LA Rams 2020 NFL Draft fill all needs – Mock Draft 7.0

Pick 168

With the re-signing of left tackle Andrew Whitworth, the Rams can select a developmental offensive tackle. At pick 168 in round five, the team finds a solid offensive tackle with huge upside with OT Alex Taylor South Carolina state.  Taylor is not on everyone’s radar, but the Rams find a potential suitor for Andrew Whitworth’s future spot.

Don’t be discouraged by his late pick here. He falls to round five because he is a football and basketball athlete who has less experience on the football field than some would like. As such, he has the bias marks against him of a player who has demonstrated an ability to play two sports at a professional level.

He is incredibly athletic and has one of the highest ceilings of any offensive lineman in this draft. He stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 308 pounds. Since he is newer to the game than many prospects, he is more in need of coaching than many players. But the Rams have Whitworth under contract, so the team can afford to draft a project player. And his fire, his internal motivation, is off the charts. He has an attitude of never-say-die which will carry him to NFL starting offensive tackle someday.

His center of gravity is high due to his height and will need to focus on improving his leg strength to build punch out of the blocks and to help lower his top-heavy build. Of course, Taylor is very aware of his height, and the need to stay low on run blocking.   He accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl and improved his stock with solid practices and performance. The Rams surrender nothing by drafting a small school offensive tackle in round five. In fact, by doing so, the Rams may develop one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL in 2021.

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