Rams select K Joshua Karty with No. 209: Instant grade and analysis

The LA Rams are crunched for time now, as they have made their seventh pick of the 2024 NFL Draft and still have three more selections to make. So far, the focus of the front office has been overwhelmingly defense, and for good reason. The defense needed help in this draft, and by even the most skeptical accounts, has gotten it.

The team has plenty of depth roles to fill, and the belief from the fans is that this team needs to add a kicker at some point in this draft. Well, those chants and petitions must have been heard, because the team selected arguably the best placekicker in the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting Stanford's Joshua Karty

Karty gives the team both power and accuracy and is likely to win the starting job from Tanner Brown in training camp.

Let's not set too high of a bar for Karty or any rookie kicker from the rookie class of 2024. As much pressure was on the kicker to crank out three points time and time again under the pressure of a college football team, the pressure is far greater to do so in the NFL. And that is on top of the adjustments to a new city, new teammates, new coaches, and even the challenge of finding their way around to do normal daily errands.

Karty was the top kicker on my board for multiple reasons. He as more power in his leg than many kickers, proven with his field goal record at Standford. But power without accuracy is worthless, and Karty has a solid track history of making those long shots that sail 40+ yards before flying through the uprights.

I believe that the Rams draft the best kicker in this rookie class. After the 2024 NFL season, you will too.

Grade: A-