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

Pick 234

Despite the search for a full-time center in the 2020 NFL Draft, the LA Rams are unable to find the right player with the right pick unto round seven, when the team names center Darryl Williams from Mississippi State, the search is over. Or is it?

The Rams likely do not find a 2020 starter at the center position in selecting Williams in round seven. But in this round, the team cannot expect more than a future contributor, and they hit the bullseye with that in this pick.  Darryl Williams is a 6-foot-2 304-pound offensive lineman who can slide into any of the three interior offensive line positions.  While his 5.23-second time was only good for 24th in the 40-yard dash for offensive linemen, it shows that he has better than average speed to go with his low center of gravity and powerful base.

The center position must be nearly as adept as the quarterback to read defenses, particularly along the line of scrimmage to determine where pressure is coming. Williams does an admirable job of that.  He excels at neutralizing A-gap blitzes, an area the Rams failed at miserable in 2019. On even defensive fronts, he will help double up on both guards’ assigned defenders. He plows both sides with hard pushes to ensure maximum time for his quarterback to find a receiver.

He does stumble against stunts up front, as he makes an initial read of the defensive line and plays through on that snapshot. He is not the most athletic offensive lineman in the 2020 NFL Draft, and that complicates his ability to adapt to in-game adjustments to negate defensive successes. But this guy has heart, a formidable willingness to take a lump knowing that he learns and grows with each play.  He understands the game and what needs to be done, even while he may fall short of the task individually. He makes his teammates better and is an ideal keystone for an offensive center on an offensive line learning to play as a single unit.  Sometimes the best player for a team is not the best athlete, but the player who can get the most out of everyone around him. Darryl Williams is that guy.

NFL Draft Profile
NFL Draft Network Profile