Top 10 sleepers for LA Rams heading into 2023 NFL Draft

Sleeper V: Jaquelin Roy, Defensive tackle, LSU

With 46 open slots on the LA Rams roster, and just 11 draft picks currently in the arsenal, some positional needs will not be addressed by the LA Rams front office in the 2023 NFL Draft. In the past, that has meant signing defensive linemen to the roster after the draft, and relying on the insanely effective ablities of DL Coach Eric Henderson to coach up those raw rookies into NFL ready players. For a change, I'd like the Rams to add one or two defensive linemen to the roster during the 2023 NFL Draft, and LSU defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy is a true sleeper in this draft.

What I don't like about him: If you want the LA Rams to get an athletic freak on the defensive line, then Jaquelin Roy is not a prospect who will interest you. And to be quite honest, after looking at his Raw Athletic Score (RAS) below, it's tough to reconcile the performance he has shown on the football field to the guy who scored below average on his measurables. But that is what it is. Complicating matters further, Roy has limited collegiate starting experience.

What I do like about him: The LA Rams may be wise to consider a below-average athlete, particularly when that athlete is LSU's defensive tackle, Jaquelin Roy. In the 2023 NFL Draft, my hope is that the Rams apply a premium on durability, invest in players who have a true shot of earning a rotational role even as a rookie, and one who has the realistic potential of becoming an NFL starter someday. Jaquelin Roy checks all of those boxes. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 305 pounds, he has the size and power to line up anywhere along the defensive front.

What the LA Rams fans will love about this guy is the fact that he will divert offensive line attention away from Aaron Donald at times, simply because he is too powerful and savvy to be handled throughout a game by one offensive lineman. Even when double-teamed, he has the abilty to split the blockers and fight through to the football, whether that means sacking a quarterback or tackling a runner. Why I'd love to see him play for the LA Rams is the fact that he gives his all on each play, always working and always trying to make a play to stop the offense.

As an added bonus, Roy may not win a track meet, but he always has his eyes open, is always willing to stick his paw into the air and swat at the football, and is always willing to take optimal angles and leverage to win the point of attack. In short, he doesn't play just harder. He plays much smarter too.