The Los Angeles Rams came into Friday with three picks, and even after trading back twice, they still finished the night making three selections. They did add an additional pick in the process, but that will come in Round 4, so they haven’t seen the benefits of that just yet.
With Day 2 in the books, the Rams made one thing clear: They want to build up the trenches before they address the skill positions. All three of their picks were along the offensive or defensive fronts, adding big men who can either protect the quarterback or rush the opposing team’s passer.
Here’s our breakdown of the Rams’ picks in Rounds 2 and 3 with grades for each of the three.
36. Steve Avila, OL, TCU
It’s easy to like this pick for the Rams, not only because it’s a relatively safe pick. They needed offensive line help and Avila was one of the two best available, depending which big board you look at. What gives him an edge over a lot of the other offensive line prospects is his versatility.
He played over 1,000 snaps at left guard and more than 1,000 at center, so he has experience at both spots. He also played right guard and right tackle in college, too.
The Rams are getting a bully in the run game and a blocker with a powerful base in pass protection, which allows him to hold up against stronger defensive linemen. He didn’t allow a single sack for TCU last season, showing just how good he is as a pass blocker.
Grade: A
77. Byron Young, OLB, Tennessee
Young was viewed as the best pass rusher left on the board at No. 77, so the Rams are getting a good value in Round 3. Sure, there are concerns about his limited time at the FBS level after playing just two seasons at Tennessee, and he is already 25 years old, but Young can be an impact player early on.
He’s one of the most impressive athletes in the class, possessing 4.43 speed, a 38-inch vertical and an 11-foot broad jump, all of which ranked among the best at his position at the combine. He’s not the biggest edge rusher at 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, but he uses his speed off the edge to beat tackles, turning it into power when he does use a bull rush move.
There’s a lot to work with here, which is what makes Young an exciting pick for the Rams. He fills a position of need, has some upside and should help early on. The biggest worry is his age, coming into the NFL at 25.
Grade: B+
89. Kobie Turner, DT, Wake Forest
Turner should be a good pro after a productive career at Richmond and Wake Forest. However, as promising as he is, there were some other players on the board who may have been able to help the Rams more. Those players include Siaki Ika, Kelee Ringo, Adetomiwa Adebawore and Darius Rush, among others.
Turner was a lesser-known prospect for fans because he didn’t attend the combine, so he didn’t get the chance to show off his quickness or athleticism in Indianapolis. But when you turn on the tape, you see a player who disrupts the offense by using his agility to get into the backfield and reroute running backs in the hole.
There isn’t a clear path to playing time for Turner right now because he plays the same position as Aaron Donald, but he can at least rotate in when Donald needs a breather on defense. In terms of value, the Rams may have been able to get Turner a bit later, but it’s hard to say he would’ve been there at their next pick, No. 128.
Grade: C+
