ST. LOUIS - Rams rookie punter Johnny Hekker figured wearing his Oregon State shorts might help him connect with fellow Beaver Steven Jackson as training camp began this week.
And if a rookie punter could get in good with the star running back and longest-tenured player on the team, he'd be set for the rest of the season.
There's only one small problem.
"I'm not sure if he really knows my name yet," Hekker joked Wednesday. "I'm still working on that."
That's part of the battle Hekker and fellow rookie place kicker Greg Zuerlein face as they open their pro careers. Both are expected to win the starting jobs at their respective special teams positions – a rarity these days in the NFL.
Trying to find enough guys to know your name or be friends amongst a crowded locker room is hard enough for a kicker or punter. Doing it as a rookie makes it that much more difficult.
But the Rams coaching staff has been impressed enough with both through the first few days of training camp that the rest of the team– and the fans in St. Louis and around the league – will surely learn their names rather quickly.
The Rams cut veteran place kicker Josh Brown the day after they drafted Zuerlein in the sixth round of April's draft out of Missouri Western University. They parted ways with longtime punter Donnie Jones in free agency, instead signing the undrafted free agent Hekker out of Oregon State.
So the Rams will go from having plenty of experience to a pair of rookies with no experience when they open the season this fall. And that's just fine by them.
"I'm OK with that," said coach Jeff Fisher. "I'm not concerned. We knew that going in that may be the case and the interesting thing about both of them if it works out that way is they have the right mindset, the mind temperament, the right personalities to handle the job."
The Rams were impressed so much from a pair of private workouts with Zuerlein that they made him the first kicker from a non-BCS school to be drafted since Stephen Gostkowski of Memphis went to the New England Patriots in the fourth round in 2006.
And while he may come from a small school, he apparently has quite the leg. Zuerlein was a perfect nine-for-nine on field-goal attempts from beyond 50 yards last season, twice hitting them from 58 yards. He was named a NCAA Division II All-American after making a Division-II record 21 straight field goals and leading the nation with 2.3 field goals per game.
"I don't think there's really going to be any difference," Zuerlein said. "From what I've experienced so far in practice, everything is exactly like it was in college. Just slightly faster but I don't think I've had any problems adjusting to it so far. I guess we'll see what happens in the preseason games and I'll hopefully have a better understanding.
"Kicking is kicking. It's the same as in college except that the hashes are moved in so it's almost even easier. You just have to kick the ball straight and you'll be fine. "
A former high school quarterback, Hekker instead accepted a spot as a walk-on punter at Oregon State because of his love and desire to play in the Pac-10 (now Pac-12). He earned a scholarship the following season and saw his numbers continue to improve – although they weren't much for scouts to be excited about his first three seasons.
That changed during his senior year last fall, when he raised his average to a career-best 44-yards per punt and had at least one 60-yard punt in six different games. But he also became a widespread YouTube sensation for a punt against Wisconsin that went for minus-4 yards.
He used a rugby style punt about half the time in college but has returned to the more traditional style with the Rams. And everyone involved hope that means even better results in the NFL.
"The reason John is here is because for the most part, he's a conventional punter," Fisher said. "A lot of the new punting formations are unusual, but he was a conventional punter and a very good athlete and he can throw and that's a big part of our punt team, being able to throw."
Asked about being a conventional punter, Hekker said, "I feel like I bring together a good operation, smooth, athleticism back there, a solid two-step catching the ball and putting good direction on the ball and putting it where I need it.
"I catch the ball, keep real fluid straight walking, come straight up through the ball with my leg, two-step delivery. Some guys shuffle into the catch to get more behind it but I like to keep things simple."
The Rams have one-year veterans Garrett Lindholm and Tom Malone in camp to provide competition but it would be a major upset if Zuerlein or Hekker don't enter the season as the starters.
While both referenced the speed of the game as areas they need to further adjust, there's no doubt a position like punter or kicker is easier to slide into as an NFL rookie compared to other spots like quarterbacks or linebackers.
A big punt or field goal could be the difference in a win or loss. And the Rams seem perfectly content taking their chances with the pair of rookies.
"It's just a matter of gaining experience," Fisher said. "And they will gain valuable experience in the preseason."
