Early Camp Impressions: The Battle of the Centers

By Nic Moody | Aug 3, 2015

The St. Louis Rams have possibly the youngest offensive line in the NFL. If fans weren’t already nervous about having two rookies start on the right side, there is also the underlying question of who will win the starting center position for St. Louis.

I predicted Tim Barnes to win the starting position a few months back, but as the first few days of camp commence, I am beginning to question my decision. Tim Barnes got destroyed in his reps at center. Now granted, this is an extremely talented defensive line that the Rams have, but Barnes is simply underperforming, and appears to be in last place.

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The next candidate is Barrett Jones, who has plenty of talent but never got quite where the Rams wanted him to after coming out of Alabama. Jones struggled against the defensive line also, and struggled to keep his footing. Jones could win the starting position, but he has a ways to go.

My new personal favorite is Demetrius Rhaney, who was drafted in the seventh round last year. Rhaney missed all of 2014 by being placed on the injured reserve before the season even began. Rhaney does not have big size, at 6’2 and only 300 lbs., but he is the only center thus far that can hold his own against the defensive line. Rhaney also is the youngest center the Rams have, at 23 years of age.

We probably won’t know more until camp is over and preseason begins, But if the Rams are already going with youth to build for the future, then Demetrius Rhaney makes sense. We will continue to monitor the center job battle throughout camp.

Next: Nick Foles Impresses Early at Camp

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