After losing Austin Blythe in free agency, the Los Angeles Rams have been left with a major void at center. They do have 2019 starter Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton on the roster, but neither should be relied upon to take Blythe’s spot this season.
That leads us to the draft, where the Rams are likely to select a center at some point to hopefully solidify this position of need. The second and third rounds seem like the sweet spot for interior offensive linemen, which is where the Rams have three total picks.
We’ve identified one center prospect for Los Angeles in each round, though not all of them are considered immediate starters.
Round 1: N/A
The Rams don’t have a first-round pick, but even if they did, it’s hard to find a center in this class truly worth a top-32 selection. Creed Humphrey is a better value in Round 2, Landon Dickerson has injury concerns that carry major risk as a first-rounder and Quinn Meinerz played at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Any of those guys would be good picks in the second round, though.
Round 2: Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
That brings us to Humphrey, who would be a home run for the Rams at No. 57 – or anywhere in Round 2, really. He’s a bigger center with great athleticism and mobility, allowing him to excel on outside zone runs.
Humphrey would solidify the center position for the Rams for many years to come, and if he doesn’t work out at center, he also has the ability to play guard. Position flexibility is always viewed highly by Los Angeles.
Round 3: Josh Myers, Ohio State
Myers is a candidate to go late in the second round, which means he’d be a good value in the third round for the Rams when they pick at Nos. 88 and 103. He’s not the athlete that Humphrey is, but he’s every bit as big (6-foot-5, 310 pounds) and is excellent as a run blocker.
Like Humphrey, he can also play guard if needed, having experience at that position, too. For the Rams, he would be a good bet to start from Day 1 at center, proving to be an upgrade over both Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton.
Round 4: Drew Dalman, Stanford
Dalman has ties to the Rams in that he played for OL coach Kevin Carberry at Stanford. If Carberry has any say in the draft room, which he evidently may not, Dalman could be a target for Los Angeles in Round 3 or 4. He brings good size and intelligence in the middle of the line, even if he’s not the strongest center in the class when it comes to blocking powerful interior defenders.
The Rams don’t necessarily always go for the biggest center – Brian Allen is only 6-foot-1 and was drafted in the third round – so that shouldn’t deter them from taking Dalman.
Round 5: Trey Hill, Georgia
Hill can play guard and center thanks to his big frame (6-foot 3, 319 pounds) and power at the point of attack. He’s more of a project than the aforementioned players on this list, and the fact that he underwent surgery on both knees in December is a red flag.
But if the knees aren’t an issue, he would give the Rams another versatile player on the interior, allowing them to shuffle the line and potentially experiment with Austin Corbett at center.
Round 6: Michal Menet, Penn State
Menet started for three years at Penn State and was a third-team All-Big Ten selection last season. He’s not the most athletic or mobile center and his lack of length (31.5-inch arms) can hurt him often when trying to make reach blocks, but that’s why he’s considered a Day 3 prospect and not one who will be selected early.
He needs work as an NFL blocker but if the Rams can be patient with him and find an interim starter for 2021, he can take over at some point in the future. Immediate starters are not expected to start or contribute right away.
Round 7: Jimmy Morrissey, Pittsburgh
Morrissey certainly doesn’t lack experience after starting for four years at Pittsburgh, earning first-team and second-team All-ACC honors in the last two seasons. He moves well enough to succeed in an outside zone scheme like the Rams’, but strength and sustaining blocks are two weaknesses for the Pittsburgh product.
Morrissey is more of a developmental prospect, as you’d expect with a seventh-rounder.
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April 24, 2021 at 07:03PM
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Best center prospect for the Rams in each round of the draft - Rams Wire
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