IDP Spotlight - LB Pisa Tinoisamoa, St. Louis Rams
|
Posted 8/24 by Shawn Culcasi, Exclusive to Footballguys.com
|
Culcasi's Thoughts
Pisa Tinoisamoa's game is built on explosion. An impressive athlete with good
speed and a great feel for the game, his size (6'0 230) brought up questions
about his ability to play linebacker at the top level, but an incredible performance
at the scouting combine left the Rams ready to take that chance (43rd overall
selection in 2003). Tinoisamoa fit well into DC Lovie Smith's "speed over
size" system and he flourished, being thrust into the starting lineup from
day one. Now, Tinoisamoa is considered the most promising prospect of an LB
unit in St.Louis that includes Robert Thomas and Tommy Polley.
As a rookie, Tinoisamoa posted one of the best all-around statlines in the
game. 65 solo tackles, two sacks, three interceptions, four forced fumbles and
seven passes defended. The solo tackles may have been hindered by his position
on the strongside, but he's only scratched the surface on his versatility. With
his speed, he's used heavily in the Rams coverage schemes and looks like a natural
prospect at WLB. Whether or not he ever makes the move across the formation
could determine his long-term fantasy potential.
With Lovie Smith heading to Chicago, Larry Marmie takes over as the Rams defensive
coordinator. They have similar visions so expect few changes to be made. Marmie
does like a little more size along the defensive line, especially at tackle,
but he's been dealt three underperforming ex-first rounders that he has to utilize.
Pisa Tinoisamoa has the ability to be an elite player at this level, but he
needs to be protected because of his size and would seriously benefit from a
couple of space eaters up front.
Positives
- Impressive all-around skills, continued development could leave him among
the leagues elite linebackers. He makes up for a lack of ideal size with great
speed and awareness. Experience should polish his game.
- Few changes will be made, even with a change at defensive coordinator. The
scheme emphasizes speed while sacrificing size, making Tinoisamoa a perfect
fit with his intensity and sideline-to-sideline ability.
Negatives
- At 6'0 230, he doesn't have prototypical size, especially for a strongside
linebacker. He could have trouble taking on and shedding blocks, making it
very important that he be protected in the Rams scheme.
- Tinoisamoa's aggressiveness sometimes gets the best of him and he often
overpursues, taking himself out of position to make plays. Learning to harness
his aggressive play should come with experience.
- A sketchy past. He spent four months in prison after being convicted of
felony assault as a high school senior.
- Inconsistency. Another aspect of his game that should improve with experience.
Dominating at times, invisible during others. Posting nine games last year
with three or fewer solo tackles.
Final Thoughts
On the surface, it looks like there isn't much holding Pisa Tinoisamoa back
from becoming a star, as long as he's able to fight through the responsibilities
of a strongside linebacker. In the middle, Robert Thomas is a budding star himself,
and Tommy Polley is the epitome of unrealized potential at WLB. This could turn
into very formidable trio for years to come. It's hard to imagine Tinoisamoa
improving on last years statline, but development into his second NFL season
should leave him on the verge of becoming a top 30 LB. If/when the Rams tire
of waiting for Tommy Polley on the weakside, watch out. The Rainbow Warrior
would be a monster with a switch to WLB.
Quotes from the IDP Spotlight Message Thread:
To view the entire thread, click here: LB
Pina Tinoisamoa, St. Louis Rams
grady:
"I don't really know how to feel about this guy. He has potential, and
he is poised to become a leader on the StL defense, but with the loss of Grant
Wistrom and the legal trouble of Leonard Little, I am not sure about the 4 guys
in front of him. I think he will see a lot of blocks from the O-line as the
D-line struggles to get penetration. Another thing that hinders his fantasy
value is that he is buried on the strong side. In that defense, the SLB has
never been an impact player."
Projections
Source |
Solo
|
Asst
|
Sacks
|
INT
|
PD
|
FF
|
FR
|
FntPts
|
Aaron Rudnicki |
74
|
15
|
2.5
|
3
|
8
|
3
|
1
|
117.0
|
Shawn Culcasi |
70
|
14
|
3.0
|
4
|
7
|
4
|
1
|
119.0
|
Spotlight Consensus |
70
|
15
|
1.0
|
0
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
87.5
|
IDP Scoring System
1 pt per Solo Tackle
0.5 pt per Assisted Tackle
3 pts per Sack
4 pts per Interception
1 pt per Pass Defensed
2 pts per Forced Fumble
2 pts per Fumble Recovery
|