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ST. LOUIS – They expect the joker to be a force. There's a reason why the St. Louis Rams used the 14th overall pick on defensive tackle Michael Brockers, a dynamic mix of wit and worry for anyone who lines up across the line of scrimmage from him.
Scan the NFL's defensive stats from last season and his selection becomes clear: The Rams' rush defense begs for an instant-impact star. They allowed a dreadful 152.1 yards per game on the ground last season. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (156.1) were more inept when trying to slow an opposing backfield.
Enter Brockers, a light-hearted, 6-foot-5, 322-pound load from LSU who's being groomed to plug the Rams' leaky defensive line. He's already winning laughs 16 days removed from becoming the fourth defensive lineman taken by St. Louis in the first round in the last six years.
On Saturday afternoon, Brockers fielded questions after a rookie minicamp at Rams Park. He addressed the traits shared between Jeff Fisher and Les Miles in the most honest way he could.
"I feel like they've got pretty much the same attitude," Brockers said. "But Coach Fisher's not eating grass."
The moment showed the charm of a promising, but raw, talent who's transitioning from prospect to professional. He's versatile but unproven, having played 27 games with 15 starts during his career in Baton Rouge.
He made the most of the brief time, though. He had 79 tackles and 11 tackles for loss as part of one of the most feared defenses in the rugged Southeastern Conference. He earned second-team All-SEC honors as a sophomore last season.
"When you're coming from college, everything is just bang, bang, bang – all day, all practice," said Brockers, a Houston native. "You come here, everything is a little mellow, but you get your work in. … The transition from not playing football for four months and now getting back into it is weird. You try to get it as much as you can. You haven't been playing football. You forget some techniques. You forget how to come off the ball – you're a little sore. I think I'm coming into it pretty well."
The Rams hope Brockers' development leads to production on Sundays this fall. He'll likely start alongside Kendall Langford, the former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman who signed a four-year, $24 million contract in March.
Brockers' addition is part of a youth movement within the Rams' defensive line. The average age of a group that includes him, Langford and defensive ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn is a ripe 23.75 years old. No player has more than four years of NFL experience – a fact that shows Fisher values potential when trying to remake a franchise that has stumbled through four of the past five seasons without staying relevant past October.
"We felt like we needed to upgrade the defensive tackle position - that was a priority of ours," Fisher said. "Having the opportunity to draft Michael, we came away with a very good player. We feel like we need to stop the run, we need to rush the passer, close the pocket. He's going to give us a chance to do that."
Brockers will attempt to do it by tapping into a competitive streak. Among some at LSU, he was known for his loose personality. He pulled pranks. He sported a long, thin chin beard fitting for a pharaoh.
But there was some fire behind his fun-loving approach. His focus made him one of the top interior defensive linemen in the draft, despite starting college with visions of playing linebacker.
His pre-draft training contributed to his rise on the Rams' wish list. He arrived at LSU's Pro Day on March 22 weighing 6 pounds lighter at 316 than what he was recorded at the NFL Combine. He also clocked times of 5.15 and 5.19 in the 40-yard dash after finishing with a 5.36 in Indianapolis.
"I think he'll do great," said Rams guard T. Bob Hebert, who played with Brockers at LSU. "He's one of those guys where you could tell he was born to play football. When you combine that natural athletic talent with his work ethic and his ability to learn and understand football, that's why he got drafted in the first round. That's a recipe for success. I see nothing but big things for Brockers."
The Rams do too. A big man with big personality and larger potential could be what they need to solidify their defensive line.
And he arrives not a moment too soon.
