The Los Angeles Rams were hoping for a better performance in their preseason opener on Saturday night, losing to the Oakland Raiders 14-3 on the road. There weren’t many bright spots in a game where they had just 190 yards of offense and three points, but Sean McVay mentioned one specifically after the game.

He highlighted rookie safety Taylor Rapp as someone who stood out on defense.

“I felt Taylor Rapp early on. I thought he did a really good job,” McVay said.

Rapp had two tackles and a pass breakup in the game, continuing a strong stretch of play in practice and this preseason matchup. The Rams pulled him relatively early, seeing enough to know what type of player he is.

McVay elaborated on the way he played Saturday night, sharing some insight on how much the rookie has developed in this short period of time.

“His last week has been outstanding. I think he’s really getting the confidence where he knows exactly what’s going on,” McVay said. “He’s able to make these seamless adjustments within the framework of whatever defensive call that we’ve activated and it’s been really – we’re starting to see the guy we loved so much on tape at Washington and I think he’s really starting to play where he’s not thinking, he’s just reacting. And that’s what makes him a special player.”

Rapp was the starting safety next to Marqui Christian on Saturday, but he stood out in a way that should make him the No. 3 guy behind Eric Weddle and John Johnson. And as long as he continues to progress, he’ll be a starter in 2020.