Rams believe rookie Samuel Sloman built to handle pressure

Miami of Ohio product effective in second half of games in college

In a season where Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay believes his team can return to the postseason and make a deep playoff run, he’ll lean on the right foot of a kicker that has yet to perform in a NFL regular-season game.

He’ll do so for the first time against the “America’s team,” the Dallas Cowboys in a nationally televised, Sunday evening season opener.

Rookie, seventh-round draft choice Samuel Sloman won the three-man, training camp competition over Lirim Hajrullahu and Austin MacGinnis. The 22-year-old Miami of Ohio product came on late and showed some mental toughness with his ability to handle the pressure of the competition, according to McVay.

“Sam really just made a push these last couple of days and just the pop that he has in his leg,” McVay said. “Some of the youth that he has, and I also was impressed with just the mental toughness in these circumstances.

“You try to create pressure situations while also keeping guys confident. All three of those guys did a nice job, but it was -- it certainly wasn't like a runaway easy decision. Sam was the guy that we felt best about. I think it was really a result of, he kind of played his best in the last couple of days and I liked the way that he handled some of the tough days, the way that he consistently responded as well.”

While a rookie, Sloman believes he can handle the intense pressure situations he’ll have to deal with in the NFL. He’ll get a bit of reprieve with no fans in the stadiums at most places the Rams will play to start the year.

So in that respect, Sloman said it will be a lot like his games in college.

“The toughest place in college was probably either Iowa, because they’re really close to the field, or Army or Marshall just because Army, the students are right behind you,” Sloman said. “They’re kind of heckling you the whole time and Marshall, they got some wild fans there. So, those were probably the three craziest for me.

“Then just being in the NFL is awesome. I’m so, so thankful for the opportunity and I’m really excited to get to play another football game. It’s all new to me, so it’s not going to be weird me not having fans at the games. I played plenty of games in college with not many people there. I think it will be just pretty normal.”

One of the reasons the Rams selected Sloman was his ability to make clutch kicks. Sloman made 27 of 29 on field goals his last two years in college in the second half and in overtime, according to Rams personnel executive Brian Xanders.

Nicknamed the “Kosher Cannon” at Miami, Sloman finished 4 of 5 from 50 yards or more, with a long of 53 yards during his final season at Miami and posted a 69 percent touchback percentage.

Like the guy he’s replacing in Greg Zuerlin, Sloman is a draft pick that gives the Rams some long-term, financial certainty at the position if he’s successful

Sloman is under a rookie contract for the next four years that will pay him $3.37 million, including a total of nearly $700,0000 in total compensation for the 2020 season.

The Rams could use that financial flexibility this year, with over $30 million in dead money and less than $1 million in cap space. Rams general manager Les Snead has to consummate a lucrative deal at some point this season with cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Along with that, he has pending free agents like receiver Cooper Kupp, tight end Gerald Everett and safety John Johnson III.

McVay said one of his jobs will be to temper expectations for Sloman.

“What's important for us too, is you want to make sure that you’re putting him in situations to try to build confidence,” McVay said. “In a lot of instances, that’s where I’ve got to be smart and make sure I’m making good decisions and you try to always do that with your players.”