Sebastian Joseph-Day named Rams' most underappreciated player
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theramswire.usatoday.com]
Cameron DaSilva
Nose tackle is a thankless position along the defensive line. It’s not a spot that yields many sacks or big plays, but it is a key position that sets the tone up front – especially against the run.
As a result, Sebastian Joseph-Day doesn’t get much credit or praise from casual fans, but he’s one of the more important players on defense for the Rams. He was excellent against the run last season and offers some upside as a pass rusher, too.
NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund named the most underappreciated player on each team and for the Rams, Joseph-Day was the pick.
Joseph-Day made 55 tackles on 400 defensive snaps, good for a 13.8 percent rate — the highest among interior defensive linemen, per NGS (min. 300 snaps). On rushing downs, he significantly limited yards gained (ranking sixth-best among interior DLs) and first downs/touchdowns (ninth-best). PFF awarded him a 80.6 overall grade during the 2020 regular season, the third-best mark on the Rams’ defense (behind only Aaron Donald and John Johnson).
It’s hard to stand out on a defense that also features Donald and Jalen Ramsey, as well as Darious Williams and Leonard Floyd. But Joseph-Day is a big reason the Rams finished third in rushing defense last season. His 55 tackles ranked seventh on the team, ahead of Michael Brockers, Kenny Young, Samson Ebukam and even Donald.
Keep an eye on Joseph-Day in 2021 as he continues to progress at the NFL level.
