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Derrick Harris-He may have a chance to grab a job if Ironhead is not in
shape. He started several games in 1996, but was only activated for one
game last year. He had a tendency to get swallowed up at the point of
attack in 1996 and not clear a path. He is not a natural fullback but is a
converted tight end/linebacker. He is big and looks the part of a backfield
guard at 252 pounds. He does not have any natural pass catching or running
ability. He did look decent on a couple of short yardage tries during
preseason last year. If he does start this year at best it will be in a
transition or pass through role and would not be a long term solution. He
has a tendency or at least in 1996 had a tendency to plow into the line
stiff and high and would get shoved aside. They did want to play him more
last year but he could never get healthy enough to play. Craig Heyward-Another Frank Gansz personnel decision gone awry. Gansz highly recommended him to Vermeil based on their experience together in Atlanta. He did a better job blocking in short yardage for Phillips than might be surmised based on statistics. Phillips was the easiest back to trip up in the league...after he was cut the lead blocks were utilized better. He could not get any kind of depth on linebackers on pass patterns early in the year and they quit using him as a result. The rumor on the internet is that he was close to 300 pounds a month ago and was sweating it out in a fat farm. No journalist in St. Louis has been able to track him down. The animosity that Vermeil gives off in the press is very real and he will cut him in a second if he is not in shape. Robert Holcombe-He is an excellent technical blocker and good at picking up the blitz, he gets very low and delivers quite a shot. He has good hands and can get out into the flat. That is important in that always using Amp Lee has a tendency to tip the hand of the offense. Holcombe can give the Rams some variety in the offense in that regard that they have not really had since Delpino started for a year. He can cut back and showed very good running vision at mini camp. The coaches were more impressed with him after the mini camps than they were from scouting and film. He is not a burner but has acceleration and a great burst through the line and then the vision and balance to either cut back or bounce. He uses his blockers very well although he started to hunt for a big run toward the end at Illinois instead of taking what he had (I am sure that was partly a result of the Ilinois record). He is a excellent worker and will be an asset to the Rams, he is (credit to Will Phantmjokr) the bizarro Phillips. Amp Lee-Incredibly soft hands, great football instincts, excellent vision for what is going on around him and how to exploit openings. He runs atypical patterns for a running back out of the backfield such as a post and down and in or sideline hook. He can play as a slot WR in a three or four WR set. He is better at draws than given credit for due to his lack of speed. He did not attend any of the offseason workouts but is a professional and is in shape. Jerald Moore-He is at 225 pounds now but can and has carried 235 pounds as fullback. He was used with Holcombe quite a bit in mini camp and they will turn to that avenue if Heyward is cut. He is said to have good hands but has dropped a fair number of passes in two years. He has great balance and a ridiculously low center of gravity. The eternal question about him has always been his health and how well he can avoid injury...up to now he cannot but he did come back onto the field last year against the Panthers and play hurt. The Rams coaches plan to use him extensively as a running back or at fullback regardless of the development of Holcombe. Raymond Priester-Since Bettis's production as a Ram started to go south at the end of the 1994 season the Rams have been incapable of picking up short yardage on 3rd down. Phillips was especially poor at it and would often hunt for a hole instead of getting the yard for the first down or allow himself to get tripped up. Priester answers that need and that is all he is being asked to do right now. If he can develop as a fullback that would be great but going into his first year that may be too much. He is right at 240 pounds and 6:00 even. He is all power and vision, no speed, burst or quickness. But he sees his blocks very well and usually did not get hit until across the line. College DBacks and linebackers could not take him on. He was only an average blocker and was openly reluctant to try fullback in college. He was seldom used as a receiver in college but he can catch with his hands. It will take more than one year to turn him into a fullback and it may never happen. David Thompson-He has a lot more talent and running ability than generally given credit for-he is seriously underreated due to his size. All during the draft season I campaigned for the Rams to get a change of pace back for the team with some speed. He is not a burner but has a quick burst to the outside and can bounce tacklers off with his legs. Lost in the mess at the end of the Bears game was a very nice run he made that got called back on holding. He is a favorite of Vermeil and they are going to take a long look at him at running back during preseason. Look for him to start at least one preseason game. He gave the Rams a decent kickoff returner for the first time in St. Louis. June Henley-He was a draft pick of the Chiefs and ended up on the Ram practice squad. He is around 5:10 and 210 pounds. The Chiefs cut him almost entirely based on his lack of top end speed. He times out at no faster than 4.60 and did not give the Chiefs anything they felt they did not already have. He is a slasher, cut back runner and not a burst or move type runner. The odds are stacked against him with the Rams. He is essentially the same style of runner as Moore and Holcombe without their ability to catch, block or the same vision as they have shown. In addition he is probably a half step slower than either of those two. Jim 
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