
OL Jackson
I can’t help but think that former Iowa OT AJ Jackson fell to the perfect team to coach him up. The LA Rams may not have drafted an offensive lineman, but the need for help on the line is very real and a bit concerning. The LA Rams face five expiring contracts and one retirement from the offensive line in 2022. The biggest problem, those attritions will impact the offensive line both at the starter and backup roles at offensive left tackle and at the offensive center.
Without knowing who the LA Rams plan to re-sign, and how they will free up the funds to do so, we are left with projecting today’s players into 2022 roles. Iowa offensive tackle AJ Jackson certainly has the look and feel of a player who can develop into a significant player for 2022.
Alaric Jackson is a beast pic.twitter.com/Htl4GbQ4U1
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) April 12, 2021
He is all about the size, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 321-pounds. He is all about the legacy, as he hails from the University of Iowa, one of the best college programs for developing NFL quality offensive linemen. He is all about the right coaching staff, as the last time LA Rams offensive line coach Kevin Carberry worked in the NFL, he was developing Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff into an All-Pro offensive guard.
His NFL draft profile was not as rah-rah as you might expect, but don’t let that fool you. Many times, players who are overlooked in the NFL Draft train with increased intensity in the NFL, perhaps with the motivation to prove the naysayers wrong. Want to know how that’s working out so far? The guy has modified his complete diet and has reshaped his form to more muscle mass. He is a guy who has a ton of experience, and his play reflects a guy who sees and processes the defense with ease.
Of course, he is in the pros now, and that means that the level of competition has just gone way up. Don’t let that throw you off, because he is pluggling into all the LA Rams assets that include coaching, strength and conditioning, diet, hydration, sleep, and data analytics. I think he has huge potential for the LA Rams, a team that has made it a point to develop undrafted players routinely. Any of these players could be the next success story, but one of the five likely will. The only question is: Which one?