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IDP Spotlight - LB Pisa Tinoisamoa, St. Louis Rams

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

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