Looking at the Los Angeles Rams’ 2024 draft class, there’s a common theme throughout: older, more mature prospects who have a good amount of starting experience. That’s not to say the Rams didn’t want younger players, but they certainly see value in adding experienced prospects.
General manager Les Snead spoke about that trend after the draft on Saturday, confirming that the Rams feel older players have a better chance to contribute and be successful in their rookie years.
Part of the reason for the Rams’ older class is the extra year of eligibility players got from the COVID year in 2020, but there were still plenty of younger guys who went off the board to other teams.
“I think probably based on COVID in the extra year of eligibility, you’re seeing some players – I don’t know when that little bubble’s going to run out where there are some older players,” Snead said. “Now, with that being said, I do think we don’t necessarily sit and go, ‘oh, we need young.’ The neat thing is when you do get someone that’s somewhat old that’s played four or five years – Aaron Donald was one of those players coming out of Pitt – those go to the Senior Bowl. There’s an element of probably a little bit more maturity, experience, wisdom that definitely, more than likely helps them navigate and have a chance to be a tad more successful their rookie year. I think it all comes about on tape, but I think that there’s an element of, we’re kind of in that COVID extra year of eligibility bubble where you’re seeing some players stay in college football longer.”
Jared Verse was a fifth-year senior. Braden Fiske was a sixth-year senior. Both players transferred from smaller schools to Florida State, which helped them become the coveted prospects that they were.
Blake Corum, Brennan Jackson, Tyler Davis, Jordan Whittington, Beaux Limmer and KT Leveston were all either fifth- or sixth-year seniors, as well.
The only outlier in the class was Kamren Kinchens, who’s only 21 and a true junior. Other than him, the Rams targeted older, more experienced prospects, and based on Snead’s comments, it’s easy to understand why.
