He had to wait four days to sign a deal, but provided he remains healthy, Daniel Bituli may have hit the jackpot. As Tennessee football’s top producer last year on defense despite missing the first two games, the 6’2″ 246-pound linebacker then got banged up in the Vols’ Gator Bowl win over the Indiana Hoosiers. As a result, he had trouble passing a medical check.
After passing the check, though, he landed with the Los Angeles Rams late Wednesday afternoon. This is a great place for him to end up, as LA is sticking with a 3-4 defense, even under new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. Bituli’s versatility makes the 3-4 perfect for him, as he has an advantage being able to play all four spots.
Remember, Bituli was recruited as an edge rusher in a 4-3 scheme and then became the main inside linebacker in Jeremy Pruitt’s scheme. That level of versatility will give him a great chance to land a spot with the Rams.
Then there’s the personnel benefit. Los Angeles did take two linebackers in the draft. However, they just lost Cory Littleton, leaving a huge void at inside linebacker, and then they lost Dante Fowler Jr. at outside linebacker. As a result, they need help at both, and they drafted one of each. Bituli being able to play both gives him an advantage, making this a great landing spot for him.