The Los Angeles Rams defensive line was irrevocably changed this offseason for two reasons; future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Aaron Donald’s retirement and long-time defensive line coach, Eric Henderson moved on to coach with the USC Trojans.
This started a whirlwind search to replace both. To replace Donald, they drafted two more defensive linemen, Jared Verse and Braden Fiske — adding to their 2023 standouts, Byron Young and Kobie Turner.
To replace Henderson, they brought in Giff Smith. Smith was not only put in charge of turning high potential into high production but also replacing the irreplaceable Aaron Donald. After, just eight games the defensive line has risen to the top of the quarterback pressure ranks and has improved against the run.
And the football world is starting to take notice. On Inside the NFL, Chris Long singled out Giff Smith for turning this group of young defensive linemen into one of the league’s best.
Rams Defensive Line Coach Getting Recognition
Long praised Smith’s role in developing the young core of players that make up the defensive line, calling it a daycare center because it is largely made up of first or second-year players. Jared Verse and Braden Fiske are both rookies and Kobie Turner and Byron Young were drafted in 2023. The only defensive lineman who has more than two years of experience and has played at least 50 percent of the team’s defensive snaps is Michael Hoecht.
Smith was most recently the interim head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, where he was also the outside linebackers coach. He had been with the organization since 2016, where he also worked with Henderson for two seasons. Smith worked as a coach in the college ranks from 1996 to 2009 until getting his first NFL opportunity with the Buffalo Bills in 2010 where he coached for three seasons, before moving on to the Tennessee Titans for two seasons.
