Los Angeles Rams: Grading the Brian Allen selection from 2018 NFL Draft

In the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams added depth to the offensive line by selecting Brian Allen out of Michigan State.

After a quiet first two days of the 2018 NFL Draft for the most part, the Los Angeles Rams entered Day 3 with the intention of being busy when looking at all of the picks they would have on the final day. In fact, with the first of three picks in the fourth round, the Rams decided to continue boosting that offensive line by selecting a center out of Michigan State by the name of Brian Allen.

Rightfully so, when looking at all of the veterans on the offensive line heading into the 2018 season, Los Angeles realized the importance of taking advantage of the draft to add some younger depth, and it’s been working so far. On Friday, the Rams came up big with the selection of TCU’s Joseph Noteboom to put them in a better situation down the road when Andrew Whitworth decides to call it a career, and seeing them follow the pick right up by drafting Allen has all sorts of potential.

Between his strong ability as a blocker to being physical with any opponent in his way, Allen may have been selected earlier than expected on Day 3, but also Los Angeles never would have made the decision if they didn’t believe he would be a great fit. Dating back to last season when Sean McVay was entering his first year as head coach, the Rams have drawn heavy praise for their ability to evaluate young talent in these later rounds, and if they believe Allen can make an impact as a rookie, it’s safe to say this will be worth it in the long run.

Next: 3 reasons to love Rams selecting Joseph Noteboom

When looking at where this offensive line was following a horrendous rookie campaign by Jared Goff in 2016, Los Angeles deserves all of the credit in the world for getting this unit to the necessary level as one of the best in the NFL. If all goes according to plan, Allen should be able to develop into a solid center in the NFL, and because of this, it seems only fair to reward the Rams with a B grade for this selection with their first pick of the fourth round.