain on defense last year.
In all, the Rams’ defensive front, including backups, features five former first-round picks, all under the age of 26.
No. 99 DT Aaron Donald, 6-foot-1, 285 pounds
Donald, 25, has already been named an All-Pro, twice been named to the Pro Bowl and was the defensive rookie of the year in 2014.
This summer he was voted No. 14 on the NFL Network’s “NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2016.”
“Not only is he fast, he has leverage, very strong and I think he wants to fight you too,” Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels said of Donald. “That’s an offensive lineman’s nightmare.”
Donald runs through offensive linemen, spins out of blocks and swiftly ducks between players to grab running backs and quarterbacks alike.
So far, Donald has had 20 sacks, forced two fumbles, recovered another and made 117 tackles.
No. 94 DE Robert Quinn, 6-foot-4, 264 pounds
Quinn, 26, has the speed to take the long way around offensive tackles and still affect the play even if he doesn’t get to the quarterback, which he often does.
In four and a half seasons, Quinn has had 50 sacks, including 19 during his breakout 2013 campaign. He’s also forced 16 fumbles, recovered two and scored a touchdown.
In 2014, the Rams re-upped with Quinn with a six-year, $65.6-million deal, keeping him under contract through 2019.
Quinn experienced his worst season statistically last year because of injury. He had 21 tackles and five sacks in eight games before he was put on injured reserve for a back injury that ultimately required surgery.
No. 95 DE William Hayes, 6-foot-3, 278 pounds
Hayes, 31, has served as a backup for most of his career, starting just 32 of the 110 NFL games he’s appeared in since 2008. He began his career with the Tennessee Titans under Coach Jeff Fisher as a fourth-round pick out of the football factory that is Division II Winston-Salem State.
Hayes had 76 tackles with eight sacks with the Titans before he rejoined Fisher with the Rams.
He made 11 starts last season, collecting 53 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Since joining the Rams, Hayes has had 21.5 sacks and made 158 tackles.
In March, the Rams re-signed Hayes for three more years, keeping him under contract through the 2018 season.
Curiously, Hayes has said in interviews he doesn’t believe dinosaurs ever existed. Seriously.
No. 90 NT Michael Brockers, 6-foot-5, 326 pounds
Brockers, 25, is the Rams’ run-stuffing, double-team-drawing stalwart in the middle at nose tackle.
He’s started 60 of the 61 games he’s appeared in for the Rams since he was drafted out of Louisiana State in 2012 with the 14th overall pick.
Brockers is also noteworthy because he was part of the team’s eight-player haul related to trading the No. 2 draft pick to the Washington Redskins, who subsequently drafted Robert Griffin III.
Of those acquired by the Rams, Brockers, middle linebacker Alec Ogletree and left tackle Greg Robinson are the only three still with the team. Griffin is now with the Cleveland Browns.
The Rams exercised their fifth-year option on Brockers before last season, so he’s playing under the final year of his contract.
He’s had 109 tackles, 14.5 sacks and two forced fumbles with one recovery since he turned pro.
No. 98 DE Quinton Coples, 6-foot-6, 290 pounds
Coples, 26, is another former first-round pick out of the 2012 draft, but he was selected by former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, who is now with the Buffalo Bills.
Coples was selected 16th overall out of North Carolina and spent his first three seasons with the Jets before he was waived by the new regime there after appearing in nine games last season. He was picked up by the Dolphins for the rest of the season and then signed a two-year deal with the Rams this spring.
For his career, the pass rusher has had 16.5 sacks with 76 tackles, though last season he recorded just four tackles.
No. 97 Eugene Sims, 6-foot-6, 269 pounds
Sims, 30, played his entire career primarily as a backup until last season when injuries knocked out Chris Long and Robert Quinn for much of the season. He made nine starts in 2015, collecting 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks, forcing a fumble and intercepting his first pass.
Sims nearly returned his pick for a touchdown, but was brought down on the three-yard line after taking the ball 42 yards toward the end zone when he caught an Aaron Donald deflection of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s pass (watch the play at the 34-second mark).
Other linemen: No. 91 DT Dominique Easley, No. 93 DT Ethan Westbrooks, No. 92 DE Cam Thomas
Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
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