Taylor Rapp battling back after preseason injury
A year removed from recording 100 tackles in his rookie season for the Los Angeles Rams, second-year safety Taylor Rapp is still contributing in 2020 despite suffering a training camp injury. In August, Rapp suffered a knee injury that sidelined him until early September, causing him to lose valuable practice reps before the season.
Even with the setback, Rapp was ready for Week 1 of this season and has played in all six games so far. He has recorded 33 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended in the Rams’ 4-2 start.
Because of his absence at training camp, the door was opened for rookie Jordan Fuller out of Ohio State to take his starting spot at strong safety. Despite losing his starting job, Rapp still prepared every week as if he was the starter.
"It's definitely been tough for me, but every week I really prepare like I'm a starter no matter what," Rapp said. "If I'm an actual starter playing 100 percent of the defense (snaps), or whether that's 15, 20, 30 snaps on defense, or just a special teams player, I'm going to prepare like I'm a starter."
During the Rams’ Week 3 matchup with the Buffalo Bills, Fuller suffered a shoulder injury, opening the door back up for Rapp. After Fuller’s injury, Rapp stepped in and played 55 percent of the defensive snaps after 24 percent in Week 2 and 21 percent in Week 1.
Fuller eventually re-injured his shoulder in Week 6, landing him on the IR. Rapp was Fuller’s replacement at starter in Week 4 and Week 6, his only two starts of the season. Last season, Rapp played in all 16 games and started in ten games.
"You never know when someone goes down, obviously (with) the unfortunate injury with Jordan," Rapp said. "So you always want to be prepared."
Los Angeles defensive coordinator Brandon Staley also commented on Fuller’s injury but says he has full confidence in the other players on the roster.
"Anytime you lose a player like Jordan, it stings," Staley said during a video conference with reporters following Week 3. "But we have full confidence in those guys to play equally good football. E.J. (Ejiro) Evero does a great job coaching those guys."
Prior to his career in the NFL with the Rams, Rapp played college football at Washington. The Rams drafted Rapp in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
A three-year starter at Washington, Rapp totaled 168 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions six sacks, and six passes defended. During his rookie season with the Rams, Rapp had 100 tackles, eight passes defended, three tackles for loss, and two interceptions with a touchdown.
Rapp was a former 247Sports Composite three-star recruit and the No. 27 ranked safety in the recruiting class of 2016.
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