Introducing the Rams' 2014 Draft Class: EJ Gaines

BamaRam

Thu May 22, 2014: I used to be an editor for an online draft blog and I kind of miss it. So I decided to do a little detailed series of write-ups introducing the Rams’ rookies. I won’t be going in any particular order, but I hope to offer some insight for those who may not be too familiar with our newest Rams.

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Jul 10, 2014: Been a bit of a gap between these posts. Busy Summer.

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EJ Gaines

6th round, 188th overall
EJ Gaines | CB | Missouri

Combine:
5’10”
190 lbs
30 3/8″ arms
9 3/8″ hands
15 bench press reps

NFL.com Grade: 5.24 (NFL Backup or special teams potential)
Bamaram Grade: 5.20 (NFL Backup or special teams potential)

EJ Gaines put together an impressive career as a local boy at Mizzou. He had some late buzz approaching the draft as a mid-round corner but many forget he made first team All-SEC this season and was first team All-Big 12 in 2011.

Gaines’ is a tough corner. He fits in with the mentality we are trying to build in the secondary with gritty, feisty players who like to talk. Gaines won’t be quiet on the field and won’t let receivers get by him on the line of scrimmage without giving them a little business. He’s a high-effort player who has figured out ways to compensate for his lack of size and athleticism.

Gaines best attribute is his willingness to hit. He had 75 tackles last season for the Tigers (3rd on the team) to go along with his impressive 5 INT’s. Gaines is not afraid of contact and is excellent at playing the run. He wraps up well and knows how to tackle guys significantly bigger than he is. He should primarily be used in zone as his recovery speed is poor and his overall twitchiness is average.

He has experience in Nickel and Dime defenses. He was lined up all over the field. Should primarily be seen as a nickel/dime guy in the NFL. He’ll be forced to rely on the boundary if he lines up outside.

Another big perk of Gaines is he is a battle-tested coverage guy on special teams. He has been great in that role and that should translate fairly easily. As a 6th round pick, special teams may be his best way onto the 53 and he already has a lot of experience in that unit.

The physical upside is limited at best. He is short, has very short arms, small hands, and has very average athleticism overall. He is built well at 190 lbs for a 5’10 CB. As stated, he is simply not built to be a boundary corner but after a couple years on ST he may be able to shift into the nickel/dime role.

As a rookie Gaines could make the team as a ST specialist. They are always needed. It doesn’t hurt that our depth chart at the CB position is so thin. He has a shot to make it in as the #5 CB should we keep one. He brings a good attitude and a desire to tackle — something not seen from a lot of corners. His size and athleticism are pretty typical for late round CB’s — there are many guys floating at the bottom of depth charts with similar attributes. Gaines needs to bust his butt on ST and hope his zone skills and tackling ability get him defensive reps.
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