A final look at all 16 LA Rams very impressive UDFA signings

The story behind the LA Rams and their newly added rookies is not as cut-and-dry as you may think. The team has certainly been an incubation chamber for some of the best first-year NFL performances in NFL history. That was certainly the case for WR Puka Nacua. But don't be too quick to discount the performances of IOL Steve Avila, OLB Byron Young, NT Kobie Turner, or even P Ethan Evans, as all are perfectly positioned to step forward as new leaders for the team in 2024.

But isn't that the way the story goes in the NFL? Veterans assume leadership roles, while rookies come aboard to learn how to play professional football. As rookies gain experience, veterans vacate their roles with the team through free agency, and the cycle continues year after year. But how can the team continue to develop young players who are up to the challenge of competing in the NFL?

For the Rams, a team that has foregone the typical methods of relying on the annual NFL Draft, trades and undrafted free agent college players have become staples to filling the team's talent pipeline. While trades have typically been the ad hoc variety to fill a specific need and talent level, the team is also heavily invested in the process of developing young players to meet the demands of the NFL-caliber competition.

It's no surprise to fans that the team has had unparalleled success at filling critical roles on the team with players who had never heard their names called out in an NFL Draft. To emphasize that point, the Rams started LT Alaric Jackson, OLB Michael Hoecht, and ILB Troy Reeder in 2023 for a total of 38 games, and not one was drafted.

With that level of success, staffing some of the most important roles on the football field with undrafted players, the teams not only have the benefit of inexpensive players, but create an ultra-competitive culture that fosters performance over pedigree. Best of all, the team has continued to hire coaches who excel at developing young players.

So what are we waiting for? Let's take a final look at the entire group of 16 collegiate free agent players who have agreed to sign with the Rams in 2024: