The Los Angeles Rams are set to debut their talented, new safety tandem with John Johnson III and Taylor Rapp in the 2020 NFL season.
Both players proved to be steals for the Rams by establishing themselves as bonafide starters in this defense. Regardless, head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead decided to keep the youth movement over the top going in the 2020 NFL Draft by bringing in safeties Jordan Fuller and Terrell Burgess.
The restrictions placed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were hardly ideal for rookies trying to get property adjusted to life in the NFL. Fortunately, it appears Burgess and Fuller have not let that stop them from turning heads at training camp.
McVay noted that both players have been among the notable standouts from training camp so far, via Stu Jackson of the team’s official website:
Which rookies have jumped out to Rams head coach Sean McVay? On defense:
Safeties Jordan Fuller and Terrell Burgess "have been standouts the last couple of days."
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 18, 2020
While it remains to be seen just what kind of role defensive coordinator Brandon Staley has envisioned for the pair of rookies, the praise from McVay should certainly help pay huge dividends leading up to the 2020 campaign.
The fact that Burgess and Fuller have made some waves hardly comes as any surprise. After all, the Rams have made a habit of striking gold in the secondary in recent years and it appears the same can be said for this year’s class.
Staley has indicated that while there will be some fundamental changes to the defensive scheme Los Angeles ran under Wade Phillips, many of the responsibilities remain the same. Johnson even noted that they plan to be much more aggressive heading into the 2020 campaign. This means that versatile players such as Burgess and Fuller will have an opportunity to potentially etch out an integral role throughout the course of the season.
It is no secret that the Rams experienced some major turnover this offseason and will be relying on a bevy of unproven options to help them get back on track at SoFi Stadium. The emergence of a few diamonds in the rough should certainly help to speed up the process.
