Instant analysis: Rams may have gotten a steal with athletic freak Robert Rochell
Every year, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic releases a list of players he calls “freaks” before the college football season. Some of the players are more recognizable names, like Kwity Paye and Jayson Oweh. But others hail from smaller schools, like Robert Rochell, the newest member of the Los Angeles Rams.
Rochell, as well as Tutu Atwell, was highlighted by Feldman for his bounce, displaying incredible athleticism at Central Arkansas. He backed it up with a dominant pro day, running a 4.39 in the 40, jumping 43 inches in the vertical and posting a broad jump of 11 feet, 1 inch – which is even shorter than what his college coach Nathan Brown said he jumped previously (11 feet, 8 inches).
Athleticism isn’t everything for a cornerback, but Rochell is an outstanding athlete who can cover, tackle and find the ball in the air (10 interceptions in college). His skill set could make him a steal for the Rams in the fourth round.
Rochell earned a third-round grade from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked him 96th overall on his big board, ahead of corners such as Benjamin St-Juste and Ambry Thomas, who were both taken ahead of Rochell.
Although starting as a rookie at cornerback is difficult, Rochell has a good chance to do so with his combination of size, speed and leaping ability, as well as his ball skills. He does need to limit the big plays allowed in coverage when he tries to jump routes, but Rochell has a high ceiling as a boundary corner.
But he doesn’t have to just play outside. He can also give the Rams options in the secondary as a potential slot corner, too, rotating with Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams, who can also move inside to cover certain receivers.
Rochell might not look like a home run right now, but he’s at least a double off the wall given the timing and position he plays. Don’t be surprised if he plays meaningful snaps as a rookie and takes over as a starter in 2022 if Williams isn’t re-signed.
