Where Rams' Defensive Tackles Ranks in Rookie History

By John Turney

The Rams drafted two elite defensive tackles the past two years. So how do they compare vs. others? 

The Los Angeles Rams did hit on a defensive tackle for the second year in a row. Last year it was Kobie Turner. This year it was Braden Fiske

Both racked up meaningful numbers -- e.g., sacks, pressures and QB hits, or all the things they were drafted to do. And that's good. But how good? How do their rookie seasons rank among players at their positions in Rams' history? 

Answer:  Very well. 

They're at or near the top of a franchise list dating back to the 1940s ... and that's not recency bias at work. We looked at all the Rams' rookie defensive tackles in the post-World War II era, and this new fearsome foursome is that accomplished -- even when looking back as some all-time greats.

Here's the list:

1. Aaron Donald, 2014.

Always the first guy on the practice field, Donald was a force as a rookie -- not only pressuring quarterbacks but nailing running backs for losses. Named to the All-Rookie team, the 13th overall pick had nine sacks and 10-1/2 run stuffs en route to a Defensive Rookie-of-the-Year season.

But that's not all. Pro Football Focus (PFF) named him first-team All-Pro, too. 

Among Defensive Players of the Year, only J.J. Watt ranked higher in PFF's grades for defensive interior players, and no defensive interior player ranked higher vs. the run ... not even Watt. There is no question that Donald is the top defensive rookie in Rams' history, regardless of position. 

#99 Aaron Donald with a super-quick swim move and nails a runner for a loss

2. Kobie Turner, 2023.

Turner played a unique role for the Rams in his initial season. He'd relieve the starting nose tackle in base defenses but always had a role in sub packages, often running stunts with Donald. He even tied Donald's franchise record for most sacks as a rookie.

How about that?  "The Conductor" was also All-Rookie and was third in the AP's Defensive Rookie-of-the-Year voting. 

#91 Kobie Turner with quick move for a run stuff

3. Braden Fiske, 2024.

The Rams traded up in the 2024 draft to get Fiske, surrendering a fifth-rounder as well as a 2025 second-round pick to swap second-round choices with Carolina. The move was widely criticized as too costly in draft capital, with ESPN Sports Analytics Writer Seth Walder going to X to call it "the most expensive Day 2 overpay of at least the last six drafts, according to ESPN's draft pick valuations."

Ouch. 

Initially, it seemed the "Worldwide Leader" was right. In his first eight games, Fiske had only one sack. However, he also had 21 pressures, per PFF, a signal of what was to come. Over the second half of the season, he produced eight sacks and 30 pressures. 

Teamed with Turner, Verse and Young, Fiske was part of one the NFL's best nickel packages. Not only was it effective in a Wild Card win over Minnesota; it nearly launched a surprise victory over the Eagles in the divisional round. In the end, Fiske provided first-round value and made Rams' GM Les Snead look like a genius. 

Left defensive interior #55 Braden Fiske gets  in front of All-Pro Lane Johnson

to chase play from backside and forces a run stuff

4. Dick Huffman, 1947.

Huffman played in the 1943 Sugar Bowl game when he was at the University of Tennessee. But then he left school to join the U.S. Marine Corps and fought in the Battle of Saipan and other places in the Pacific. While he was away, the Cleveland Rams chose him in the sixth round of the 1945 NFL draft as a "future" pick -- a move that paid off after Huffman returned to the Univerity of Tennessee and signed with the Rams after his junior year. 

As a rookie, he was as good as any tackle in the league. Playing both ways, he was named first-team All-Pro and, watching film, you can see why. At 6-2 and 250 pounds, he was unusually quick, repeatedly getting into backfields to tackle ball carriers for losses. In one November game, Huffman was a one-man goal-line defense, making four consecutive tackles when the visiting Boston Yanks were inside the Rams' five-yard line.

Result: Turnover on downs.

Left defensive tackle #20 Dick Huffman gets into the backfield and throws runner for a loss

5. Merlin Olsen, 1962.

A Pro Bowler as a rookie, Olsen was like a couple of the Rams' top rookie edge rushers: He was stuck playing for a team that wasn't very good. On a talent-deficient club, he would later say that he could have started at any one of five positions -- center, guard, tackle, defensive end and defensive tackle.

The Rams did toy with him at guard, but the third-overall pick was a natural as a defensive tackle. The 6-5, 265-pound former All-American was the only Rams' defender to elicit an invitation to the Pro Bowl and was on UPI's second-annual All-Rookie team.

Left defensive tackle #74 Merlin Olsen knifes into the backfield for a tackle for loss

6. Larry Brooks, 1972.

After starting the year on the taxi-squad (remember those?), Brooks was put on the active roster six weeks into the season and inserted into the starting lineup where he was a tackling machine -- recording 66 tackles, with a dozen behind the line of scrimmage, including sacks (per NFL gamebooks).

"I like this Larry Brooks," former ABC announcer Howard Cosell said in a late-season Monday Night Football game at Candlestick Park. "He's all over the field."

Part of why Brooks was on what is now called a practice squad was his inexperience. But it was also because the Rams wanted him lighter. A Little All-American at Virginia State, he played at around 275 pounds, and the Rams wanted him at 255. So they let him sit, trim down and learn the nuances of the pro game from vets like Merlin Olsen.

Result: Brooks would go on to lead the Rams defensive linemen in tackles every season he was healthy and played in five Pro Bowl games.

#90 Larry Brooks, on MNF, run free for a run stuff

7. Sean Gilbert, 1992.

At 315 pounds as a rookie, Gilbert is the largest defensive tackle on my list. He ended the year with 54 tackles and five sacks and was yet another All-Rookie defensive interior player who starred for the Rams.

From the right tackle position #90 Sean Gilbert sheds a blocker a stuffs running back

8. Jim Winkler, 1951.

Winkler was so good as a rookie that, by the end of the season he was voted the Rams' top lineman -- offense or defense.

"Jim Winkler has been a terrific defensive tackle," then-Rams' PR director Tex Schramm said. "Give him a couple of years, and we think he'll develop into the National League's all-time greats.

In an oddity of player movement, Winkler yo-yoed from the Rams ... to the 49ers ... then back to the Rams, and let me explain. In 1949, the Rams chose him in the third round of the draft, but in a mish-mash of rules and adjustment changes due to the NFL absorbing AAFC teams, there were often two NFL clubs that held the rights to a player. 

To secure the rights of Army All-American Glenn Davis, whom the Rams coveted, they had to send Winkler to the 49ers along with another player. Then, one month later, the Rams sent two players to the 49ers (one of them Clay Matthews, Sr.) to reacquire the Texas A&M star. So, Winkler was back with the team that drafted him.

But after two years in the 81st Airborne, he contracted an illness that caused him to miss the 1950 season. When he finally could play, he became a starter who not only played well but joined Robustelli, also a rookie, harassing Otto Graham in the NFL title game.

#78 Jim Winkler stuffs a running play

9. Frank Fuller, 1953.

Fuller was a 26th-round draft choice out of Kentucky, so not much was expected of him. But at the Rams' training camp, he made such an impression that when the Baltimore Colts made "an overwhelming offer" for Winkler (a Pro Bowler in 1952), the Rams took it. With Winkler, they felt they were still well-stocked at defensive tackle.

They were right. Though he hurt a knee late in the season, Fuller was voted the team's Rookie of the Year. At 6-4 and 235 pounds, he was a particularly strong pass rusher from his right defensive tackle spot. 

Right tackle #79 Frank Fuller initially inside, changes direction to turn play in

10. Michael Brockers, 2012.

Because of injuries, Brockers got a late start in his first pro season. But once healthy, he was a fine run-stopper for new coach Jeff Fisher's Rams. In 13 games he had 31 tackles and four sacks and was voted to the PFWA All-Rookie team as well as draft guru Mel Kiper's All-Rookie team.

For years the "book" on the Rams was pounding the A-gaps. But when Brockers was joined by 2012 UFA acquisition Kendall Langford, that "book's" narrative closed.

#90 Michael Brockers at right tackle sheds blocker and forces a fumble.

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That's the ten best in our view. Who didn't make the cut? There are maybe a couple that could arguably be in the top ten and a lot that deserve mention. 

In 1954 Art Hauser was solid and started most of the year. 

In 1971 the Rams had two first-year players -- Phil Olsen and Bill Nelson. While Olsen was on the mend from knee surgery the 6-7, 270-pounder stared. When Merlin's younger brother was ready he took over. Together they combined for 57 tackles and eight sacks (each had four). 

Marc Boutte was a third-round pick in 1992 and started almost the entire season at left defensive tackle. And he made plays. No, not in the number of sacks -- he had just one -- but he deflected six passes and forced four fumbles while recording 32 tackles.

In 1959 John LoVetere, who didn't play at a major college. He played at Compton Community College. He was signed as a free agent and started right away at right defensive tackle. 

Fifth-round pick Clifton Ryan didn't start as a rookie in 2007, but he got a lot of snaps while rotating in for starters Le'Roi Glover and fellow rookie Adam Carricker. He was skilled enough to play nose tackle and three-technique while playing every game. He made 48 total tackles had a pair of sacks and forced three fumbles far outperforming Carricker the Rams' first-round pick.

Sebastian Joseph-Day was the starting nose tackle for the Rams in 2019. He was a sixth-round pick out of Rutgers. He didn't play a log of snaps on passing downs but when the Rams were in their base defense he was active, totaled 44 tackles.