UCLA Football: Former Bruin to Return to SoCal and Sign With Rams

He is expected to return to Los Angeles.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Former UCLA football offensive lineman Conor McDermott is expected to sign with the Los Angeles Rams and make his return to the West Coast, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

The #Rams are expected to sign veteran OL Conor McDermott, sources say. The former sixth-round pick of the #Patriots out of UCLA, who started five games last season in his second stint in New England, returns to SoCal to help provide depth to a banged-up offensive line. pic.twitter.com/pCtcJUzZmM

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 6, 2024

McDermott is expected to sign with the Rams amid the team's injuries to offensive linemen Jonah Jackson, Alaric Jackson, and Rob Havenstein. All three linemen were projected to be starters, but are currently listed as week-to-week. Jonah has a bruised scapula while Alaric and Havenstein have ankle injuries.

Prior to likely joining the Rams, McDermott was the New England Patriots' sixth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He was waived before the start of the season and signed with the Buffalo Bills, where he played for two years.

McDermott was once again waived, with the Bills letting him go. He signed with the New York Jets, playing for nearly three years with the team. McDermott scored the lone touchdown of his career with the Jets, catching a pass from then-Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.

The Jets released McDermott in October 2022, and he was signed off the team's practice squad by the New England Patriots later that year. After closing out the season with the Patriots, McDermott signed a two-year contract extension prior to the 2023 season. He appeared in just six games with the Patriots during the 2023 season and was released in April 2024.

McDermott had an unusual path to the NFL. In high school, he played both basketball and football but preferred playing basketball. He realized he had a better shot at football, but did not send out his tapes until after high school. He received limited interest as a prospect, with only UCLA, Auburn, and Virginia Tech giving him a chance.

He was never rated, but his brother, Kevin McDermott, was a long-snapper at UCLA, helping McDermott end up in Westwood.

When McDermott finally came to UCLA, he had a long road ahead. He did not start a game until four years after his high school career started. He managed to start all 12 games during his final two seasons at UCLA, getting named second-team All-Pac-12 in each of those years. Following the 2016 season, McDermott was drafted.

After spending his entire professional career so far on the East Coast in the AFC East, McDermott returns to where it all began in Los Angeles.

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