Sean McVay shouts out Nathan Landman as a spring standout
Rams linebacker Nathan Landman could be the latest surprise to steal a job at that position going into the next season.
Inside linebacker is one position that the Los Angeles Rams braintrust has no problem inserting undrafted free agents and giving them plenty of play time. As such, fans have a high concern level for the unit, on what seems a year-to-year basis.
It’s no different this year, only two of the seven roster candidates were drafted, Chris Paul from Round 5 last year and Tony Fields, another 5th rounder, this one a Cleveland Browns 2021 pick. The other five, Omar Speights, Troy Reeder, Nate Landman, Shaun Dolac, and Elias Neal never got the call. Reeder was last years MIKE#1 before injury shelved him for the season. Speights took over full-time in Week 9 and while flashing at times, was up and down.
Flash forward to March 2025 and news broke that L.A signed Landman as a bolster for the linebacking corps. Most fans were perplexed with addition, his background was as a back up grade, early down run-stopper, quite similar to what the Rams already had in Reeder and Speights. But according to Rams Head coach Sean McVay, Landman has really shown out this spring and the L.A. leader was effusive in his praise during an OTA recap. He told interviewer JB Long:
“When you look at the back end, a couple of guys who really stood out in the back seven— Nate Landman’s a guy we’re really excited about. His leadership, his presence, I think he’s going to do a really nice job… That was a good signing for us…”
Chris Shula praised two new additions on defense:
Poona Ford’s power and motor have exceeded expectations.
Nathan Landman? Commanding communication at the second level.Depth pieces turning heads early. #Rams #Rams #PoonaFord #NathanLandman #LAFB pic.twitter.com/acjkW2a25H
— LAFB Network (@LAFBNetwork) June 6, 2025
The road to L.A.
Signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and although Landman made the Dirty Birds opening roster, his action was limited, leading the Falcons to release him and sign him to the practice squad. He again made the roster in 2023 and when an ijury struck down the starter, Landman stepped in staring 14 of 17 games, accumulating 110 tackles, seven for loss, two sacks and three passes defended. In 2024, he started on the Injured Reserve with calf and quad tears, but put into the lineup again because of injury, rebounded for 81 tackles. This past off-season, the Falcons declined to tender Landman a Restricted Free Agent offer.
Three-star high school recruit with a rugby background. Worked the Colorado Buffalos special teams as a freshman before getting on a fast track and piling up big production numbers, 219 tackles, 23 for loss, six sacks and nine passes defended in his sophomore and junior years. He started out hot in 2020 before a mid-season torn Achilles tendon shut him down. The injury bug bit again in his final college season, tearing up a shoulder and shutting down after seven games. For his Colorado career, Landman tallied 349 tackles, 42 for loss, 10 sacks, and 16 passes defended.
By the numbers
Standing a shade under 6’ 3” and weighing 238 lb, Landman has the right MIKE build. His arms, 30.5”, are quite short compared to NFL standards, but he has big, strong hands. Although long speed is not a strong suit (4.86 forty), his burst is good with a 1.58 10-yard split, 36.5”vert, and 10’ broad. There were differing numbers between his Combine and Pro Day times in a couple of drills. In the 3cone, both a 6.88 and 7.05 are very good indicators of lateral agility and change of direction. 4.32 and 4.43 are both good number in the shuttle, showing flexibility, burst and balance. His modest 20 reps on the bench came on the heels of missing half his final college season with a shoulder injury.
Nathan Landman re-signs with the #falcons. This sums up Landman as a player. Fundamentally sound. Welcome back….. #dirtybirds pic.twitter.com/75H7y2D3hf
— (Mad) Mike Luciano! (@MadMikeSports) March 6, 2024
Game film
He certainly fits the Rams mold of an over-achiever who plays with effort and hustle. Landman has been touted by past coaches as having a high-level football IQ and translating film study into what happens on the field. He has a a downhill, aggressive play style and is adept at reading keys and charging into gaps. Plays a step slow, but understands and takes good pursuit angles. Puts a little thump into his tackles and has 9.4% missed tackle rate, likely due to the short arms not wrapping up. Can play a little high and out of control when charging downhill and can be side-stepped by runners. Not particularly a good stack/shed defender, when blockers get on him they stick. Although he often comes off the field in passing situations, he can get short drops into zone and reads the quarterback’s eyes.
Where Nate Landman fits into the Rams defense
As far as fit, it would have to be the Troy Reeder role as the experienced, two-down inside linebacker. Sean McVay seems to have taken a shine to him, but after watching his pro film, it appears to me that inserting Landman onto the roster over Reeder would be change for the sake of change.
I don’t see him as much of, if any, of an upgrade over Reeder and certainly don’t think taking Omar Speights’ snaps would be in the Rams defense’s best interest. Landman has 20+ games of pro film, so it’s easy to research him on NFL+ replays. Although the recent past tells us the Rams are content with that standard of play at linebacker, they should strive for better than backup grade.