St. Louis Rams Closing Evaluations: What Grades Do the Linebackers Receive?

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Alec Ogletree: Ogletree, who was projected by many to be one of the Rams’ top defensive performers during 2014, got off to a poor start, accumulating a somewhat disappointing 39 tackles and experiencing several noticeable failures in coverage over his first six games, which culminated in a brief benching near the end of the Rams’ sixth game, a surprising defeat of the Seattle Seahawks.

That obviously sent Ogletree a message, as he accumulated 72 tackles over his final 10 games and wound up leading the defense in tackles for a second straight season, collecting 111 takedowns for the year. He also had two interceptions, four forced fumbles, and 12 passes defended.

Part of the issue seemed to come from the Rams’ early usage of Ogletree; during the early weeks, it often looked like defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was trying to use him as a Von Miller or Khalil Mack-type player, lining him up on the edge at the line of scrimmage. After Ogletree was moved back and allowed to more frequently play in the role that he had during 2013, he was much more successful.

While the Rams may have discovered some of Ogletree’s limitations during 2014, he clearly established himself as a worthy starter who is capable of racking up plenty of tackles on a yearly basis.

GRADE: B

Next: James Laurinaitis