5 Rams UDFAs are forcing their names into conversations ahead of training camp

DT Bill Norton - #97

It's almost impossible to believe that a 6-foot-6, 335-pound defensive lineman out of Texas would not be heavily scouted, let alone drafted, but such is the fate of the mountainous defensive tackle Bill Norton. A former teammate of Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, Norton left the Bulldogs defense to play a season for the Arizona Wildcats and finished off his college career with a final season with the Texas Longhorns.

If you are interested in a guy who arrives and immediately starts tossing offensive linemen left and right like a defensive tackle version of Godzilla, you will be sorely disappointed. Bill Norton's six-season college football career offers little evidence that he will be a Day 1 starter. Even after six seasons, his career stats are 59 tackles, three forced fumbles, three pass deflections, 1.0 quarterback sacks, and two tackles for a loss.

So what makes this underachiever worth tracking in Rams training camp?

Norton is the guy who does all of the dirty work on the line of scrimmage, frees up his teammates, gobbles blockers, reroutes opposing running backs and even entire offenssive game planning, and may never record a single statistic. He is the type of player that coaches love to have, and Fantasy Football GMs shun at every chance.

Raw? Absolutely. But not worthless or without value. Keep in mind that while more productive, former Rams defensive lineman Greg Gaines entered the NFL with a similar college history of doing the dirty work on the defensive line of scrimmage so that his teammates could make plays. And if the Rams are truly serious about shutting done elite NFL running backs, then they had better plan to give Bill Norton a fair shake at making the team's roster.

No offensive lineman is slipping past a guy who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 335 pounds to block an inside linebacker. Norton may not generate a l;ot of tackles, but you can bet that any linebacker playing in his shadow will.

OT Trey Wedig - #72

Since we are on the topic of big-bodied collegiate free agents, I would be completely remiss if I did not pivot to one of the more exciting undrafted free agents to sign with the Rams, former Indiana rookie offensive tackle prospect Trey Wedig. Wedig played three seasons for the Wisconsin Badgers before transferring to play his final season with the Indiana Hoosiers.

While he did not hear his name called out in the 2025 NFL Draft, his draft profiles projected him as high as an early Day 3 selection. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 310 pounds, Wedig instantly looks the part of an NFL offensive tackle. But if you insist upon versatility, Wedig has amassed a huge book of business starting at numerous offensive line positions. While some may flex him elsewhere, I will limit my discussion to how he projects as the eventual successor to veteran RT Rob Havenstein.

Keep in mind that the Rams faced a similar tale when signing undrafted left tackle Alaric Jackson. Jackson was projected as a Day 3 selection, but fell out of the draft. That same pattern applies to Wedig as well, Wedig is a solid, smart, and productive offensive tackle who arrives a bit raw. Wedig is big, but needs to hit the gym to add a bit of muscle mass. Wedig is smart and effective, but needs a bit of coaching to refine his techniques and add a bit of polish to give his actions optimal effect.

With the return of OT KT Leveston and Warren McClendon Jr, and the addition of veteran OT David Quessenberry, Wedig's path to make the roster will not be easy. But even if he ends up on the practice squad in 2025, I will not change my view. He was added to compete for the starting right tackle role that could be vacated by veteran Rob Havenstein, perhaps as early as 2026.