NFL Media's Bucky Brooks: Rams' D-Line Third "Scariest" Unit

NFL.com and NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks put his top 10 "scariest" units up last week, and the Rams' D-line certainly made the cut in a major way at #3.

His top 10 was littered with mostly defensive units, but topped with an offensive one. Leading up to the Rams, his 10 through 4 slots were:

10.) Carolina Panthers LBs

9.) Baltimore Ravens edge rushers

8.) New York Jets D-Line

7.) Denver Broncos edge rushers

6.) Philadelphia Eagles RBs

5.) Seattle Seahawks safeties

4.) New York Jets CBs

Plenty to argue with there, but I'll let y'all have it in the comments.

Meanwhile, here's what Brooks had to say about the Rams defensive front at 3:

It shouldn't come as a surprise to see the Rams' defensive line on this list, based on how heavily the front office has invested in the unit. The Rams' D-line rotation features five first-round selections: Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Chris Long and Nick Fairley (who was taken in Round 1 by Detroit in 2011 but signed with St. Louis this offseason). The Rams should be able to overwhelm opponents with their collection of talent in the trenches. From controlling the run with Brockers and Fairley to harassing quarterbacks with Long, Quinn and Donald, the Rams have the ability to attack the line of scrimmage with a number of big-bodied athletes with exceptional size, strength, power and explosiveness. With coordinator Gregg Williams adept at using blitzes to create one-on-one opportunities for his disruptive defenders at the point of attack, the Rams should pummel opponents at the line of scrimmage on their way to becoming one of the NFL's premier defenses.

Five first rounders...in any case, the key impression I left with was the end of that. That the Rams' defense is on the way to being one of the league's best isn't something I'd argue against. It's also not anything new. Considering the Rams' defense since 2010, it's being on their way has been a thing.

So while it's heartening to see the Rams in a top 3 for anything, I wouldn't buy too heavily into it being an agent of change.

As for Brooks' top two, he's got the Bills' defensive line ahead of the Rams', a storyline I expect to be a big one in 2015 as each line vies for leaguewide dominance.

At #1? The Dallas Cowboys' offensive line, a unit you could have put there even before they picked up La'el Collins as a UDFA.