:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69235267/Screenshot_2021_05_04_093629.0.jpg)
The LA Rams drafted nine players this year. Getting to know them and the undrafted free agents will take time and luckily we have a full summer to do it.
Let’s start with a little bit of insight on three new Rams players following last weekend’s draft.
Rams would have selected Ernest Jones at 88, but got him at 103
Les Snead called it “kosher to trade within division” if it’s not gameday, and the Rams let the 49ers move up to secure running back Trey Sermon in the third round.
Tutu Atwell was a dual-threat quarterback in high school and you can see him in episode 2 of the Starz show Warriors of Liberty City
I had not heard of Warriors of Liberty City until now, but Atwell is featured as the opposing star quarterback in the trailer below:
Atwell had over 3,500 passing yards during his high school years and other Miami Northwestern alum include Chad Johnson, Antonio Brown, and Teddy Bridgewater.
Jacob Harris didn’t directly pursue more football after high school
There are not many people who get drafted into the NFL in the fourth round who only played one year of high school football and then went to college to play soccer. But prior to becoming a preferred walk-on at UCF, Harris was a soccer commit to Florida Gold Coast University.
“You know growing up I was always a soccer player and soccer was my goal, I wanted to be a professional soccer player,” Harris explained.
It wasn’t until his senior year of high school at Palm Harbor University where he got talked into trying out for the football team by a close friend.
“There was a point where I was in high school going to football practice right after school and then coming home for 30 minutes to eat to go to soccer practice an hour away.”
Harris would verbally commit to play soccer at Florida Gulf Coast.
A week into his time on campus he had a change of heart.
“I called my high school coach up and said ‘I want to try to play football.’”
Harris earned a football scholarship at UCF after proving himself on special teams. His unique athletic profile as a 6’4 player with elite speed could get him opportunities to catch passes from Matthew Stafford next season as well.