Turf Show Times
Who are players on offense that the Rams could target from the Senior Bowl?
The NFL offseason does not wait and the Los Angeles Rams will certainly be busy over the next few months. Over the weekend, the Shrine Bowl will take place with the Senior Bowl kicking off next week. These are two places where the Rams have targeted players in the past. In fact, six of the Rams draftees last year participated in the Senior Bowl and were in Mobile.
While there is still a long draft process left with athletic testing and player meetings, it makes sense to find which players the Rams may be keeping a close eye on at the Senior Bowl. I will be in Mobile next week for the Senior Bowl representing TurfShow Times. Be sure to check in on that coverage. However, in the meantime, let’s take a look at players the Rams might be interested in next week.
Since the 2020 NFL Draft, I’ve done a series called Snead’s Snacks. In other words, we try to find and look at common themes and traits of previous Les Snead draft picks and see which players in the upcoming NFL Draft fit the mold for the Rams. A lot of that does depend on testing and I’ll have those official fits following the Combine. With that said, the Rams do tend to prioritize player traits.
Looking simply at traits, I’ve put together a list of players on offense and defense that fit the typical Rams prototype. Let’s start on the offensive side of the ball.
It will be interesting to see what the Rams do at tackle this offseason. At just 27-years old and as one of the better free agent tackles, Alaric Jackson could command a hefty price tag. The question becomes if the Rams want to pay $23.5-million for an above-average, but steady player. If the Rams keep Jackson, it likely takes out players like Josh Connerly and Aireontae Ersery who will be late-first, early-second round selections.
Even if the Rams do bring back Jackson, drafting a tackle could still be in consideration considering Rob Havenstein’s age. They are also losing some depth in Joe Noteboom. A player that would be a great fit and a potential mid-round selection is Jalen Travis from Iowa State.
Travis transferred to Iowa State last summer after spending the previous four years at Princeton. The Rams like experience and versatility. Travis has 1,400 snaps at left tackle and 500 more on the right side as the primary starter. He has quick feet and is a fluid mover at 6’7, 340 pounds. He has a good combination of experience in zone and gap run schemes and is a quick processor in pass protection when it comes to recognizing stunts.
Another player to keep an eye on is Jack Nelson from Wisconsin. The...
