Josh Uche leads 10 LA Rams Big-10 2020 NFL Draft targets

The LA Rams 2020 NFL Draft is headlined by Edge rusher Joshua Uche on the list of 10 Big-10 conference targets during the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine

The LA Rams do not have as an easy of a time scouting Big-10 schools as their East Coast counterparts. Still, the Big-10 can be a treasure trove of NFL worthy talent. Unfortunately, the distance can be somewhat of a constraint for Rams fans to truly appreciate the upside many of the Big-10 football players possess.

We’d published our top 7 Rams Pac-12 prospects for the 2020 NFL Draft as our debut into constructing a much greater 2020 NFL Draft Big Board. The welcome has been overwhelmingly positive. So much so that we’ve upped the scope and will list ten targets for the LA Rams to track through the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine all the way to the 2020 NFL Draft.

Of course, the cheap and easy method (and completely ridiculous and worthless) would be to list the consensus top projects and list them. But why waste anyone’s time projecting edge rusher Chase Young to the LA Rams?  While he certainly fits a position of need, the cost in draft picks for the Rams to rise from 52 to 3 to select him is too great in terms of cost.

That is not to say you won’t run into articles highlighting some highly regarded prospects in the future. But for our Big Board installment from the Big-10 NCAA conference, we want to list only those players within reach of the LA Rams.

Michigan Edge rusher Uche

The LA Rams need a dominant edge rusher in the 2020 NFL Draft and find one quickly with the University of Michigan’s edge rusher Josh Uche. With the likely departure of the productive but very expensive outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr., the Rams need instant production from the edge.  NFL free agents at Fowler’s level will be far too expensive, and anyone in the Rams price range is likely not worth the price.

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Uche is a 6-foot-1 241-pound Wolverine who turned a lot of heads at the Senior Bowl with his natural and dominating pass rush on some of the 2020 NFL Draft’s best offensive tackles. Think OLB James Harrison or DE Brandon Graham as NFL players with a similar play style. He can turn on a dime, lowering the inside shoulder and pivoting like rack-and-pinion steering. He was a bench player for the Wolverines until 2018 when he saw action in nine games and recorded 8.0 sacks. In 2019, he was a starter and chalked up 33 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and 10 tackles for losses.

Uche may be a pass-rush specialist, but he defends the run nearly as effectively. He translates pass rush moves on running plays to shed blockers while maintaining the edge. The downside is that he had only one full season with the Michigan Wolverines  His first three seasons of college football was rotational play and spot duty.

He dominates when he zeroes in on the quarterback, but needs additional work to grade competently at pass coverage. He did record one pass defense in 2019, but that will most certainly be an area for coaching in the NFL. With a four-year starter portfolio, Uche projects as a top-10. But there is not enough film on him to give nervous GM’s the confidence to pick him. The Rams do not hesitate. Uche will participate in the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine as an outside linebacker, Group 3, which is scheduled to arrive Tuesday, February 25.

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Michigan interior offensive lineman Ruiz

The LA Rams found it necessary to patchwork the offensive line multiple times in 2019.  The Rams drafted four offensive tackles and then deployed them at the interior of their offensive line, with poor to modest results.  The better solution for the Rams is simply to draft an interior lineman from the get-go. And Michigan center/guard Caesar Ruiz fits the bill nicely. Cesar Ruiz is a 6-foot-4 319-pound offensive center/guard who projects as an NFL starter.

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Where Ruiz succeeds as others have failed is his track record of understanding the interior offensive line position. Offensive tackles simply look to the outermost pass rusher and count in. The offensive guard must distinguish defensive tackles, linebackers, safeties, or even stunts to determine who is their responsibility. That is a tough “on-the-job” lesson for a newly indoctrinated offensive lineman.  Ruiz understands the nuances of the position and creates the power to plow forward. He pops then sets back into a wide stance pass blocking. His center of gravity and wide base give him great ability to absorb a defender’s attempt to dislodge him.

He is good at pass blocking but is a downright mean relentless run-blocker. His burst out of stance gives him an early advantage, which he keeps throughout the end of the play. He is an ideal run blocker, moving his primary target out of the play, then hungers to feast on secondary targets as well. He is an offensive lineman who seems thrilled to “hit somebody”, oftentimes connecting on two or three defenders. He is versatile, able to line up at each interior offensive line position, which makes him incredibly valuable for the Rams.

The knock-on Ruiz is he carries about 8 pounds more than he should. And as a center, he needs to set his guards better on blocking assignments. He shuffles his feet more than is necessary at times. He can also make poor choices on pass coverage when uncovered.

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Wisconsin interior offensive lineman Biadasz

The LA Rams do not have a pick until day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft, and as such focusing on one player would be more about luck than skill. To be truly prepared, the Rams must have multiple targets on their draft board, all capable of competing for a starting role in 2020.   Wisconsin Badger Tyler Biadasz is ready to compete for a starting role.

The 6-foot-3 321-pound center matches his prowess and power with an indomitable will to move defenders out of the way. His strength is truly his strength. His technique needs coaching up. Footwork is sporadic, and he tends to bend at the waist for leverage, rather than set a wide base and use his legs effectively.

He is no novice. Three years of collegiate football have given Biadasz good football IQ and anticipation. His best seasons were 2017 and 2018. He had hip surgery to clean things up, but his 2019 season showed some regression. That will flag him with medical concerns during the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. He has been invited to join Group 2, which arrives at the event Monday, February 24.

Biadasz is already competitive for an NFL starting role. But given the right coaching and work with sports trainers, his upside projects to one of the top interior linemen in the NFL

Draft Network Draft Analysis

Ohio State linebacker Harrison

The LA Rams project to take serious losses at linebacker with the losses of both OLB Dante Fowler Jr. and ILB Cory Littleton.  Despite some hopeful backups on the roster, the Rams cannot resist adding Ohio State linebacker Malik Harrison in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Harrison plays an interior linebacker role for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 246-pounds, Harrison has the right measurables to fit the NFL role.  While he had a slow start to his NCAA career, his senior season has placed him firmly on the radar of NFL teams. In fact, he was listed by FanSided’s With the First Pick’s Cory Kinnan as one of five underrated draft prospects in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft.

The game of football seemed to slow down for him in his last dozen and a half games. He flows to the ball and sheds blockers along the way. He has a good tackling technique and rarely misses a ball carrier once he makes contact. He has developed an instinct for where the ball is designed to go and shoots the gap to tackle for a loss with a quick eruption into the hole.

He needs coaching up for his coverage skills. He has a sense of zone defense but doesn’t key off receiver routes to know who he should cover or where to anticipate the pass.  He fills the Rams need for better run defense from day one, but to round out to a three-down player, he’ll need some work on pass coverage. Harrison will join the linebackers Group three, scheduled to arrive at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, February 25th.

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Purdue linebacker Bailey

Once more, the LA Rams have huge voids to fill in the ranks of the linebackers. The Big Ten football conference is bursting with talent at the position.  Purdue Boilermaker’s linebacker Markus Bailey is another excellent prospect for the Rams.

Bailey has some medical flags. He tore his ACL at a September 2019 practice which sidelined him for all but two games. That was the same knee and ACL he injured in 2015 as an incoming freshman. Thankfully, his surgery was a success and he opted for the NFL Draft instead of returning to Purdue for another year of NCAA eligibility.

As a projected day three linebacker with significant upside, it’s less a question of will he is drafted, but rather a question of when will he be drafted. He stands 6-foot-1 and weighs in at 240 pounds. He has played outside linebacker for the Boilermakers and done very well in his college career.  When healthy, he can get to the quarterback. What he lacks in a pure burst of power, he makes up for with persistence.

He is a tackling maniac. in three healthy seasons, he’s averaged just over 100 tackles and 4.5 sacks, plus eight tackles for a loss. He can play pass coverage as well, having pulled in six interceptions plus accounted for six passes defended.

He’ll likely fall to day three due to medical concerns over his twice reconstructed knee. While he has some pass coverage skills, he’s not ready for man coverage against NFL elite tight ends or running backs. But that can be said of many NFL veterans as well.  Bailey will arrive to join the NFL Scouting Combine Group 3 on Tuesday, February 25th.

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Maryland running back McFarland

Some may ask why the LA Rams would consider a running back in the 2020 NFL Draft, and that is a legitimate question. The Rams prioritized adding a running back in the 2019 NFL Draft in round three by selecting Memphis running back Darrell Henderson.  The hope was for Henderson, Todd Gurley, and Malcolm Brown could handle the load and maintain the Rams’ dominant running game. That didn’t take place.  But where Henderson was a situational running back, Maryland’s   Anthony McFarland offers the complete package. Thanks to a very deep draft class in many positions, McFarland will fall to a day three pick for the Rams.

Standing just 5-foot-9 and weighing 198 pounds, the Maryland Terrapin running back will not confuse anyone as a power back. He is an elusive speedy sort of back, one who can surprise with a little something extra for a defender attempting a casual tackle. He broke his leg as a high school senior, derailing many college scholarships as he chose Maryland to remain close to home to continue his therapy.

He has one speed – fast. So much so that he is unable to juke defenders into missing him as so many highlight reels display. Since he does not avoid tackles as much as races past them, he often chooses to run into the line in the belief or hope that the hole will appear as he arrives. When it doesn’t, the play crashes as no gain. Once he gains a head of steam, he can dart back and forth along the open path to daylight. He has carried the ball 245 times in college. Virtually no wear and tear on him.

In pass protection, he is more of a pylon than actually engaging the defender in meaningful blocks. He can engage, but rather than absorb and redirect, he becomes somewhat of an arm wrestler. Defenders have success shedding him because he doesn’t employ a sound technique.  He has the potential to be a tremendous receiving threat but will need to learn that in an NFL training camp, as Maryland did use him often in that role. He has just 24 pass catches.  He has been invited to attend the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine and will join the running backs in Group Two, scheduled to arrive on Monday, February 24th.

Draft Network Draft Analysis

Michigan offensive tackle Runyan

As much as the LA Rams want to find a Big-10 offensive tackle at the right value, it’s not until Michigan offensive tackle Jon Runyan falls to them on day three that the Rams can finally add depth behind LT Andrew Whitworth.

He is the son of 14-year veteran offensive lineman Jon Runyan.  Unlike his father, his size of 6-foot-5 and 321-pounds did not always translate into dominating blocking at the offensive line. Even throughout his 2019 season, Runyan struggled with elite defensive ends. Despite his size, he does have a natural punch out of his stance which will regularly move the defender off the ball.  Once engaged, he will ride defenders around the arc, always maintaining the position between the defender and the quarterback.  He needed a strong showing at the East-West Shrine Game, and he delivered.

Since that game, his stock has risen on many Big Boards.

Runyan needs to build up his lower body strength, and NFL teams whether his frame can add enough to make the difference needed to play well at the NFL level. Teams will scrutinize his bench press and cone work as indications of where he stacks up to his peers.  Runyan has been invited to attend the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine and will arrive on Monday, February 24th, to join Group Two.

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Ohio State safety Fuller

With the retirement of veteran safety Eric Weddle, the LA Rams are suddenly looking for safety help on the team. The Rams find it with Ohio State Buckeyes safety Jordan Fuller.

Fuller is a 6-foot-2 205-pound defensive back who has been a fixture on the Ohio State defense for nearly the entire four seasons he has been with the team. He has a wide radius of coverage and sufficient techniques to make quarterbacks pay for ill-timed or errant throws.  He can cover the football field sideline to sideline.

He offers all the weapons in a defensive backs arsenal: deep center field coverage, man-to-man, zone, slot, and blitzing. He is at his best coverage when he pulls up to cover the slot receiver.  With taller than average height for the slot, Fuller will be very competitive for playing time in that role with the LA Rams. He can defend the pass and has successfully done so for three seasons with the Buckeyes.

His downside is the need to improve his tackling ability.  His angles are off, and he often overshoots the ball carrier in pursuit. He will need plenty of work in training camp, even before he is given a chance on Special Teams. He has been invited to the 2020 NFL Scouting Camp as a defensive back and will arrive with Group Four on Wednesday, February 26th.

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Michigan State interior defensive lineman Williams

The LA Rams will likely lose defensive end Michael Brockers to free agency. While Brockers pursues a big paycheck with an NFL team, the Rams find themselves not only in need of replacing Brockers but adding depth to the overall defensive line. Michigan State Spartans Raequan Williams is ideal for such an assignment.

Williams played at an interior defensive lineman position, but his 6-foot-4 304-pound physique allows him the versatility to line up anywhere on the defensive front.  That in itself will make Williams a target for the Rams in the 2020 NFL Draft. Thankfully, there is more to his attractiveness than just the measurables to line up at any position. He played virtually all games in his four football seasons with the Spartans. And he was very active on defense. He averaged nearly 40 tackles a season, including an average of seven tackles for losses and three sacks per season.

His senior season was his best, ideal for NFL scouts to see progress in each season. But while he improved each year, he has more room to grow.  His wingspan and arm length will be closely watched by NFL teams, as his handwork was clumsy at times. He has a nice move out of his stance, but he is susceptible to getting locked up by blockers, which he struggles to break from.  Needs work to strengthen his legs and hips. He was invited to join the defensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine with Group Three and will arrive at the event on Tuesday, February 25th.

Draft Network Draft Analysis

Ohio State interior defensive lineman Landers

The LA Rams are always open to developmental talent in late rounds. Ohio State defensive lineman Robert Landers is a solid prospect for the Rams on Day three.

The Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Robert Landers was a rotational defender for much of his time. At 6-foot-1 and 285-pounds, he is best suited in the interior defensive line, either as nose tackle or defensive lineman covered by an edge rusher.  Given time, he could mirror Aaron Donald‘s role somewhat, and move out to defensive end if and when he develops consistency in stopping the run and in a pass rush.

Landers is a developmental defender. His collegiate career at Ohio State, he accumulated 65 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 24.5 tackles for a loss. But he has some good attributes which can be coached up. His burst out of the stance is surprisingly quick and can give him the needed leverage advantage with bigger blockers. At just 6-foot-1, he has a low center of gravity which gives blockers difficulty in getting underneath to force him against his will.

He is massively strong but retains his agility despite his muscle mass. He was buried on the depth chart at Ohio State, which stunted his development and game time experience.  Since the Rams lack top draft choices, Landers is the type of player the Rams could draft in 2020, coach up, and compete for a starting role in 2021. Landers was not invited to the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. As such, his only chance to make a positive impression on scouts is the Ohio State Pro Day, which is an annual event scheduled at the end of March.

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