While the Los Angeles Rams re-signed Alaric Jackson prior to the beginning of free agency, that doesn’t mean that the need for an offensive tackle is gone. The team opted not to bring back Joe Noteboom and have a lot of unproven depth. They could also draft somebody to be the heir behind Rob Havenstein at right tackle.
It isn’t necessarily a question of whether or not the Rams will draft an offensive tackle, but when. Depending on who is available, it may still be an option at 26. Offensive line depth is a good thing and drafting a backup offensive lineman at 26 is much different than drafting a backup quarterback. Chances are, the sixth offensive lineman is going to play at some point.
Heading into the draft process, one of my goals was to try to match my evaluation process relatively close with how the Rams operate. Obviously, it will never be exact without actually being in the room. At the same time, based on the information that is public and matching player traits with what they’ve drafted in the past, it is possible to get a picture of the type of player the Rams draft and what that process looks like.
One of the big changes that I’ve made this year is placing players into “buckets”. The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue called “Finding Rams” which outlined this bucketing process. Said Rodrigue,
“On his screen, which the scouts cannot see, Snead manipulates what he calls “the call sheet” as they discuss prospects. The sheet looks like a series of rectangles that split players by position into different buckets. There are no round-by-round grades, only four overall tiers into which players are then “bucketed.” By mid-April, all draft-eligible players are split into nine buckets based on the Rams’ finished evaluations, which include the medical and character checks completed in March and, for some, notes from Sugarman’s visits. The buckets aren’t always “rankings” — some are lateral to others.”
Those buckets are broken up into nine different categories which are:
- Bucket 1: Math Changer, Total Package
- Bucket 2: Reliable Starter
- Bucket 3: Math Changing Starter, Range of Caution Flags
- Bucket 4: Impactful Contributor, Clean Profile
- Bucket 5: Talented Enough to Contribute, Less Predictable
- Bucket 6: Trustworthy, but Less Talented
- Bucket 7: Late IQ or PQ
- Bucket 8: Major Concerns, Off Board, or Reconsider After Draft
- Bucket 9: Likely Drafted, Not a Rams Fit
These buckets aren’t rankings or necessarily even tiers. It’s simply a way for scouts to easily visualize the role that they see for a player at the next level and a way to define their fit on the roster. Players can be placed into multiple buckets as no single prospect is just one thing. As Rodrigue noted, in Puka Nacua’s case, he would have been a three, five, and seven.
Eventually, I’ll have fit grades and a full Rams big board
I’ll be doing this with every position group outside of quarterback. Today, we’re looking at the offensive line.
Previous Position Groups
Bucket 1: Math Changer, Total Package
- Josh Simmons, Ohio State
When it comes to Josh Simmons, there isn’t a lot to not like. Had it not been for his injury, it’s very possible that he is the best offensive tackle prospect in the draft. He’s explosive with good polish in pass protection. With more than 10 starts on both the left and right side, he offers not only depth at each tackle spot, but also someone to take over for Rob Havenstein.
Simmons has elite spatial awareness and speed to climb to the second level. He is the ideal Rams offensive tackle as a smooth athlete with versatility and enough speed to make an impact in space. Had he been healthy, Simmons may go inside the top-5. If he falls to 26, he’s a math-changing starter and the total package worth taking a chance on at that spot.
Bucket 2: Reliable Starter
- Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College
- Armand Membou, Mizzou
- Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
- Chase Lundt, UConn
- Caleb Rodgers, Texas Tech
- Jalen Travis, Iowa State
- Will Campbell, LSU
- Jack Nelson, Wisconsin
- Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
- Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
A primary focus for drafting an offensive tackle for the Rams has to be finding a player that can replace Rob Havenstein for when he decides to call it a career. Havenstein is in the final year of his contract and is entering his age 33 season. When I spoke to Brandon Thorn of the Trench Warfare Substack in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, he told me that his comparison for Trapilo was Rob Havenstein. With 34 career starts at right tackle, Trapilo is a massive, fundamentally sound, experienced player who can step in early as a swing tackle or guard while developing into a potential starter behind Havenstein.
The Rams have gone the Wisconsin route before on the offensive line and it’s worked out nicely. Rob Havenstein has been as consistent as they come and David Edwards played well at left guard. While Logan Bruss didn’t work out as the Rams hoped, Jack Nelson provides a lot of traits that should translate well and he has a connection to Havenstein. Nelson has 50 career starts, is versatile, and his hand usage offers potential in pass protection. This is a player that can develop into a starter.
Bucket 3: Math Changing Starter, Range of Caution Flags
- Josh Simmons, Ohio State
- Armand Membou, Mizzou
- Will Campbell, LSU
- Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
- Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
The 2025 offensive line class is one about taste for NFL teams. There aren’t necessarily the number of blue-chip players at the top and the 5-6 potential starters after that will all be based on team preference. Aireontae Ersery has solid athleticism and has the experience that the Rams will like. However, he’s more of a player with developmental tools that need refinding than a plug-and-play starter. That may fit exactly what the Rams want as Ersery can sit for a year as he develops behind Havenstein.
Bucket 4: Impactful Contributor, Clean Profile
- Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College
- Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech
- Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
- John Williams, Cincinnati
- Charles Grant, William & Mary
- Marcus Mbow, Purdue
- Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
A similarity with a lot of the players highlighted is that they have experience on the right side. Rogers has experience at four of the five positions on the offensive line with 16 starts at left tackle and 36 starts at right tackle. The Texas Tech offensive lineman fits the Rams’ prototype as a smart, experienced, versatile lineman who can grow into a starting-caliber player. With his versatility, he also adds value as a swing tackle early. Rogers likely starts his career as a backup guard with the ability to play tackle.
Some may project Wyatt Milum as more of a guard than a tackle, but all of his collegiate experience came outside. Still, he should have the ability to kick inside if needed and does provide that sixth-man versatility. His ability to pull, climb, and block down gives him real flexibility as well as his play strength make him an asset in the run game.
Bucket 5: Talented Enough to Contribute, Less Predictable
- John Williams, Cincinnati
- Charles Grant, William & Mary
- Logan Brown, Kansas
- Myles Hinton, Michigan
- Cam Williams, Texas
- Taylor Branson, Pitt
- Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
- Hollin Pierce, Rutgers
Charles Grant is a player that has the talent, but is still very inexperienced. He only started playing football his senior year of high school and because of that, his footwork can be disconnected from his upper-body. However, despite his inexperience and lack of reps against top competition, he’s smart, coachable and a technician. The developmental upside is there.
Pierce is very similar in that respect. He has intriguing raw upside that could end up being worth developing. The talent is clearly there, but his movement skills and technique in pass pro make him a huge question mark. Still, Pierce has traits the Rams have gambled on before and his experience in a gap-based offense in addition to his experience on both the left and right side make him appealing.
Bucket 6: Trustworthy, But Less Talented
- Anthony Belton, NC State
Belton is a player that really stood out at the Senior Bowl. He brings real pop and his ability to displace on double teams fits the Rams’ growing use of gap concepts—especially on GT Counter and Duo. Belton could carve out a role as a tone-setter on an offensive line and provide depth at right tackle. His movement is a little on the clunkier side and he can be volatile in pass protection.
Bucket 7: Late IQ or PQ
- Chase Lundt, UConn
- Jalen Travis, Iowa State
- Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
- Logan Brown, Kansas
- Cam Williams, Texas
- Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Pitt
If there is a day three tackle worth taking a chance on, that player is probably Jalen Travis out of Iowa State. The athleticism and tools are clear as day. However, he lacks some power and can play too upright. He also only has one year of FBS experience as he began his collegiate career at Princeton. Travis needs a year or two to develop, but he has a lot of potential.
Brown finished his career at Kansas, but he started at Wisconsin before he was dismissed for a practice altercation. He has a lot of tools to like, but just 14 career starts at right tackle. His stunt recognition and raw technique in pass protection make him a big question mark.
Bucket 8: Major Concerns, Off Board, or Reconsider After Draft
- Anthony Belton, NC State
- Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Pitt
It’s hard to see the Rams drafting Crenshaw-Dickson. He’s a better fit in a vertical, straight-line power scheme and doesn’t have a lot of scheme versatility. He has below average movement skills to go with some character concerns. This is a player that may not make it on the Rams draft board.
Bucket 9: Likely Drafted, Not a Rams Fit
- Will Campbell, LSU
- Armand Membou, Mizzou
- Myles Hinton, Michigan
- Anthony Belton, NC State
- Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Pitt
There was a time early in the draft process in which it was possible that Armand Membou fell to the Rams at 26. Now, it looks like Membou likely goes in the top-10. He would have been a perfect fit to sit behind Rob Havenstein at right tackle. Membou is one of the youngest offensive linemen in the draft, brings an element of “nasty” to the field, and brings raw tools that the Rams could have developed.
