The Los Angeles Rams had to make some tough decisions this offseason in order to beef up their roster with a couple of star players. Unfortunately, outside linebacker Robert Quinn was among the casualties of their recent moves.
However, there is one player who may serve as a viable replacement. According to Rams Insider Myles Simmons, rookie outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo says he modeled his game after Quinn when he was learning to play football in high school:
Just heard from Rams rookie OLB Obo Okoronkwo, who said when he was beginning to play football in high school, one of the first players his coach showed him to model his game after was former Ram Robert Quinn.
Okoronkwo’s comments may come as a breath of fresh air for Rams’ fans who were saddened to see the team part ways with Quinn this offseason. He had been the team’s most notable pass-rusher for the better part of the last decade. However, it is clear that Los Angeles was looking to revamp the defense moving forward.
As the son of Nigerian immigrants, Okoronkwo did not start playing football until high school. Needless to say, he has made tremendous progress since then. He registered 75 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks his senior year at Oklahoma en route to being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while earning All-American honors. That said, it is clear that his late start has not hindered his progression as an overall.
Los Angeles is in good shape if Okoronkwo is able to serve as a solid replacement for Quinn. Although the Rams made some star-studded additions to the defense, the one group that largely suffered was the linebackers. As a result, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will rely heavily on the young players to step up and fill the void.
