Ram Digest

EXCLUSIVE: Sleeper WR Prospect Ready to Become Next Rams Unheralded Pass-Catcher

Darius Maxwell, like many players across the country are ready to fight for their NFL opportunity but his background and approach to the game may be his ticket to the Rams
Brock Vierra|
Nov 11, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; The Los Angeles Rams and Salute to Service logos in the end zone at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nov 11, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; The Los Angeles Rams and Salute to Service logos in the end zone at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Rams

There are more undrafted players than first overall picks in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For every John Elway, there's a Jamarcus Russell. Why? Because evaluating prospects and making selections is not a science, it's an art and the artform relies on a watchful eye, an incredible amount of luck and the stability of a franchise to properly coach up and put a player in positions to succeed.

It's easy to call Jamarcus Russell a bust. It's hard to recognize or perhaps accept that no one was going to win in the situation Russell was put in with Oakland. Just like it is easy to say Elway is an all time great. It's not so easy to say that the Baltimore Colts, the team that drafted him, would have ended Elway's career before it got started.

So when other's question how a team can fix it's financial situation as quickly as the Rams did after Super Bowl LVI despite lacking in draft capital, it's due to the fact Sean McVay and his staff can coach and that ability allows them to take raw talent and mold them into championship players.

Coming from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pass catcher Darius Maxwell is ready to make that jump from little known Lincoln University to the NFL. While he's not on many teams current radar, his film and views of the game may turn him from a UDFA to a valued producer.

I spoke with Maxwell recently as he prepares for his pre-draft process. While he's prepared to take any opportunity by the horns, he expressed a desire to stay in California. Talking about the Rams, I asked him how he would fit in the McVay offense. Maxwell responded

"I see myself fitting into Coach McVay’s offense in the same way they use Tutu Atwell. I’m a true deep-threat receiver who can stretch the field, but I can also run crisp routes, take jet sweeps, and contribute in multiple ways its all on my film. My background as a former quarterback gives me a unique edge, allowing me to read defenses pre-snap, recognize blitzes, and be a quarterback-friendly target. Above all, I work hard to ensure I’m comfortable on the field, because when you’re confident, you can play freely and add your own style. If you’re just out there moving from point A to point B like a robot, you’re not playing at your full potential."

Maxwell remains a question as we have yet to see him go against NFL-caliber defenders but considering the strength of his game comes from the mental, how he's able to find holes in coverages could be the key. While we wait for his process to finish, Maxwell is a player to watch and a chess piece that could elevate the Rams to where they want to go.

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Brock Vierra
BROCK VIERRA

Brock Vierra, a UNLV graduate, is the Los Angeles Rams Beat Writer On Sports Illustrated. He also works as a college football reporter for our On Sports Illustrated team.

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