Pleasure before business

ST. LOUIS -- If St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz needs any landscaping done at his home, he knows who to turn to for advice.

Then again, Jason Shivers would rather Martz keep him on for another job.

Shivers, the Rams' fifth-round selection in the NFL draft from Arizona State, owns his own business, Shivers Landscaping, in Phoenix.

And if you think football is rough, he said, try the business world.

"Being a businessman is stressful," Shivers said. "It's very stressful compared to football. It's always problems, problems, problems and you're supposed to be the problem solver."

In college, Shivers was a business and landscaping architecture major. His father, Ed, is running the business while Shivers pursues an NFL career.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. pronounced Shivers, a defensive back who left Arizona State after his junior season, as one of the "steals of the draft" for the Rams.

The second day of the Rams' three-day rookie minicamp saw Shivers and his fellow newcomers work out inside Saturday due to the rainy weather.

"It went good today," Martz said. "They're learning. You can see there's a lot of progress out here. They're moving around faster and they're more sure of what they're doing. That will help them here in May and June."

Shivers said the learning curve is steep in minicamp. The workouts combined with classroom meetings mean 14-hour days.

"It's going good so far. Every day I put the helmet on, I feel good," Shivers said. "I'm learning a lot of different techniqes and the way the Rams play football. It's coming together after just my second day."

Shivers, the first Arizona State player to lead the Sun Devils in tackles for three straight years, said he is excited to learn the game from veteran Aeneas Williams, who will begin his 14th season this fall.

"To play behind somebody like that, how can you not like that?" Shivers said. "I can't wait to meet him. He was one of the best defensive backs on the Cardinals and in the NFL, so I watched him. Being able to play underneath him is cool."

In the meantime, Martz wants Shivers to put some weight on his 6-foot, 200-pound frame so he can play both free and strong safety.

"He's a little bit leaner than what most people want as a safety," Martz said. "We'll give him time to develop."

Playing both positions is fine with Shivers.

"I come in here with an open mind to whatever they wanted to do," he said. "Coach Martz said he doesn't discriminate against rookies. So, that let's me know that if I get my game to the level it needs to be, maybe I'll be on the field.

"I'll work my hardest to accomplish what they want. How can it be hard when it's your dream?"Noteworthy

n Running back Steven Jackson, the Rams' first-round draft choice from Oregon State, said he's working hard. "Look at my shirt, it's pretty sweaty," Jackson said.

Cornerback Dwight Anderson, a free-agent signee from South Dakota, limped off the field near the end of practice. Anderson said he sustained a strained groin muscle but doesn't expect to miss any workout time.

Martz said he saw progress from quarterback Jeff Smoker, the sixth-round draft pick from Michigan State. "He's doing very well," Martz said. "The biggest issue right now is throwing it to the right guy, throwing it straight and the receiver catching it." Smoker will be considered for the third-string quarterback job.

The Rams' first full-squad minicamp is set for May 21-23.