New LA Rams trade-filled mock draft swells roster with young talent

With the 258th pick

With the 258th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select Noah Gindorff, a tight end from North Dakota State. The LA Rams have not gotten a lot of production out of the tight end position, even as the team has thrown more frequently to starter Tyler Higbee. It seems as though the Rams haven't the confidence in other tight ends, and the insistence upon throwing to Higbee any time that WR Cooper Kupp is covered is far too predictable.

Enter rookie tight end Noah Gindorff, a big target from a small college football program. Gindorff stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 268 pounds, which is nearly the size of a defensive lineman. But he is blessed with soft hands that will keep him in the crosshairs of almost any quarterback. Those soft hands could enable him to leapfrog his way to the TE2 role on the Rams roster.

The truth is that the LA Rams have not had a satisfactory TE2 on the roster since the team allowed TE Johnny Mundt to test his value in the NFL Free Agent market. The Rams hoped that Brycen Hopkins might fill that role, but now that Hopkins is still looking for a role on this offense in the final season of his rookie contract, it's pretty clear that he is not the player the Rams are seeking for that role. Nor was big blocking Kendall Blanton.

Perhaps Gindorff can succeed where so many others have failed. He has the ability to block like an offensive lineman, a huge plus for the Rams at the tight end position. So why is he still here? Because he is a great blocking tight end, his route tree never truly developed beyond the quick pitches like flats, crossing routes, and sit routes. The truth is that he can catch passes, and he can knock the tar out of defensive players when asked to block. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that we have finally found our Johnny Mundt replacement.