Rookie TEs out to make mark

ST. LOUIS -- Rookie tight end Michael Hoomanawanui brought his ukulele to training camp but he hasn't had much time to play it. He's too busy trying to land a job.

The big rookie talent show is Thursday night and the fifth-round draft pick from Illinois promises he'll be ready.

"I've played it a little bit here and there for some guys," Hoomanawanui said Monday after practice. "I'll see what I can come up with for the rookie talent show. My specialty is nothing. My problem right now is I can't sing and play at the same time. I haven't picked that up yet. I can play.

"So I don't know. I'm going to brush up on some songs. I'll let what I do be a surprise on Thursday."

The Rams did not draft Hoomanawanui or Fendi Onobun in the sixth round out of Houston to sing and dance. They want them to block defensive ends and linebackers as well as catch passes.

There are five tight ends in training camp. Veterans Danny Fells and Bill Bajema are the incumbents and Darcy Johnson was signed in the offseason as a free agent from the New York Giants.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo knows what his veterans can do. He's keeping his eye on the two rookies to see how they measure up on the field.

"The young guys are doing some good things," Spagnuolo said but went no further.

The rookies believe they are making progress.

"It's going good. Everyone knows there's a lot of competition at the tight end position," said Hoomanawanui, who wears No. 86, his old high school number. "I've got my nose in the playbook and trying to keep up with the pace. You come here with five tight ends on the roster, obviously, there's competition there."

Onobun came into camp as the least experienced tight end and is picking up the offense as fast as he can.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Onobun spent four years as a reserve basketball player at Arizona. He transferred to Houston, his hometown, for his first taste of organized football since the seventh grade, totaling two catches for 33 yards and a touchdown. He also blocked two kicks on special teams.

As a result, Onobun impressed a pair of Rams assistants at a workout and that led to him being drafted.

"It's been up and down, but I'm learning and I'm having a great time," Onobun said. "I'm taking it a step at a time, a day at a time and I'm watching the veterans and working on what I need to work on."

Onobun said he is ahead on pass catching but needs to improve his blocking.

"One thing to my advantage is my size and speed," Onobun said. "I can catch the football and run down the field. I've been able to show that pretty well but there's a lot more to the tight end position than catching the ball and stretching the field.

"Blocking is just something that is going to take a little time. Rome wasn't built in a day and it's not a sprint; it's a marathon. I just keep plugging away and try to get better each better."

The 6-5, 270-pound Hoomanawanui caught only 10 passes for 114 yards and no scores and missed three games with a high ankle sprain as a senior. He sports a tattoo that reads 4-24-10.

"That's my draft date. Just a reminder," Hoomanawanui said. "If you work hard and get into the playbook, everything should fall into place."