Rams' Rookie Replacements Have Less Experience Than You Think

As I've been highlighting all week, the Rams at week 2 are already in code red for injuries. All three of their tight ends are hurt, and they are calling up a practice squad player to start at DT:

Two St. Louis Rams rookies are expected to make their regular-season debuts Sunday when the Redskins visit the Edward Jones Dome....Defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo, an undrafted rookie from NCAA Division II Central Oklahoma, is likely to be promoted from the practice squad to fill in for Clifton Ryan. Tight end Fendi Onobun, a sixth-round draft pick out of Houston, will be active for the first time.

What you may not know is how little football experience these guys have. Let's start with TE, Onobun. He played 4 years of basketball at Arizona....even appearing in a Sweet-16. After his run there, he returned to his home town of Houston to play a year of football, a sport he had not played since he was in the 7th grade. As you can tell by his Pro Day workout, the guy is a physical specimen (6'5" 250) - one that would make Ken blush faster than a tweener at a Jonas Brothers concert.

However, for being a 6th round pick this year, it baffled me to see he only had 2 career receptions at HOU. Yes, two. After a stellar private workout, the Rams selected him to be a work in progress and special teams star. Now here he is seeing his first NFL action. Dear gracious. 

As for Jermelle Cudjo...

Cudjo originally made the final 53-man roster but was cut after week 1 to make room for a TE. When Clifton Ryan went down, they resigned Cudjo, who had cleared waivers.The former Central Oklahoma Broncho (yes, that's how it is spelled), was a standout and actually had 2 sacks in NFL pre-season play. He's 6"2 - 299 lbs, but played last year against teams you've never heard of - a huge gap from the talent at the NFL level.

It's a stretch to say the Redskins are playing 11-10 on both sides of the ball, but the Rams are definitely not playing with a full deck of cards.