Scheme fit is a big part of where prospects land in the NFL draft and how much success they have at the next level. For cornerback David Long, he landed in a great situation with Wade Phillips as his defensive coordinator.
The Rams’ third-round pick thrived when asked to press receivers at the line of scrimmage with the Wolverines. It was his best trait and consistently knocked wideouts off of their routes. In his career, Long only allowed just 18 receptions on 60 targets.
At his introductory press conference, Long was asked what he likes about Phillips’ scheme. Not surprisingly, he mentioned the frequency with which corners are asked to press.
“I mean, they allow corners to press and that’s what I did at Michigan,” Long said. “So that’s always a plus. And just the identity of the defense. They do a lot of things, and I think it’s a really good defense – a well-rounded defense, so to speak.”
When it came to press coverage, Long was the fourth-best cornerback prospect in the draft, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades. He excelled in Michigan’s scheme, which allowed him to get his hands on wide receivers and reroute them.
Phillips’ defenses typically involve a lot of press, but with Marcus Peters struggling last season and Aqib Talib injured, the Rams went to more zone coverage with their corners playing off the line of scrimmage.
That could change with Long in the mix, especially if he becomes a starter in Year 2. For now, he’s looking forward to learning from Peters and Talib, the latter of whom he watched growing up.
“It wasn’t really like star struck, but knowing those are guys you watched growing up. I think Aqib Talib, his rookie season, I was probably like 11 or something, so that’s a little wild,” Long said. “But it’s a weird feeling being on the same level, not as far as talent level, but just being here now. You always look up to those guys and say that’s where you want to be, and now being on the same playing field, it’s crazy, but it’s also inspiring and makes you want to work harder.
“Those are guys that are really willing to give information and help the next person out, so just kind of carry that torch.”
