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Last season, the St. Louis Rams drafted strong safety Maurice Alexander in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
For those who do not remember Alexander was a great storyline when he was drafted, Alexander was kicked off of his college team and then had to work as a janitor in the Edwards Jones Dome...where the Rams play.
Since this is the second season of Alexander's career, the storylines no longer matter. The main concern for Alexander will be making the team. Does he have a chance to stick around on roster? Or will his story be forgotten?
Roster Battle
Alexander has a tough road ahead of him heading into the season. The Rams currently have three safeties that are penciled in as starters - T.J. McDonald, Rodney McLeod, and last season's acquisition Mark Barron. The next tier of safeties is where Alexander is currently on the depth chart, competing against Cody Davis.
Expectations
The Rams did not draft Alexander to become a starter quickly. He can develop as the other safeties start in front of him.
Honestly, there's no way of knowing where Alexander will stand until pads are put back on and the pre-season is over. The Rams coaching staff loved Alexander and Rams Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams even compared him to the late and great Sean Taylor.
The expectations for Alexander have to be for him to keep developing as a special teams player and as a safety. Prior to his rookie season with the Rams, Alexander only had one season in college as safety, so as a result he is not up to NFL standards when it comes to coverage. Although he does not have the experience, in college he showed the athleticism and aggressiveness that should make him a solid player down the road.
Chances of Making The Roster 7/10
He might not start for the Rams in this upcoming season, but the Rams will not cut him, because at worse he can play special teams and hopefully he will develop in to a solid safety.