Which Current Players Should The Rams' "Big 3" Aspire To Be Like?

Here are my comparisons:

Julio Jones = Vincent Jackson
Jones and Jackson are both big, powerful WRs who can also run. Hopefully, Jones will prove to be better off the field than Jackson has been in recent years, while producing similar numbers on the field.

Aldon Smith = John Abraham
Virtually the same height and weight, both players are explosive off the edge, but can play every down. If Smith can develop into the kind of pass rusher Abraham has been, he'll be a big success.

Corey Liuget = Tommy Harris
Liuget compares favorably to Harris who, before his injuries, was a consistent and very productive member of a DL that had a lot of success in this league.

If we're talking aspiring, I'd rather Jones aspire to be a Fitzgerald.

That's fine, but he's not really the same type of player. Jones is bigger (weight) and faster, but does not have Fitz's hands or route-running ability.

Fitz is also a team leader, team player and high character type. (I am thinking back to his willingness to renegotiate his contract so the Cardinals could resign Boldin).

All things to aspire too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Richbert88

Fitz is also a team leader, team player and high character type. (I am thinking back to his willingness to renegotiate his contract so the Cardinals could resign Boldin).

All things to aspire too.

---

Doesn't really seem like the point of this topic though. He's only talking about on the field attributes, and what each of these players could most easily resemble. Jones is faster and stronger than Fitz and he will need to use those skills to his advantage (like VJax does) because he does not possess Fitz's hands or route running abilities. So VJax is a dead on example while Fitz doesn't really fit with Jones' game.

I think a good comparison for Aldon Smith would be Osi Umenyiora. One of Aldon's strengths as a Tiger was when they lined up in the "Scorpion" formation (3 DE's on the field) with Aldon at DT. He would make opposing guards look silly, either by pushing them to the side with his surprising amount of strength, or running right past them. He was also very good when he would stunt towards the middle.

I haven't watched much of the Giants, but I did see Osi's 6 sack game and he did a lot of his damage by attacking the guards rather than the traditional way of getting around the tackles. They are also both around 6'4 260, and I think Aldon could end up being a very similar DE (with possibly more explosiveness). Versatility on the d-line is also a big thing in a Spags led defense, Osi showed that in his time under Spags and Aldon has already shown that with such things as the "Scorpion" formation at Mizzou.

Here's what I was talking about with the Scorpion. Check 2:20 and 3:55 especially.

YouTube - Aldon Smith vs. Illinois

I like the Aldon Smith/Osi Umenyiora comparison, given that Osi was a Spags product.

Some other comparisons:

Ryan Kerrigan---Kyle Vanden Bosch
Da'Quan Bowers---Will Smith
Cameron Jordan---Richard Seymour
Robert Quinn---Jason Taylor

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by iStillBelieve

Doesn't really seem like the point of this topic though. He's only talking about on the field attributes, and what each of these players could most easily resemble.

---

Exactly. Think of it this way... when Kemba Walker enters the NBA, he could aspire to be Magic Johnson but, considering he's 6'1, a player like Isiah Thomas might be a more realistic goal.

I'd compare Julio Jones to a lesser extent of Jerry Rice. They're both are WCO-type receivers that makes the short catches and makes the chunk of yardage through running and tiring out opposing defenses. Vincent Jackson runs the Air Coryell offense.

I don't think Jones is unable to run longer patterns, I just think that's not how Alabama plays offense.

Julio Jones should aspire to be like Randy Moss because McD coached moss in 2007 and just imagine if Jones can have a season like that.

Corey Luiget should aspire to be better than Barry Coefield. Coefield was a key reason the Giants were so good defensively. Coefield stopped runs up the middle well and was disruptive every now and then. Luiget should be more consistently disruptive and play the run as well as coefield.

Aldon Smith should aspire to have the same impact on the Defense that Osi did with the giants. Be quick off the edge on every play.

Whoever we draft should aspire to do great within our offensive and defensive systems.