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November 30, 2017 at 11:30 pm #78168
znModeratorRams linebacker Samson Ebukam ready for first NFL start after early frustrations
RICH HAMMOND
THOUSAND OAKS — Samson Ebukam dominated a special-teams drill on the fourth day of training camp. Then, in a moment that required little interpretation, Ebukam reached for the back of his leg.
“It was the first day of pads,” Ebukam said. “I was like, ‘Come on, man, I’m trying to prove myself.’”
Ebukam, a linebacker drafted by the Rams out of Eastern Washington in the fourth round this year, missed most of camp with that strained hamstring. Slowly but steadily, Ebukam has showed himself worthy of playing time, first on special teams and then on defense, and now his big moment has arrived.
Starting linebacker Connor Barwin broke a bone in his forearm last week, so Ebukam is expected to start his first NFL regular-season game Sunday when the Rams play the Arizona Cardinals.
“It’s a dream come true,” Ebukam said. “Everything that has happened to bring me to this point, it’s all God’s plan. I really hate seeing any of my teammates get injured, especially the way he did, but he’s done a great job of leading me to where I am today.”
Ebukam increasingly has given the Rams reason to trust him. Last week, after Barwin hurt his arm late in the first half against New Orleans, Ebukam stepped in. He sacked Saints quarterback Drew Brees in the second half, and the Saints scored only 10 second-half points in the Rams’ 26-20 victory.
Ebukam started this season as a backup who played approximately 20 percent of the Rams’ defensive snaps, but he had a breakthrough three weeks ago against Houston, when he crushed Houston quarterback Tom Savage for a sack and a forced fumble.
Now the Rams are confident that Ebukam, who played 23 of 57 snaps last week while he continued his role as a valuable special-teams player, is ready for an even bigger role.
“He has played well, rookie-wise, for the time he has been in there,” Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said after Thursday’s practice at Cal Lutheran. “I think he will come in and do a good job for us. He has worked hard. He’s a smart kid and he’s got a world of talent.
“He’s got some talent and I think he’s ready to go. He told me he was nervous. I said, ‘Are you nervous?’ He said, ‘Heck yeah, I’m nervous.’ I said, ‘Well, you better be.’ He’s got all the energy.”
The Rams took something of a chance on Ebukam when they drafted him in the middle of the fourth round. Ebukam, a team captain at small-school power Eastern Washington, received a fifth-round draft grade from NFL.com and was valued for his speed but criticized for a lack of refinement.
Ebukam then didn’t participate in most of the Rams’ summer program, first because of an NFL rule that prohibited him from practicing until his class at Eastern Washington graduated in mid-June. Then came the August hamstring injury that kept him out for approximately three weeks.
“I missed everything,” Ebukam said, “I was trying to prove myself and get some trust from the team. I knew I couldn’t do it if I was injured and sitting on the sideline, doing nothing. I was really (upset), but I trusted the process and we have the best trainers in the league, and they got me back just in time.”
Ebukam played in the final preseason game and became a reliable special-teams contributor at the start of the season. He was allowed to grow into a larger role on defense and received 10 to 15 snaps per game until this month, when he received increased time after the Rams’ bye week. In particular, Ebukam’s speed and athleticism have made him a threat on pass-rushing downs.
Rams coach Sean McVay recently praised Barwin for his willingness to mentor Ebukam, on and off the field. Ebukam agreed, and said Barwin and fellow veteran linebackers Alec Ogletree, Mark Barron and Robert Quinn have helped him rebound from mistakes and “stay calm and not get too hyped up.”
Barwin is expected to miss at least two games as his forearm recovers, so this could be an audition for Ebukam, in part because Barwin signed only a one-year contract with the Rams in March.
The Rams have several important roster decisions to make on defense after this season, so even though Ebukam might end up replacing Barwin as the Rams’ strongside linebacker, Ebukam expects Barwin to provide plenty of advice and encouragement before Sunday’s game.
“Yeah, probably,” Ebukam said. “He’s going to be in my ear and, hey, that’s fine with me. He’s been playing for, like, nine years. He’s got all the tips. Keep them coming. I’m going to soak all that in.”
December 1, 2017 at 8:07 am #78177
InvaderRamModeratora couple things.
first, this youth movement is what really has me excited. ebukam getting his first chance. but also jj and smart on the defensive side. jj has really taken off, although smart has petered off.
and then on the offensive side, you have kupp and now reynolds. everett flashes, and i still have hope for him. i just don’t think it’ll be until next year.
this draft is looking strong so far. won’t know until after 2019 season is over but definitely promising.
that’s not even mentioning the third and second year players that litter this team.
second, about ebukam. physically, he reminds me of little of von miller.
here’s a side by side comparison between miller and ebukam.
von miller:
6’3″ 246 pounds
33.5″ arms
9.25″ hands
40 yd dash – 4.53s
10 yd split – 1.57s
short shuttle – 4.06s
3-cone – 6.70s
vertical – 37″
broad – 10’6″samson ebukam:
6’2″ 240 pounds
32.5″ arms
9.5″ hands
40 yd dash – 4.45s
10 yd split – 1.53s
short shuttle – 4.31s
3-cone – 7.02s
vertical – 39″
broad – 10’10”von miller has the edge agility wise where ebukam has the edge explosion wise. but shoot. ebukam has elite athleticism. what we don’t know is his instincts for rushing a passer. his flexibility. but i don’t think work ethic and intelligence can be questioned. he seems like a great kid. hungry. and he’s young. only 22 years old.
December 1, 2017 at 9:03 am #78178
wvParticipant“…Ebukam, a team captain at small-school power Eastern Washington, received a fifth-round draft grade from NFL.com and was valued for his speed but criticized for a lack of refinement…”
What does ‘that’ mean? He lacked ‘refinement’ in college?
w
vDecember 1, 2017 at 9:24 am #78181znModerator“…Ebukam, a team captain at small-school power Eastern Washington, received a fifth-round draft grade from NFL.com and was valued for his speed but criticized for a lack of refinement…”
What does ‘that’ mean? He lacked ‘refinement’ in college?
w
vI think it’s about the fact that he went to a small school so needs a lot of work on technique and recognition. A lot of small schools lack for example a full complement of dedicated position coaches. With the level of opposition in college he could get by with sheer athleticism.
It also means that he needs to develop a more sophisticated wine tasting palette, and work on his french a bit, so the accent’s more natural (for small talk, comme vous le savez). Plus he needs to spend more time at art exhibits to elevate his sense of nuance.
December 3, 2017 at 3:22 am #78255InvaderRamModeratori hope this kid blows up. jj and ebukam. two possible long term starters on defense. that’s crazy.
RAMS
Rams linebacker from Nigeria is latest rookie stepping up to become starterBy GARY KLEIN
DEC 02, 2017 | 4:35 PM
PHOENIXRams linebacker from Nigeria is latest rookie stepping up to become starter
Rams rookie linebacker Samson Ebukam, making his first start this week, got to Drew Brees for a sack in last week’s victory over the Saints. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
As pep talks go, this one was short and to the point.
Wade Phillips, the Rams’ veteran defensive coordinator, wanted to gauge linebacker Samson Ebukam’s frame of mind this week as the rookie prepared for his first NFL start on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.“Are you nervous?” Phillips asked.
“Heck yeah,” Ebukam responded.
“Well,” Phillips said, “you better be.”
Ebukam chuckled recalling the exchange.
“Of course I’m nervous,” said Ebukam, who will start in place of injured Connor Barwin. “It’s my first career start. I didn’t think that was going to happen so soon, but I’m excited. I need to show some of my skills.”
The Rams, under first-year coach Sean McVay, have an 8-3 record and an opportunity to sweep the Cardinals, after shutting them out 33-0 in London in Week 7. Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer suffered a season-ending broken arm in that game, but the 5-6 Cardinals still have receiver Larry Fitzgerald and running back Adrian Peterson, both future hall of famers.
That will pose a challenge for the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Ebukam, the latest member of the 2017 draft class to start or play a significant role for the Rams.
Rookie receiver Cooper Kupp is second on the team with 46 receptions for 597 yards. Tight end Gerald Everett has started two games and has 10 catches, and Josh Reynolds started for the first time last week and caught his first touchdown pass.
Safety John Johnson has been a starter since Week 5 and is fifth in tackles, and defensive lineman Tanzel Smart has started four games.
McVay described the rookie class as a “pleasant surprise” for a Rams team that is leading the NFC West.
“What we looked for, really in all these guys, are mature players that understand the game and then go about it the right way,” McVay said. “And that’s both a credit to [them and] some of the veterans we have as well.”
For rookies, it’s been nonstop football since the spring of 2016.
They went through spring practice and training camp before their final college seasons, played 12 to 13 games, and then jumped immediately into preparation for the NFL scouting combine and the draft. They attended rookie camp with the Rams, went through off season workouts and minicamps and then training camp before participating in preseason games.
Now they are going into their 12th regular season game — with four more to play and the possibility of playoffs.
None of the first-year players said they have hit the so-called “rookie wall,” when mental and physical fatigue set in.
“I don’t want to jinx myself,” Kupp said, “but I don’t think I’ve hit it. Taking care of your body and having a love for the game helps too.”
Veterans said the rookie wall was a real thing.
“I still experience it now,” fourth-year safety Lamarcus Joyner said. “I still have to talk myself through it because you just have to find a way to keep grinding and persevering.”
The rookie class showed its capability the first time it met after the draft, Johnson said.
“Once I got around the guys, I knew we were all hard-working,” he said. “I knew we’re all low-maintenance and get-in-the-work type of guys. So it feels good to me to see us actually out there helping the team.”
Ebukam, born in Nigeria and a fourth-round pick from Eastern Washington, did not participate in offseason workouts because of an NFL rule that forbids rookies from fully participating until the school’s spring term is complete. Ebukam then suffered a hamstring injury early in training camp, setting him back.
“When he came into camp, he worked real hard,” Phillips said. “We noticed that real quick. He had a good work ethic, so that helped him fit in real well.”
Ebukam has played on special teams in every game, but he first made his mark with a sack against the Houston Texans that forced a fumble. Last week he sacked Saints quarterback Drew Brees for an 11-yard loss.
“He’s played well, rookie-wise, for the time he’s been in there,” Phillips said, adding, “He’s got a lot of energy and I like that.”
Ebukam described the starting opportunity as a “dream come true.”
Once he gets through the first play against the Cardinals, he said, the nervousness will end.
“It’s the fight or flight scenario,” he said. “Every play I’m going to fight. That’s all I know.”
gary.klein@latimes.com
Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @latimeskleinDecember 6, 2017 at 1:45 am #78460znModeratorEbukam Plays Well in First Career Start
Kristen Lago
Outside linebacker Samson Ebukam became the fifth Rams rookie to start in a game this season, filling in for the injured Connor Barwin on Sunday.
“A dream come true,” Ebukam said. “I thought I was going to get tired, but all the adrenaline was going through me so I wasn’t ready to leave the field at all.”
Although Week 13 marked the rookie’s first career start, it wasn’t his first time stepping into such a big role.
The fourth-round draft pick out of Eastern Washington has rotated in with Barwin’s throughout the year. Through 12 games, Ebukam has made a name for himself as an important contributor on both special teams and defense — recording 20 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, and one forced fumble.
And while he has been a mainstay on field this season, Sunday was admittedly a bit nerve-wrecking for Ebukam.
But nerves aside, the rookie says he still had an “awesome” time in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals.
“I think it went pretty good,” he said. “I have to give thanks to the rest of the team because they really helped me out with a couple of the things I didn’t know.”
But pretty good is quite the understatement.
In all, Ebukam finished tied for second on the team with five solo tackles in 48 defensive snaps.
Head coach Sean McVay said he “thought Samson was outstanding,” noting that there was no dropoff between the eight-year pro in Barwin and the rookie.
“He continued to show up down in and down out,” McVay said. “I thought he made an influence in the rush package and did a nice job when we were playing in some of our base as well.”
Overall, this weekend marked a good first step for Ebukam. He is expected to get the starting job once again in Week 14, as McVay said Barwin will “more than likely be out” for Sunday’s contest against the Eagles.
December 6, 2017 at 6:40 am #78461
nittany ramModeratorIt also means that he needs to develop a more sophisticated wine tasting palette, and work on his french a bit, so the accent’s more natural (for small talk, comme vous le savez). Plus he needs to spend more time at art exhibits to elevate his sense of nuance.
Exactly.
That’s certainly what pushed him to the fourth round.
I heard he was unable to discern the difference between Cubism and Fauvism on the Wonderlich test.
Which is why I continue to have doubts about him.
December 14, 2017 at 7:58 pm #78947znModeratorI’m disappointed that Ebukam isn’t making a bigger splash.
He hasn’t been bad but he also hasn’t really flashed.
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