Rams ILBs coach: This undrafted rookie 'will be somebody to reckon with'

Every year in training camp, a few undrafted rookies begin to stand out and make a strong case for a spot on the 53-man roster. Omar Speights and Jaylen McCollough were impact rookies last season despite going undrafted and the Los Angeles Rams might have another defensive gem on their hands this year.

Former Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac was a consensus All-American who led the nation in tackles last season with a whopping 168, which also set the school record. He signed with the Rams following the draft and given their lack of proven talent at inside linebacker, he has a decent chance to make the team.

It helps that he seems to know the defense like the back of his hand already.

Rams inside linebackers coach Greg Williams raved about Dolac’s football IQ and tackling recently in an interview with team writer Wyatt Miller, mentioning him as a player “to reckon with.”

“Shaun could probably take you out here and teach you the defense right now,” Williams said. “He is a quick study, man, he really is. And that’s one thing you respect from him… I think from the way he plays the game above the neck and the way that he had tackled in college, (if) he does that, Shaun is going to be another guy that will be somebody to reckon with.”

Dolac is undersized at 6 feet tall and 221 pounds but he has impressive instincts and was as good a tackler as there was in college football last season. He just lacks the athleticism and size that many NFL linebackers possess, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make it in the pros.

With the position wide open in L.A., Dolac could make his way onto the 53-man roster this summer and potentially even play meaningful snaps the way Speights did last year.

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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: LA Rams rookie Shaun Dolac already standing out this offseason

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