Ryan Roberts Favors Washington's OT Troy Fautanu for Rams First Round Pick
The Los Angeles Rams are coming off a surprisingly good 2023 season. Coming into the season, the Rams were projected to be among the worst teams in the league. They outshined expectations, and the perception coming into 2024 has changed dramatically. This team will sneak up on nobody in 2024, and they hope to continue their great play behind a great offensive line.
It was the team's Achilles' heel in 2022, but that all changed in 2023. The O-line was consistent and kept quarterback Matthew Stafford upright. It starts and ends with Stafford, and a great line could take this team a long way.
This is why Bleav in Rams expert Ryan Roberts says the best way to go with their 19th overall pick in April's draft is to go with Washington's versatile offensive tackle Troy Fautanu.
"I would honestly lean Troy Fautanu out of Washington because I think that the Rams have a couple of spots in their offensive line in general if they don't resign Kevin Dotson if they don't resign, Coleman Shelton. You have a guy in Troy Fautanu who could kind of work at either spot potentially. I think he could obviously play guard. I think he definitely plays center as well if you need him to. And then, heck, man, if he's your best left offensive tackle, he's got 34-plus-inch arms. It's not unrealistic to think that he can't play that a little bit in spurts as well. So he might he might I think he might fit into a couple of different spots which could kind of kill two birds with one stone or three birds with one stone potentially."
-Ryan Roberts, Bleav in Rams
Bleav in Rams co-host Joe DeLeone agreed with Roberts on Fautanu being the pick.
"There's a number of needs along the offensive line that are going to be varying based on how this process plays out in free agency, that you could lose Kevin Dotson and he could not end up coming back. And you could, I mean, for Fautanu I would argue, could even play center. We could potentially see the transition. It's probably not his most natural position. And then you hit on the fact that there is this Rashawn Slater possibility of him maybe being able to play left tackle because he might be shorter, but the arm length is there, the mobility is there that he could still end up playing tackle in outplaying or expectations. So I think that's a heck of a pick."
- Joe DeLeone, via Bleav in Rams
It's a real possibility that the Rams will lose some of their free-agent offensive linemen to other teams. Or they simply may not be able to afford it or rather spend their money elsewhere. There is plenty of great offensive line talent in the draft, and Fautanu may be tasked to help bolster the offensive line next season.
