LA Rams will scout Group 2 heavily at 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

LA Rams scouts will have their notepads at the ready to record Group 2 throughout the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

The LA Rams have marked the offensive linemen’s arrival to the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine since the conclusion of game 16 of the 2019 NFL season. The consensus among fans and NFL pundits agree that the 2020 off-season for the Rams must be upon the trenches. That means offensive linemen, defensive linemen, and linebackers. Per the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, that means Group 2 and Group 3. Group 2 arrives Monday, February 24, 2020.

The list for the 2020 NFL Scouting combine is published on the NFL.Com website, which you can find at this link. The second group to arrive at the 2020 NFL Scouting combine will include 12 special teams players, 30 running backs, and 52 offensive linemen.

Many expect the LA Rams to use the majority of their NFL Draft picks, particularly the first two, on the offensive line.  While there is certainly a need at offensive linemen, the team had endured through a burst of injuries to the offensive line in 2019, and upon settling in on a stable configuration, it actually showed some resilience. In fact, if the LA Rams re-sign both left tackle Andrew Whitworth and center Coleman Shelton, the Rams roster will swell to 12 offensive linemen. The Rams may look to their draft picks elsewhere.

This off-season the Rams must address their free agents. Many of the team’s key backups have expired contracts this year as well.  And the Combine will give many scouts the opportunity to see players live for the first time. So the Rams may find hidden gems among the prospects.

New Drills

One of the twists for the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is the inclusion of new drills, all 16 of which are highlighted on the NFL.com website link here. For Group 2, the Combine has introduced some changes to both the running backs and offensive line drills.  Running backs will now add a Duce Staley drill, and inside route w changing direction drills.

The Duce Staley drill involves the running back stepping over, across, and then back over perpendicular bags on the field before bursting through a hole created 8 yards away by attending coaches.  The inside route with changing directions drill forces the running back to catch a pass after a sharp direction change.

So what are good scores for the various positions? Thanks to former scout Gil Brandt, here is a great table to use to follow NFL Combine scores

Offensive linemen will also face new drills at the Combine. During the new mirror drill, offensive linemen must move laterally up to four times between cones set six yards apart.  For the new screen drill, the lineman must set into a pass-protection blocking position. Upon the signal, the lineman must release and move towards the first coach 15 yards away with a blocking shield.  If the coach remains stationary, the lineman engages him. If that coach moves forward, the lineman must alter his trajectory and engage a second coach with a blocking shield.

A third new drill will modify the historic Pull Drill.  Instead of a coach with a shield, the linemen will now engage a one-man blocking sled.  Coaches will signal which way linemen are to pull by using hand signals.

4 Running backs

The LA Rams need help in the running game.  While the team has veteran running backs Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, and Darrell Henderson, the trio struggled behind the Rams offensive line.  That same offensive line will likely return in 2020.  While there is plenty of reason to believe the play improves all around, the team will likely be looking for bargains at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Whether the team seeks to add another day two running, or seek a day three gem, the scouts will definitely focus upon this group.

I – The University of Maryland running back Anthony McFarland has been a curious prospect. We highlighted him in our Big-10 draft big board, and for good reason. He is a running back with tremendous upside, but whose college performances did not meet with much consistency. His calling card is speed, lots and lots of speed.  He stands 5-foot-8 and weighs in at 193 pounds.  He is currently projected between rounds 3-5. But with so much talent, he could fall to the seventh round.  To find his draft stock rising, he’ll need to run a 40-yard dash better than 4.50 seconds.

II – The University of Washington running back Salvon Ahmed is a speedster who we’d mentioned before. In fact, he has been underrecruited but he could definitely find his draft stock rising just like McFarland.  As we had discussed before, Admed has timed his 40-yard dash at 4.32 seconds, which is blinding speed fast. If he puts up a similar time at the NFL Combine, you’ll hear a lot more about him.

III – Boston College running back AJ Dillon is the power back/fullback option the LA Rams may be looking for. A big-bodied runner, Dillon stands 6-foot-0 and weighs a robust 250-pounds. That’s a chiseled 250, not a chubby 250. He does not have blinding speed, so his NFL role is somewhat constrained to power back or a full back option.  However, even without blinding speed, it will take a group to bring him down. He has all the needed size and strength to pick up blitzes, even large linebackers with a head of steam. If the Rams are looking to add some two-back plays this season, Dillon can be had on day three.

IV – The University of Alabama running back Najee Harris is another big-bodied power back who could greatly enhance the LA Rams offensive playbook. He stands 6-foot-2 and tips the scale at 230 pounds. Having played for Alabama, he’s already on the lists for any NFL team looking for help in the running game. And Harris can bring it. He is a big thumper back who had averaged nearly 6.0 yards-per-carry in 2019.  He is very athletic for a big back, as some plays, he hurdles would-be tacklers to add additional yards to the end of his runs. He also is a threat as a receiver in the passing game. He is projected as a day two prospect.

Offensive linemen

The LA Rams will most definitely be watching the offensive linemen group. Whether that means the team’s first pick or last pick, majority of picks or just one pick, the Rams will choose from among the NFL Scouting Combine’s offensive linemen.

While the Rams are heavily invested in the offensive line position, the fact of the matter is that the team has a handful of what may very well be average offensive linemen who all have a smattering of NFL game playing experience. That creates a very huge challenge to the team with limited draft picks.  If the team can coach up the young players already on the roster, using draft picks is wasteful.  If the team cannot coach up young players, then ignoring the 2020 NFL Draft is short-sighted.

In the end, perhaps the wisest move is to target the two trouble spots on the offensive line – left guard and left tackle – and allow the players to compete for playing time. If the Rams have more than eight linemen worthy of a roster spot, the team can certainly trade to less fortunate teams before the 53-man roster cuts kick in.

The Rams offense lives and dies by the trenches. The passing game requires a solid running threat to truly work its magic.  And the running game needs road graders up-front.  That means the Rams must stockpile talented linemen whenever possible.  2020 has a solid crop of ideal offensive linemen.

3 Offensive tackles

I – University of Washington offensive tackle Trey Adams seems every bit to be custom made to follow in the footsteps of LA Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth. Right now, Adams is a 2020 NFL Draft prospect whose projected range is day one or two.  He is a brute, standing 6-foot-8 and weighing in at 314 pounds. He was on a trajectory to be a top-10 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but a knee injury derailed those plans, and he remained with the Huskies to play a fifth season.  The first hurdle to his stock rising or falling will be his medical exam.

Adams brings mean to the offensive line. A snarling sort of defiance which raises the level of play of the entire unit. And having him playing behind starting left tackle Andrew Whitworth would only make him better when it becomes his time to start.  He may be gone long before the LA Rams choose at 52. But if he is there, he would be very difficult to pass up.

II – University of Michigan offensive tackle Jon Runyan has great offensive line heritage but is surprisingly still raw and unpolished in his play. Runyan is one of ten prospects to track through the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine out of the Big-10 Conference.  Runyan is not a day one prospect, but his draft stock is definitely rising after a strong showing at the East-West Shrine Game.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing in at 321 pounds, Runyan is the right body size for big things in the NFL at offensive tackle, but he is in need of additional work in the weight room to improve his lower body strength.  Runyan is another snarler on the offensive line.  He is adept at run-blocking, almost relishing the opportunity to be on the attack with his blocks. The LA Rams have a great track record of coaching up raw talent.  If the Rams miss on Trey Adams, look for them to aim at Jon Runyan on day three.

III – Texas Christian University (TCU) offensive tackle Lucas Niang has shown flashes of brilliance, mixed with flashes of “who cares?”.  Another big-bodied lineman, Niang towers to 6-foot-7 and weighs a mighty 328 pounds. Projected as a mid-round prospect, Niang’s flashes of brilliance are very much just that – brilliant.  He pushes folks around at the line of scrimmage, tossing defenders to the side like a snow plowing paving a snow-covered highway.  He has the right size and athleticism to dominate at pass-blocking, but his footwork needs more polish.

Niang was the right tackle throughout his college career. That could translate as difficulty transitioning to the more important, and difficult, left tackle position.  He is an NFL caliber run-blocker out of the gates. But he does not shuffle step when sitting back for pass-blocking, raising his center of gravity and allowing defenders to get a leverage advantage at times.  He may not be the perfect offensive lineman, but he’s a top prospect for the coaching talents of the LA Rams.

3 Interior offensive linemen

The LA Rams offensive line performance dropped significantly after left guard Roger Saffold departed via free agency. While the Rams tried their best to slide in multiple offensive linemen to left guard, the majority of their backgrounds were at offensive tackle.  The Rams finally found stability when they slid interior offensive lineman Austin Corbett to the left guard.  But the team may put Corbett on the move again, this time to plug in at the center position.

III – University of Oregon interior offensive lineman Shane Lemieux has been highlighted as an interior lineman from the PAC-12 who could draw interest from the Rams. He’ll likely draw interest from 32 NFL teams, to be honest. He is a massive offensive guard, standing at 6-foot-=4 and weighing 317 pounds. Some scouts project him as an early pick, perhaps round one. But with so many quarterbacks, wide receivers, and offensive tackles getting early grades, Lemieux could tumble to the Rams at 52.

He is a solid guard, but his lateral immobility keeps him as just that.  And his height could pull him down on some teams’ draft board, but he will pose no problem to LA Rams QB Jared Goff. The LA Rams need a solid “get” at left guard, and Lemieux is all that and more. He has good video footage in both the run and passing aspects, and will no doubt have a chance to solidify a round-one selection at the NFL Scouting combine. He has more strength than agility and will need to learn how to lean in to protect the A-gap from blitzes.

IV – University of Michigan interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz has been highlighted as an interior lineman from the BIG-10 who could draw interest from the Rams. He is a college center and is very good at the position. But he is definitely versatile enough to play all three interior offensive line positions.  He also towers at 6-foot-4 and tips the scales at 319 pounds. Despite his size, Ruiz displays good fundamentals in all aspects of the offensive line: setting back in pass blocking, pushing forward for run blocking, pulling to lead running plays to the outside, and picking up stunting defenders.

Ruiz continued

Ruiz is power-packed and extremely versatile. He started 26 games at the center position and 5 games at right guard for the Michigan Wolverines. While some project him as a day-three prospect, his film footage stands out as the type of player who makes NFL scouts salivate. He is a gifted run-puller, getting in front of the runner and knocking down the most-threatening defender on the play. He has a natural low-center of gravity, making him ideal in pass-blocking. He braces with a wide-stance and does great shuffling of footwork to ensure he is prepared and in position to thwart defenders trying to rush the quarterback.

V – University of Wisconsin interior offensive lineman Tyler Biadasz is another prospect who has been highlighted as an interior lineman from the BIG-10 who could draw interest from the Rams. Biadasz is not a secret among NFL scouting circles, as some have rated him the top center in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft.  He was the marquis player of one of the best college offensive lines in both 2017 and 2018. The fact that he was the cornerstone of that offensive line at the center position elevates his stock even more rapidly.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 320 pounds, Biadasz fits the optimum size for an NFL offensive center. And he has a pitbull’s approach to the position, relishing the chance to knock defenders onto their butts as he bursts out of his stance with amazing force.  He is elite-status when he is in his “zone”. When he needs to pull, or moves too far from the line of scrimmage, his blocking breaks down. Some scouts see his stock falling from his apex in 2017, as his growth slowed considerably. He is a true general of the offensive line, setting blocking assignments like an NFL veteran. He can move the mightiest defender. He suffers from a small radius in blocking. As such he could fall to the Rams at 52.