Rams already have the Aaron Donald replacement on the roster, one national outlet says
Kobie Turner may not be Aaron Donald, but he is the next best thing for the Los Angeles Rams.
As the Los Angeles Rams turn to the future, the team may already have its building block of the future on the roster.
Bleacher Reports' David Kenyon put together a list of all 32 teams' best young building blocks, Turner made the list for the Rams, who are looking to rebuild the defensive front with the retirement of Aaron Donald.
"Kobie Turner is not Aaron Donald," Kenyon writes. "Also, if the Rams get similar production from Turner in 2024 compared to his rookie year, look out. Turner gathered 57 tackles with nine sacks and 20 pressures. Anything close to those numbers would be hugely encouraging on a youth-filled line."
Turner knows he has big shoes to fill heading into the 2024 season. The good news is he has his head in the right place to do so.
"It's definitely a difficult inner battle for sure," Turner said, via Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic. "It's going back again to the things that allowed me to be successful last year, and that is again having that growth mindset and attacking each day individually. Also, being able to have guys like coach (Sean) McVay — he has pulled me aside, and we have had discussions about that, too. I don't need to be anyone else other than who I am. I don't need to be chasing any numbers, or anything like that.
"Go about each day the same way that I did last year, with that same focus. Of course, with AD leaving — it can be very easy to put a lot of that pressure on myself. There is definitely a lot of responsibility. I think pressure makes diamonds, so as long as I keep it in the right frame, then I am going to come out much better from this. I think I already am growing so much. Keeping it in that right mentality, allowing it to build me up and never letting it get overwhelming and keeping the focus on how I attack every single day — not on some sort of output, but the process."
Turner's 22 QB pressures when double-teamed were second-most among defensive tackles last season, per Next Gen Stats, behind only Quinnen Williams (24).
He will now have to live up to his status as the featured name on the defensive line.
Rams hit a diamond in the rough last NFL Draft that’s already proven himself
The rookie has been nothing short of excellent for the Rams defense.
One rookie’s recent success shows exactly why the Rams are a top-notch organization
Puka Nacua’s success has been written about extensively, and rightfully so.
