LOS ANGELES — When one looks around a Rams practice at California Lutheran University, it’s impossible to miss the Georgia influence; in the quarterbacks, the offensive line and the secondary.
The Eagles have consumed all the talk when it comes to Bulldogs in the NFL, but the Rams have invested in Georgia products as well. This camp, they feature five former Bulldogs: quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett IV, offensive tackle Warren McClendon, cornerback Derion Kendrick and safety Richard LeCounte III.
That’s the second-highest total of Bulldogs on one team behind only those Eagles (six), who’ve drafted five players from the past two championship Georgia teams. The Rams’ initial roster should include at least four (LeCounte is battling for a spot while the others are starters or recent draftees).
The quarterbacks naturally draw the most attention. Stafford and Bennett are among the more prominent signal-callers in school history. Stafford became a No. 1 overall pick, a franchise quarterback for the Lions and eventually a Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Rams two seasons ago. Bennett, of course, is the former walk-on who wound up leading the Bulldogs to consecutive national titles, an unmatched achievement.
Stafford, 35, is in the latter stage of his career and has dealt with injury issues. The Rams drafted Bennett in the fourth round in April to address their backup quarterback spot, which means Bennett could be thrust into an NFL game at any point. Bennett has enjoyed having Stafford as a mentor. The two met when Bennett’s Bulldogs played in the College Football Playoff Championship game at SoFi Stadium in January.
“When you’re watching the game as a kid, you’re watching as a kid,” Bennett said. “I never (imagined I’d play with Stafford). You’re just a fan, just watching it and not thinking about anything. That’s what makes the game so pure for most people.”
And while two Bulldogs quarterbacks as teammates is a nice story, it doesn’t mean anything football-wise.
“Not much at all, really,” Bennett said when asked how much the UGA connection actually matters. “We were there so far apart. I’m sure they stayed at different dorms. It was a completely different thing when he was there. But it is a tie. The more time you spend with him, as long as you’re a cool dude and you jell, then you vibe. But no, it doesn’t really matter.”
McClendon was a steady presence along the Bulldogs’ acclaimed offensive line. He started 37 consecutive games before an MCL injury costed him the Peach Bowl. He returned in the championship game against TCU. McClendon allowed only two sacks in his college career. He was integral on an offensive line that surrendered only nine sacks during the Bulldogs’ 15-0 campaign.
Kendrick was one of the team’s top cornerbacks when it broke through in 2021. He arrived from Clemson, becoming one of the more notable transfers of the Kirby Smart era. He was one of five defenders to start every game in the first championship season, logging a team-best four interceptions. He was the defensive MVP in Georgia’s win over Michigan in the Orange Bowl.
Despite appearing in the College Football Playoff each of his three seasons with Clemson (and winning a title in his freshman year), Kendrick acknowledged he would have liked to spend more time in Athens.
“I’m very thankful,” Kendrick said of his time at Georgia. “I really wish I’d have gone there all four years, kind of. That one year meant a lot to me.” He’d had some off-field issues coming from Clemson, and Kendrick noted Georgia was a place where he matured. Kendrick also remembered running back James Cook letting him live with him over the summer before the season started after he’d had issues getting housing. Kendrick and Cook, currently with the Bills, remain good friends.
LeCounte has spent time with the Browns and Rams since the former drafted him in 2021. He’s a notable figure in Georgia history as Smart’s first commitment in December 2015. LeCounte, from Liberty County High School, was a five-star recruit and ranked No. 8 on ESPN’s 300 at the time. Also, he’s known Bennett since high school and lobbied for Smart to take the Blackshear native.
“I’m enjoying everything I’ve seen here in L.A., the coaches, the staff, the culture of football around here is different; I love it, it’s like being back at Georgia,” LeCounte said. “Just demanding what young men are supposed to be demanded of from their coaches. Being responsible, accountable, doing things that I’ve been doing all my life. Getting back in the flow of football, in the flow of doing things every day the same way.
“I think it’s special (we have so many Georgia products here). It’s like that same Georgia feeling, that at-home feeling. I feel very comfortable. I miss home sometimes, but being here with this staff and these guys, I don’t feel like I’m missing anything too much.”
The Rams long have been a friend of the Georgia program. Todd Gurley, perhaps at his peak the best running back to come out of Georgia in decades – that’s quite the compliment (Nick Chubb has a strong case, too) – was an MVP candidate for the franchise. They drafted linebacker Alec Ogletree in the first round in 2013. Linebacker Leonard Floyd won a championship with L.A. Former Bulldogs running back Thomas Brown became a rising coaching candidate under Rams coach Sean McVay (Brown now is the offensive coordinator for the Panthers). Running back Sony Michel played for the team, too, but recently retired. McVay wasn’t a Bulldog, but count him as a bonus; he played football at Marist School.
This year, Los Angeles is much younger than it’s been in recent years, when it’d been all-in, but that means potential opportunities for younger players such as Kendrick and McClendon. Stafford’s health perhaps will be the largest factor if the Rams are going to surpass expectations and return to the playoffs.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
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