Rams News

Rookies play little for Rams


Wednesday, September 16, 1998

By Jim Thomas
Of The Post-Dispatch

* Even the first-round pick, defensive end Grant Wistrom, has been in on only 21 percent of the plays so far.

In the Rams' season opener two Sundays ago, the New Orleans Saints started a rookie left guard - Kyle Turley. They also started a rookie tight end, Cam Cleeland, who caught four passes.

This past weekend, Minnesota visited the Trans World Dome. Vikings rookie wide receiver Randy Moss caught six passes.

Across the NFL, 29 rookies have started at least one game so far this season - for 19 teams. (For a complete list, see page 5D.) Eleven of those 29 were first-round picks.

As for the Rams, their '98 draft class has barely registered a ripple two games into the season. Three of their eight draft picks last April failed to make the final roster. Of the five who did:

* Second-round draft pick Robert Holcombe, a running back, and fourth-round draft pick Roland Williams, a tight end, have yet to dress for a game. Both players were on the team's designated inactive list before the New Orleans and Minnesota games.

* First-round draft pick Grant Wistrom, the defensive end from Nebraska, has seen action in 27 defensive plays - or a modest 21 percent of the Rams' defensive plays this season.

* Third-round pick Leonard Little, a linebacker from Tennessee, has participated in 11 plays on defense - or 9 percent of the team's defensive plays.

* Fourth-round draft pick Az-Zahir Hakim, a wide receiver from San Diego State, has yet to play because of a broken hand.

Given their lack of playing time, is Dick Vermeil disappointed in this draft class?

"No," Vermeil said. "I think you'll see them (play) more and more. And grow. . . . Hey, I'd love them all to step up and be starters, and be better than the people we have. But if that happens, normally, you don't have many good football players. Or you haven't been coaching the guys you have. You've just been lining them up and letting them play."

When it comes to playing rookies, Vermeil has been decidedly more conservative than his predecessor, Rich Brooks.

For much of the 1996 season, Brooks started five rookies on offense: quarterback Tony Banks, wide receiver Eddie Kennison, running back Lawrence Phillips, tight end Ernie Conwell, and either Derrick Harris or Jerald Moore at fullback. In the long run, that strategy probably helped get Brooks fired after a 6-10 campaign.

Enter Vermeil. Last season, No. 1 overall draft pick Orlando Pace finally made his first start at offensive tackle in Game 5 against Oakland after signing a contract 15 days before the season opener. Two other rookie draft picks, Dexter McCleon and Taje Allen, started against Seattle in a six-defensive back alignment designed to combat the Seahawks' four wide receiver sets.

Before this season started, Vermeil provided this assessment of Wistrom's role: "I think we'll get a lot out of him. It'll be nickel rush situations, long-yard situations, and we'll gradually work him in there more.

"I think he'll make a really good contribution. Maybe not spectacular. Maybe not like you would like to get out of your No. 1 pick. The defensive end spot normally takes a while."

Not for Arizona, Dallas, Green Bay and Miami. All four teams are starting rookies at defensive end: Andre Wadsworth with the Cardinals; Greg Ellis with the Cowboys; Vonnie Holliday, Packers; and Kenny Mixon, Dolphins.

Wistrom, chosen No. 6 overall, doesn't deny that his lack of playing time is frustrating.

"Sure," Wistrom said. "Everybody that's here wants to play. But when you've got 46 guys dressing out or whatever, you can only have 11 on the field at once. You've got to put your 11 best out there.

"Right now, I'm not one of the 11 best on defense, so I understand what's going on. I've just got to go out and continue to improve every week. Hopefully, as the season progresses, I'll get a little more time."

Even with his limited playing time, his five solo tackles are second among Rams defensive linemen - to Kevin Carter's eight. He appears to be very instinctive and very effective in pursuit.

But Wistrom said he's not about to start lobbying for playing time.

"That's not my style," he said. "If I'm good enough, Coach is going to put
me in there. If I did lobby, they wouldn't listen anyway. They've got to play
their best. It's their job to win games, too."

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