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40 players on offense that the Rams should be watching at the NFL Combine
The Los Angeles Rams may not be attending the NFL Combine of value some of the metrics. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll completely ignore the data or not be paying attention. General manager Les Snead made big strides last offseason rebuilding the defense with cornerstones like Puka Nacua and Steve Avila who both tested well in Indianapolis. There will be a lot of focus on Matthew Stafford this week, but the Rams will also be in search of an explosive wide receiver.
During the 2023 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Nacua had the fastest speed in the Gauntlet drill. The Rams will be watching other position groups as well. Here are players at this year’s Combine to pay attention to on the offensive side of the ball.
The Rams haven’t necessarily valued athletes on the offensive line in the past. That has somewhat changed over the last two years as they offense has incorporated more gap scheme and therefore bigger offensive linemen into the offense. The Rams value quick feet with their offensive lineman and therefore the agility drills will be something to watch.
With that said, the big story on the offensive line this week will be the medicals with Josh Simmons from Ohio State. Simmons suffered a non-contact Patellar Tendon injury in October last year. Teams will want to ensure that his knee is in a good spot before investing a first-round pick in him.
Two others to watch in this group will be Aireontae Ersery and Armand Membou. Both players should test well. If Ersery has some jaw-dropping numbers, he could sneak into the first round. According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, Ersery had a a 1.52-second 10-yard split which was a program record for offensive linemen. If he gets close to that, expect him to generate first-round buzz.
The Rams tend to value running backs with good short-area quickness and that translates to the agility drills. Blake Corum was elite in the shuttle and 3-cone last year at the Combine.
Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten could end up putting on a show in the 40-yard dash. ers in the draft and oast offseason he was clocked at a 4.32. He had one of the fastest 60m sprints in South Jersey history. Tuten will be expected to run fast and if he runs in the low-4.3s, he...
