INGLEWOOD, Calif. – "Go make a play. It's time."
That's all Rams wide receiver JJ Laap could think about as the ball sailed deep over the middle of the field toward him with just under 10 minutes to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Chargers.
It fell perfectly into his arms as he reached the endzone, securing the game-winning score in the Rams' 13-9 victory.
"I've been waiting for an opportunity like that, honestly, my entire life, and I was just thinking, 'go make a play,' and I came down with it," Laap said. "Man, that was awesome."
Prior to that reception, Laap had just one catch for three yards; he finished with two for 50 plus the touchdown. Most importantly, he caught both of his two targets from quarterback Stetson Bennett, who especially enjoyed the celebration that followed.
"He was fired up," Bennett said. "I think he spiked it and that made me laugh. He can roll. I don't think it doesn't really matter where you're from if you can roll. We've put him in those positions a few times and he's executed. Kind of built that trust with him whenever the situation comes up, you're like, 'Well maybe he's going to do it again.' Which he did."
Asked about Bennett's comment that if you can play, you can play, no matter what level you came from, Laap agreed. The undrafted free agent out of the State University of New York at Cortland, Laap produced 70 catches for 1,291 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Red Dragons last season as they won their first-ever NCAA Division III national championship.
"I knew coming from a DIII school that I always had the athletic ability and the talent to play at this level, and it's translating," Laap said. "So like just to have that opportunity and be able to seize it, man, it's special. Stetson Bennett, you know, he's a national championship, FBS national champion, (I'm) a DIII national champion. We got the national champion connection, you know? With different divisions."
Laap said the Rams had practiced that play where he's been on the other end of a couple deep balls in that setting and executed in similar fashion, so he had some inclination the ball may be coming his way.
"So to be able to go out there and do it on the big stage like that, man, that was awesome," Laap said. "So I knew before the play, (before) it was snapped, I knew it was go time. I knew I might have an opportunity when that ball was in the air."
McVay said Laap is progressing and that he likes what he's seen from him so far.
"He's got a great spirit, you know?" McVay said. "I gotta give a ton of credit to (Director of Pro Scouting) John McKay and our scouting staff and (Director of Scouting) James Gladstone, they do a great job identifying a lot of these undrafted free agents. And JJ Laap was a guy that, he's got speed, he's got a great demeanor and disposition. I'm sure he was a fun guy if you guys talked to him afterwards. I mean, he is a true Jersey guy through and through, isn't he? But you love him. His demeanor and his spirit is great. He's gotten better."
