Who the heck is Rams DT Jermelle Cudjo?
by Ryan Van Bibber on Aug 15, 2010 11:02 AM CDT
in 2010 St. Louis Rams preseason
Email
PrintI'm only slightly embarrassed to admit there were plenty of names on the field for the St. Louis Rams last night that I did not recognize. That was especially true in the secondary, but one previously anonymous name that stood out was that of DT Jermelle Cudjo who had two tackles for a loss, part of the Rams solid play against the run, and a sack. So who is this guy?
An undrafted free agent, obviously, Cudjo was a standout in the Lone Star Conference playing for Central Oklahoma. His pro day, overshadowed by the previous day's pro day at Oklahoma, put him on the map for Gil Brandt of the NFL network. In college, he consistently put up impressive numbers, from his red shirt freshman year in 2006 right up to his play in the Cactus Bowl. Through his last two seasons in college he had 28 tackles for a loss and 8 sacks, according to a short profile piece on Cudjo at the Rams official site.
That same profile spends some time on Cudjo's Horatio Alger approach since signing with the Rams, working his his way into the hearts of the coaches, no doubt, with his dedication and work ethic.
There's always a surprise among the undrafted players in the preseason, a guy who nobody knows that puts his name into the conversation. Yes, it's very early, but the Rams need players on the interior line who can get penetration. Cudjo showed that ability in college, albeit against DII competition, and again last night against the Vikings second and third team players. He'd definitely a good story and a guy to keep your eyes on over the next four weeks.
27 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Van dont even start unless you wana tell me we just got Merriman
I’m sick and tired of all our 6 and 7 rounder’s and un drafted rookies and cast offs we need some studs that’s what’s missing here ,this team is full of garbage players thus the poor quality in our play ,all I hear is how they show promise lol please no more new surprises and unknowns enough already
Would it be better...
if we didn’t have any guys who showed promise?
THIS year's the year. I hope....
Sorry
that was aimed at RamChop, but I suppose is a valid question for anybody who likes to think their team has no hope.
rams210, your response doesn’t really answer my question.
THIS year's the year. I hope....
Once upon a time...
there was a kid about 12 years old (circa 1968) whose friends were all Packer and Colt fans. Even though he lived on the eastcoast, after watching some pro ball games he found he preferred a team that wore blue-white uniforms with Ram horns emblazoned on the helmets. That team also had many cool players like Roman Gabriel, Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones, a dedicated coach named Allen, and a D-Line known as the “Fearsome Foursome.” Pretty soon the Rams were winning 8-10 games per year in a 14 game schedule and eclipsed the Packers and Colts who went into hiding for more than a decade. The Rams won 7 straight NFC West titles, finally, got to the SB in 1980, and came within a gnat’s ass of beating the 3 time champ Steelers. Until the early 90s the Rams were a perennial SB contender. Then there was finally the break through SB win in 1999. And there should’ve been 2-3 more but Dick Vermeil retired to soon and the guy that tookover disassembled a potential dynasty. His worst mistake being dumping Kurt Warner. Since that time, I admit I’ve questioned why I’m still a Rams fan. But I am. The Ravens are my second favorite team. I hate the 49ers, Seahawks and Pats the worst. Any more questions?
Were you this bitter during the 90's??
When prior to the 1999 season the Rams had the fewest wins for the decade. I understand wanting to have a winning team to root for, but we are fans, and fans root for there teams through thick and thin, and if you could make it through the 90’s you can certainly make it through this stretch. No one here is happy with losing, but holy sh*t you have got to be the most negative fan around, and I know what your respone will be, it’s the same response you have for everything. You are the only honest fan here, the only one who is realistic. We all see the same things you do, we don’t necessarily disagree with your observations, what most people don’t like is your negative, snarky attitude, it sucks, and it grows old on people.
By the way, Mike Marts worse decision was forgetting that Marshall Faulk was on the team and not getting him the ball 20-25 times a game.
Well, I think they've had 4 winning seasons in the last 15. Howz that make you feel?
Oddly enough, despite your LaLa land optimism. You are exactly right about Martz and Faulk. We’d have easily beat the Pats in the 2001 SB if Martz would’ve given Marshall the ball. He was averaging about 10 yards per carry. But know-it-all kept going back to the passing game play after play.
yeah
why do you troll fan message boards?
If you love something, set it free. If it doesn't come back, find it and kill it.
Thanks.
I’m just curious where you’re coming from. I know the Rams haven’t had anything close to resembling the “Fearsome Foursome” in way too long. I admit that I wasn’t a Rams fan until they came to St. Louis when I was a teenager, and finally had a football team to watch regularly again. I started learning more about their storied history, and it was interesting to watch the pieces fall into place for SB XXXIV.
It has been painful to watch the all too quick decline in the state of the team, and I would have preferred one of the defensive candidates instead of Linehan when the coaching position was open. I have to remain hopeful, however, that Spags and Devaney will revive the spirit of this team and find the diamonds in the rough to build it back up to respectability.
And don’t get me wrong, last season was miserable. I just don’t see the point in watching a game (or a team) that I don’t think there’s at least a slim possibility they can win. I know it’s going to take more time than I want it to, as well, but I have to keep hoping that they’re on the right track, otherwise there’s not much point for me to watch.
Thanks for sharing, RamChop. I appreciate it.
THIS year's the year. I hope....
Your question was Why do you watch the Rams?
I am a Rams fan for over 50 years i guess it must be because i love my team what do you think?
I agree they were pathetic.
Still, If we had been able to play any of our top 4 CBs, it might have been different. It’s pretty bad when your best CB on the field is Quincy Butler, and when you have to play two rookies who have no business being out there (Johnson and Thompson) because even some of your 3rd string CBs get hurt. The guys we had out there would have trouble making a good college team as starters (Johnson was a reserve in college!). They were absolutely terrible. If you take away the two huge pass plays Johnson allowed, the numbers don’t look so bad.
He's interesting
but he’s got a lot of ground to make just to make the team. He’ll have to play along side our nose, so he’s likely behind Clifton Ryan, Gary Gibson and maybe even C.J. Ah You at the position. That’s not saying he can’t pass Ah You, or even Gibson, but to do that would take more than just one game’s worth of production and a lack thereof from those other guys.
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
I hope he makes the team
And becomes a star. Having a player named Cudjo (if its really pronounced Kujo like the announcers said) would be pretty sweet.
Onubon > Gates
If he is getting penetration as a starter, let's say, in pre-season
he has a shot to make a Ram’s team with a less than average D-Line!
it's just an interesting story
Nobody said the guy is the second coming of Warren Sapp.
anyone one that makes 2 tackles for losses and a sack, even in a preseason game, is worth looking at on a blog that posts 5-6 pieces per day. If you don’t like what we post about here, go somewhere else.
Turf Show Times
by Ryan Van Bibber on Aug 16, 2010 10:33 AM CDT reply actions
So lets get this straight we have to always like what you post to be here ? ha ha ha ha
What are you a grown up baby be serious will you please
I think what Van was getting at
was don’t just hate. If you’re interested in having in-depth conversation about your favorite team and the progress its players are making or not making, feel free; but the cheap, snide, unconstructive comments are wearing and making it tiresome and uninteresting.
It’s very unlikely I’ll stop reading Van’s posts, but it’s very likely I’ll start marking your comments as trolling. I appreciate good insight based on numbers and facts. I don’t appreciate “your post sucked because my team didn’t win last year” comments. Capisce?
THIS year's the year. I hope....
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Turf Show Times
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Cover the web with Turf
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
