The offensive linemen hit the field on Friday night in Indianapolis for their workouts at the 2020 NFL combine. The top linemen performed as expected and solidified their statuses as first-round picks – players such as Mekhi Becton, Tristin Wirfs and Jedrick Wills – but the Rams won’t be in striking distance for those guys.
Instead, we’re taking a look at players who could be on their radar in Round 2 and later. Some stood out and improved their stock, while a couple others disappointed with underwhelming performances.
Here’s how potential Rams targets performed in drills on Friday night.
OT Austin Jackson, USC
Jackson ran well in the 40-yard dash, posting a time of 5.07 seconds at 322 pounds. That was good for ninth-best among all offensive linemen. He also put up 27 reps on the bench, a 31-inch vertical and 115-inch broad jump, all of which were near the top of all linemen. His 7.95-second three-cone drill was somewhat disappointing, though.
OT Trey Adams, Washington
Adams probably saw his stock slide the most of any lineman this week after running a 5.6 in the 40-yard draft – the slowest of any offensive lineman. There are injury issues that come with athleticism concerns, too, after he missed significant time at Washington. He had the lowest vertical (24.5 inches) and shortest broad jump among the linemen, too, showing a lack of athleticism and explosion.
OT Matt Peart, UConn
Peart tested well in Indianapolis, running a great 5.06-second 40-yard dash with a 30-inch vertical and 113-inch broad jump. At 6-foot-7, those are good numbers. Peart is a raw prospect who will probably go sometime on Day 3, but he’d be a good developmental prospect for the Rams if Andrew Whitworth returns.
C Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU
Cushenberry injured his hamstring in the 40-yard dash after running it in 5.27 seconds – just an average time. He also had 25 reps on the bench press, which also put him in the middle of the pack. He’ll have a chance to improve those numbers at his pro day where he should be able to do more work on the field, too.
C Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
Ruiz stood out for the right reasons Friday night, running a 5.08 40-yard dash to put him in the top 10 in that drill. His 28 bench-press reps were seventh, his 33-inch vertical was sixth, his 113-inch broad was seventh and his 20-yard shuttle was fourth-best. He also posted a time of 7.91 seconds in the three-cone drill. Ruiz is one of the top centers in the draft and could be a Round 2 target for the Rams, if he gets there.
G Damien Lewis, LSU
Lewis ran the 40-yard dash in 5.24 seconds, putting him in the middle of the group. His 27 bench-press reps were solid, as was his 30-inch vertical and 108-inch broad jump. Lewis is a powerful run blocker and looks like a Day 2 pick, which his performance at the combine solidified.
G Logan Stenberg, Kentucky
Stenberg didn’t have a great showing in Indianapolis. He ran the 40-yard dash in 5.3 seconds, didn’t do the bench press and only had a 26-inch vertical. His three-cone drill of 8.0 seconds wasn’t great either. Stenberg is known for playing with an edge, but his athleticism at 6-foot-6 leaves something to be desired.
G/C Jonah Jackson, Ohio State
Jackson ran a 5.23 40-yard dash at 306 pounds. He’s not the biggest interior lineman but he showed good strength with 28 bench press reps and quickness in the three-cone drill (7.83), both of which were among the best at his position. Jackson jumped 26 inches in the vertical, 98 inches in the broad and ran the short shuttle in 5.02 seconds. His short-shuttle time wasn’t anything to write home about.
