The Los Angeles Rams looked toward the future with their 2019 draft class, selecting players who could become starters in 2020 and beyond. It’s possible none of the Rams’ draft picks will be primary starters next season, but that’s no reason to panic.
The roster is incredibly deep already and has quality players atop the depth chart at just about every position. There’s still room for rookies to contribute, of course, especially on special teams.
So which ones will have the greatest impact as rookies? We’ve ranked them from No. 1 to 8.
NT Greg Gaines
Of all the rookies drafted, Gaines has the clearest path to a starting role. With Ndamukong Suh gone, there’s a gaping hole at nose tackle that needs to be filled. Gaines fits the mold of a 3-4 nose tackle and has a chance to step in right away as Suh’s replacement.
The Rams didn’t hide their feelings about Gaines after the draft, saying that he was their top priority entering Day 3. They traded up to grab the Washington prospect and afterwards, said he can be an impact player in base 3-4 packages. He’s the best nose tackle on the roster, especially when it comes to defending the run.
If Gaines doesn’t start, he’s still going to get plenty of playing time on first and second down.
S Taylor Rapp
Darrell Henderson has a case as the second player on this list, but Rapp gets the nod instead. He may not get a single start as a rookie, but his impact will most certainly be felt on defense. Last season, without any major injuries at safety, Marqui Christian played 348 snaps (34.4 percent) as a backup. He was a hybrid linebacker/safety who got on the field in sub-packages, primarily on third down.
Wade Phillips would stick him on a tight end and let him cover one-on-one, which wasn’t a bad plan. Rapp, however, has a higher ceiling than Christian and could easily assume that same role in 2019.
He can cover the slot, tight ends, blitz off the edge, fill running lanes in the box and line up deep, which makes him a versatile asset in the secondary.
RB Darrell Henderson
There may not be a rookie the front office and coaching staff is more excited about than Henderson. They reportedly considered taking him at No. 45 overall and Sean McVay said himself that he was in contention at No. 63. The Rams have a plan for him and it’s to get him the ball in a variety of ways – both as a runner and receiver.
The biggest hurdle for Henderson is finding playing time behind Todd Gurley and maybe even Malcolm Brown. If Gurley continues to be the workhorse, snaps might be tough to come by. It could be difficult for Henderson to touch the ball more than 80 times next season, which amounts to about five per game.
He should score at least a few touchdowns just simply based on his big-play ability and speed.
CB David Long
Like Rapp, Long is blocked by two veteran starters in Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. Playing time will have to come in either sub-packages or if an injury occurs atop the depth chart, the latter of which wouldn’t be much of a surprise; Talib has never played all 16 games in a season.
Long’s biggest impact is going to come after this season, but he can still contribute on special teams and in dime packages. His future is bright, but getting on the field as a rookie will be difficult, barring injury.
OL Bobby Evans
Evans is a developmental player who will compete at both guard and tackle spots as a rookie, but don’t expect him to earn a starting job right away. The biggest question for the Rams when it comes to Evans is figuring out whether he’s a potential heir to Andrew Whitworth at left tackle or if he fits best at guard.
He’ll spend the 2019 season learning the ropes at both positions, much like Joseph Noteboom did last year. But if he stands out in camp, or Austin Blythe moves to center, he could slide in at guard.
S Nick Scott
Scott’s biggest impact will come on special teams where he was an ace for the Nittany Lions. He was a captain on that unit in addition to being a one-year starter at safety, possessing the speed and effort to be a contributor in the return game and on a punt/kickoff coverage.
On defense, he’ll likely be fifth on the depth chart unless Marqui Christian is released, so finding playing time in the secondary will be difficult. But as long as he lives up to the hype surrounding his special teams ability, he’ll make his presence felt in that regard.
LB Dakota Allen
Depth at inside linebacker is far from strong for the Rams with Micah Kiser and Clay Matthews the top candidates to start next to Cory Littleton. Allen will have to beat out both guys in order to earn playing time, which seems like a tall task. Like Scott, his biggest contributions will come on special teams.
Because of the lack of stability next to Littleton, Allen could surprise some people and become a starter by the end of the season. It’s unlikely, but it’s not entirely impossible.
OL David Edwards
Edwards is in a similar spot as Evans in the fact that he’ll practice at tackle and guard, but earning a starting job at either will be difficult. It’s hard to see him transitioning to guard because he exclusively played right tackle in college and may not have the bend or flexibility to play inside.
His best path to a starting job will likely be as an offensive tackle in 2020, potentially replacing Whitworth on the left side.
