Rams' Sean McVay celebrates 2 rookies for massive efforts in Week 9

When the Los Angeles Rams traded up to acquire Braden Fiske out of Florida State in the 2024 NFL draft, it was a major risk.

Sure, Fiske looked like a top-40 player, and he played alongside Jared Verse in college, who the Rams drafted at pick 19 the day before, but was he really going to be worth two second-round picks plus, which is what Les Snead dished out to secure his services? Well, if his Week 9 performances against the Seahawks are of any indication, the answer is a resounding yes, as the pride of FSU finished out the game with two sacks, two QB hits, two tackles for a loss, and four total tackles for his efforts.

Discussing what he saw from Fiske in Week 9 and if it helped to justify the decision to trade up for his services, Sean McVay celebrated his efforts, noting that the rookie interior rusher did a bang-up job in Seattle .

"Yeah, you look at it and there are always these draft charts and different things like that. When we were able to get Jared and then you look at the consistent across-the-board love that we had for Braden Fiske, we wanted to figure out a way to be able to go get him and pair him up with some of the other guys that we had in-house when you look at Kobie Turner and Bobby Brown III and then being able to see both Kobie and Byron [Young] in their second years and what Michael Hoecht can do as a versatile chess piece," McVay told reporters.

"He's done a really good job and he's been so steady and consistent. This guy's demeanor, he loves the game, he loves to compete, and I think he's getting more and more comfortable, and I think he's really understanding what we're trying to get done. I can't say enough about the job that [Defensive Coordinator] Chris [Shula] and our other defensive coaches have done to put these guys in good spots."

Now granted, Week 9 was undoubtedly Fiske's best game as a pro; very few players have double-digit sacks weekly, and even a few string together multiple similar performances in a row over a rookie season. With that being said, the fact that Fiske was able to do this is incredibly encouraging and a sign of good things to come for the future, especially since he wasn't the only rookie to shine.

Sean McVay was also impressed with Omar Speights for the Rams

While Fiske earned plenty of praise from the Rams head coach, he wasn't the only rookie that McVay wanted to credit for their efforts in Week 9. Turning his attention from the defensive line to the linebackers corps, McVay shouted out Omar Speights, who has been a revelation at inside linebacker over the past few weeks.

"I've seen a guy that's consistently put in the work. You can see he's got a routine and a rhythm that he has established where he's doing extra work, taking care of his body, he's got film [and is] very conscientious. This guy was a pro. I use the word a lot as it relates to this rookie class, especially the guys on defense. They're grown men, and they're mature beyond their years," McVay told reporters.

"I think that's been reflected in Omar Speights and that's why you're not surprised that when he does get an opportunity to be able to step up and play more snaps, he makes his impact felt. He certainly did that yesterday and I've been really happy for him. [Inside Linebackers Coach] Greg Williams does a great job leading that group. We've had a lot of different guys playing at that spot. Yesterday, Omar made some big plays and I thought [Christian] Rozeboom had a really good game. I thought he was productive. I thought he made a lot of different plays and was able to influence and affect the game in a positive way, but Omar's a stud [and] mature beyond his years for a rookie."

Coming to LA as a UDFA from LSU, Speights isn't going to immediately step in and make fans forget about Ernest Jones IV, especially while they are sharing the field together in Week 9. With that being said, he might just be able to make fans forget about Troy Reeder, who has been one of the worst linebackers in the NFL so far this season. If he can at least serve as a solid, steady starter in the middle of the defense, that's more than most can expect from a rookie UDFA.