Rams make first selection, pick offensive tackle Joseph Noteboom from TCU

It took awhile, but the Los Angeles Rams made a pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, selecting offensive tackle Joseph Noteboom from TCU.

The Los Angeles Rams finally made a pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. With the 89th pick in the third round, LA selected Joseph Noteboom, and offensive tackle from TCU.

Noteboom was a four-year contributor with the Horned Frogs, and earned high marks for his play in the Senior Bowl.

The TCU Tackle is 6’-5” and weighs in at 309 lbs. His arm length is 34 ⅜” and had his hands measure at 9 ⅝”. As for his other NFL Combine measurables, his 40 time was 4.96 seconds, a vertical jump of 24.0 inches, and posted a 3-cone still time of 7.65 seconds.

Noteboom fills a desperate need for depth on an aging offensive line that has center John Sullivan at an age of 32, and a coveted tackle in Andrew Whitworth at a fragile 36 years.

While most believed, and certainly fairly, that the Rams would go with a linebacker/EDGE rusher type, many draft experts also noted offensive line as a direction they could go early, even had they still had a first round pick.

Noteboom is an All-Academic Big 12 selection and did not miss a game since the 2013 season. As a senior, conference coaches voted him honorable mention all-conference.

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Scouts note an NFL frame but also one that has room to grow, as well as being a solid athlete when working in space.

For Los Angeles, this is a smart pick. General Manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have done a tremendous job in building a premier defense as they look to ramp up to a possible Super Bowl run in 2018 and possibly 2019. The offensive line is an area that was, and has been in desperate need of a youth movement. Noteboom is a solid start in that direction.