The Los Angeles Rams went from fielding star-studded defenses year after year to now deploying a unit filled with young, up-and-coming players. Gone are the days of Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner, Leonard Floyd, Marcus Peters and now Aaron Donald.
Now, the Rams are leaning on players such as Kobie Turner, Ernest Jones and Byron Young. In addition to those three standout defenders, Quentin Lake is a player fans should know heading into the 2024 season. He’s expected to play a significant role next season after emerging as the team’s top slot defender last year, recently earning some recognition from Sean McVay.
During an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio, McVay mentioned Lake as a young player the Rams can build around.
“Chris Shula’s going to do a great job leading our defensive unit,” McVay said. “We’ve got some young guys that we can really build around. Love what Kobie Turner did last year. Aaron really poured into him. Love the emergence of Byron Young. Ernest Jones is a special leader in the middle of our defense. I think Quentin Lake is a really special, emerging player. And then being able to add quality players on the back end like a Kam Curl, bringing Darious Williams back home. So we’re excited. We’re going to try to add some good players through this draft and we’ll see where we’re at.”
.@RamsNFL HC Sean McVay shares what's next for his defense after Aaron Donald's retirement…
"You don't ever replace an Aaron Donald…we've got some young guys that I feel like we can really build around…"
📻 https://t.co/u2cRkateWV#Rams | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/atjQGQHwZk
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) March 28, 2024
Lake joined the Rams as a sixth-round pick in 2022, primarily being viewed as a safety. Injuries limited him to only nine games as a rookie but he took his game to another level last season when the Rams moved him into the slot.
He excelled in that role, both as a run defender and in coverage. He earned a 71.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, helped by an impressive 84.6 tackling grade thanks to his missed tackle rate of only 3.8%.
With Williams and Tre’Davious White expected to be the starting cornerbacks on the outside, Lake has a golden opportunity to maintain his role as the primary slot defender.
He may not be a household name but Lake is in position to have a very good third season in the NFL.
