The Los Angeles Rams are no strangers to having to draft and hit in the late rounds. The organization has done so since McVay took over as head coach in 2017. This is where they’ve been most proficient the past several years, by signing undrafted rookies and developing those young prospects into solid pro football players before their rookie contracts expire. The goal was to draft players who were solid fits for the Rams’ scheme and be coached into significant roles this season. Los Angeles has added eight players per the draft and signed 17 undrafted rookies, looking to have a competitive training camp and preseason. Today we introduce the four rookies that will join the Rams and hopefully carve out a role with the team going into the 2022 NFL season.
Logan Bruss OG
6’5″ 309lbs, Bruss is an Offensive Guard from the University of Wisconsin. With Austin Corbett gone, the team needed some depth at the interior and Bruss fits that versatile style guard that they need. He is an exceptional pass-blocker, but where I believe he makes his money is being an effective run-blocker, who likes to get to the second level to block LBs and DBs. The Rams hope he can earn a starting spot by the first game and have a full workload going into the 2022 season.
Decobie Durant CB
Addressing their much-needed depth in the secondary, the Rams selected Decobie Durant with the 142nd pick. Durant is a 5’10” 180lb CB out of South Carolina State. He was overlooked and discounted due to his small school background, but the man clocked a 4.38 40-yard dash. As the league fills with speedy WRs, it’s crucial to have a slot corner that can keep up with the wideout talent in this league. With that type of speed, the Rams believe with the right coaching that he could see the field a lot this year as a plug-in slot cornerback.
Kyren Williams RB
Williams was selected with the 164th pick, a 5’9″ 194lb RB out of Notre Dame. This is a pick the Rams seem to like the most, as Williams is a very good between the tackles runner who also excels as an effective pass-blocker and receiver out of the backfield. The Rams are committed to Akers and Henderson as their primary backs, but in this league, you really can’t go wrong with RB depth due to the wear and tear and injuries many backs face during the season. Williams looks to be the makings of a back that can play all three downs and fill the role of many RB roles. Although he won’t see much field time this season, unless the injury bug hits, the Rams consider him a very good developmental piece for the team going forward.
Quentin Lake SS
The Rams have a trio of expiring contracts at the safety position in 2023. For this reason, the Rams selected Quentin Lake, a 6’1″ 201lb Strong Safety out of UCLA. Son of Former Steelers DB Carnell Lake, Quentin seems to be a very smart versatile DB who has the makings to be a very effective NFL Safety. The Rams play a lot of zone defense, so it makes sense to have a smart Safety like Lake who can make plays and read offenses at an elite level. It will be interesting to see how he performs in training camp and the preseason games.
The Key to this team’s success is making sure they hit on these later-round draft picks and develop them into solid pieces who can make plays around the team’s already established superstars. As the Rams have one of the toughest schedules this season, they now more than ever need to find gems who can come in and contribute against the league-best, as every team won’t hold back against the defending champs this season.
