Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske had a rookie season that exceeded expectations.
While the 6-foot-4, 291-pound Fiske was already expected to play a major role for the Rams as a starter during his rookie season, the 24-year-old emerged as one of the top rookies in the NFL, finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Fiske finished with the most sacks of any rookie with 8.5 sacks, including five sacks during a four-game stretch in the month of November. That five sack, six tackles for loss and forced fumble stat line led to Fiske winning DROY for the month.
”Maybe in some ways I would say it was surprising, but I think the way I prepared, I believed it,” says Fiske in a one-on-one interview. “I always believed that was the way I was going to set myself up to start my career and just continue to build on that.”
Fiske carried over his sensational performance at the NFL Combine into an even better rookie campaign. The Florida State alum dominated multiple drills for defensive linemen, placing first in the 40-yard-dash, broad jump, vertical jump and tying for first in the 20-yard shuttle among all players at his position.
That standout performance at the Combine lifted his draft projection status from a fourth-round/fifth-round pick into being an early second-round draft pick, where he was selected No. 39 overall by the Rams after they moved up via trade to select Fiske. In fact, Los Angeles wanted Fiske so badly that they moved up from the No. 52 pick and traded their second-round pick and Pick No. 155 with the Carolina Panthers.
The move obviously paid dividends as Fiske and his FSU teammate, Jared Verse, formed the most dynamic rookie duo on the defensive front this past season. Verse ended up winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award after posting 36 tackles and four sacks, garnering 36 of the 50 first-place votes.
”There was a lot that happened during the season, going from a college season to an NFL season to realize how long it truly is to go from July in training camp to mid-January,” says Fiske. “You’re talking six full months of football that you don’t really get in college — you’re usually done by December in college.
“That was what I was most proud of, just fighting through that, because everyone really talks about a rookie wall,” Fiske continues to say. “I think in me and Jared’s case, we didn’t really have that opportunity because early on we were thrown out to the fire, ‘Hey, you guys are going to have to be able to be pieces to this defense. I think we stepped up to the occasion.”
As productive as Fiske was during his rookie season, he outlines wanting to be better in the run defense department. Everyone is well aware of how dynamic Fiske is when it comes to rushing the passer, with his Week 11 sack on New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (2.32 seconds) ranking as the fastest sack of any defensive tackle and the fourth-fastest of any defensive player in 2024.
Fiske has a point — his 67.2 pass-rushing grade was 45th among 219 defensive linemen, while his run defense grade (39.9) was 184th of 219th ranking defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I want to be better in the run game,” says Fiske. “I think that was the place — I don’t want to say necessarily struggle — but the run game wasn’t as good as my pass rush game. I want to balance that out more, I want to be more of a presence on the field and become more of a true three-down guy on the field. I think that will really elevate my game going forward and really put me in a separate category if I can really emphasize that.”
Considering his relentless motor and his drive to be even better, improving in that department shouldn’t be an issue moving forward. It also doesn’t hurt that as an extra added motivation, Fiske’s pro and college teammate, Verse, walked away with the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
The two have a friendly competitive rivalry and that was on display on the sidelines with Fiske playfully talking trash to Verse about the great game he was having — he had a sack on Caleb Williams — during the team’s Week 4 matchup against the Chicago Bears.
”I think we stepped up to the occasion,” says Fiske of his and Verse’s rookie seasons. “I’m a perfectionist in my own right and there’s so much I want work on, so much I want to get better at. Going into this season, it’s time to really turn it up. I mean overall you can’t be mad at finishing as a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year, other not winning it. You can be mad at that, but overall I was proud of what we put together and what we get to build on.”