Rams Defender Named Breakout Candidate

There are several reasons why the Rams were able to rebound from their slow start to the 2024 NFL season to win the NFC West, and one of the biggest was the insertion of undrafted free agent rookie Omar Speights into the starting lineup.

The Rams had the worst linebacker room in the NFL before Speight hit the field and upon doing so, the room changed, it evolved, and it improved quickly.

Thus, Pro Football Focus' Jonathon Macri named Speights as a breakout candidate in 2025.

"The Rams linebacker room needed help this offseason, and heading into the draft, there was a strong possibility that they’d address the position on the first two days, but instead, they chose to wait until the fifth round before doing so." Wrote Macri. "This was encouraging news for Speights as a 2024 undrafted free agent who gained experience as a starter in this defense last year, earning a solid 69.4 overall grade. He was at his best defending the run (77.6), where he ranked 21st for his position, which bodes well for him getting the first crack at a starting job again in 2025."

With an offseason where he has a starting role secured, Speights is able to focus on physical development, something he didn't get a chance to do last year as he was preparing for the draft. Speights now has a chance to expand his influence now that he'll enter training camp with a defined starting role.

When Speights made the Rams roster, this is what I thought of him.

Speights had a massive amount of hype as a UDFA due to his film, the level of competition he played against and his versatility on the football field. He proved his believers right with a strong performance in camp, establishing himself as a tackling machine.

I expect Speights to slowly make his way into the starting lineup, especially with the departure of Ernest Jones. While Speights should make plays early, perhaps more on special teams initially, the fact he's not only on the 53-man roster but will be on the game-day roster should mean massive amounts of playing time for the LSU Tiger.

Safe to say he blew past those expectations, and he should have a monster second year, especially with new teammates Nate Landman and Chris Paul Jr.