No Love for Rams' McCollough in Rankings

Curl found the form that he once had with the Washington Commanders, being a force along the line of scrimmage, helping Shula reinvent his scheme midseason, adding a more aggressive element to it, especially during end of game defensive scenarios.

Kinchens needed some time to figure things out at the NFL level and then decided to become a turnover-inducing artist once he did. As a result, both men were named by Pro Football Focus' Zoltán Buday as top 32 safeties in the NFL.

"It took some time for the rookie Kinchens to break into the Rams' lineup," wrote Buday. "He played just 83 snaps over the first seven weeks in 2024 but soon put together multiple breakout performances, recording two of the top-40 safety performances of the season. Those were a 92.6 PFF overall grade in Week 11 and an 87.8 PFF overall grade in Week 9."

Buday named Kinchens as the 20th best safety in the NFL, six spots higher than Curl who sits at 26.

"Curl enjoyed a breakout season in 2022 when he ranked second in the league with an 82.9 PFF overall grade. While he has been unable to replicate that performance, his 2024 play was a nice improvement over his 2023 showing."

"Curl's 67.3 PFF overall grade this past season ranked 36th among safeties, but he was able to make his rare pass rushing snaps count as he ranked third among 24 qualifying safeties with an 81.7 PFF pass rushing grade."

While both men are deserving of such praise, so is Jaylen McCollough, so I must ask where is the love? In 2024, McCollough recorded four interceptions and was a tackling machine, using his extended arm length to wrap up ball carriers.

I have been high on McCollough since the moment he signed with the Rams, having been a fan of his work dating to his days with the Tennessee Volunteers. This is what I said about him once he made the Rams' 53 man roster

If you could describe McCollough with one word, it would be tough. A man not afraid to put his body on the line, McCollough flew around the field during the preseason.

A mature presence, McCollough adds some much-needed depth to the safety room. His physical gifts give him an opportunity to make plays early, gifts such as his length and explosiveness, but his intelligence in coverage is severely underrated and something opponents may not truly account for.

That's exactly what he was and he should be recognized for it. However, with Curl entering a contract year, 2025 could be McCollough's opportunity to make a name for himself across the league.