LA Rams heat up competition at pick 248 of 2020 NFL Draft

The LA Rams add ST competition in the seventh round of 2020 NFL Draft, a collegiate kicker with a knack for accuracy

With the 248th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the LA Rams selected a Miami of Ohio kicker by the name of Sam Sloman. Sloman is a small school kicker who did not fall on many NFL scouts radar, but whose accuracy piqued the interest of the LA Rams new special teams coordinator John Bonamego.

After the departure of long-time veteran kicker Greg Zuerlein this offseason as a free agent to the Dallas Cowboys (John Fassel’s new team), the Rams have been busy bringing in training camp competition for the kicker spot.

First, they signed former CFL star Lirim Hajrullahu (30) who has a very respectable 83 percent field goal percentage over six seasons in Canada. Later that day, it was reported that the team had signed former XFL kicker (who was the current best kicker in that league) Austin MacGinnis (24) who boasting accuracy of over 80 percent while playing for Kentucky at NCAA.

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The key to the Rams’ search for the next kicker is the kicker’s 40-49 yard accuracy. Both non-NFL kickers excelled at that range, and are going to have a heated competition to earn a starting role for the team.

Now, the Rams add a third kicker to the mix, this time a college kicker who may not set the NFL record for the longest field goal, but one who can compete for most accurate when in range. The quest to find a reliable kicker continues for the Rams at pick 249.  Samuel Sloman had a 79 percent field goal accuracy through four seasons, with his last season being the most productive with the RedHawks (86.7 percent accuracy on 30 attempts).

Entering his senior season, Sloman was 0 for 5 in kicks at 50+ yards or beyond. In his last year alone he converted four of five from that distance, giving assurance to the teams that he has solved that issue.

Sloman is at least a training camp body and a kicker who has a chance of beating his new teammates out in an even hotter competition.