Sala Aumavae-Laulu 'Only Going to Get Better!' Ravens Starting LG?

Despite being the second-to-last pick in the Baltimore Ravens' draft class, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu has a chance to make an early impact.

During the early stages of the summer, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh noted that his team has a wealth of bodies competing for the starting left guard spot.

But now, with training camp well underway, rookie sixth-round pick Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu might be rising to the top, as he spent the majority of the first week working with the starting rotation.

Harbaugh added that they'll flip starters next week, with veteran John Simpson getting the nod and Aumavae-Laulu sliding down to the second team ... but the early returns from the converted college tackle have been positive.

"He's done well," Harbaugh said. "I haven't seen any step back, nothing to make you think he's been slowed down, or nothing to disappoint. He still continues to make steady progress."

The intent behind the switch is to ensure that the Ravens get a full evaluation of both Aumavae-Laulu and Simpson in their time with the starting unit.

But regardless of whether or not Aumavae-Laulu starts, the point remains that he's been highly impressive to those around him - just ask offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris.

"Football means a lot to him," D'Alessandris said. "He's worked throughout his career to become a good football player – from high school, to junior college, to college – and he's got a tremendous work ethic. [He's] really receptive to learning and takes the information, [and] applies it. It's been a pleasant surprise so far."

D'Alessandris did say that Aumavae-Laulu is a "work in progress," but he's developed well throughout the first few sessions in pads and Baltimore's veteran coach is excited to see how he evolves in the coming weeks.

That being said, D'Alessandris said he wasn't going to make the determination on Aumavae-Laulu's starting status yet, referencing that there's still plenty of time to let the competition play out before the season begins but once more noting the solid start he's seen out of the Ravens' penultimate draft pick.

"He's doing a very nice job here so far early in camp," D'Alessandris said.

That sentiment is shared throughout Baltimore's offensive line room, where several key figures are starting to take Aumavae-Laulu under their wing, including center Tyler Linderbaum and left tackle Ronnie Stanley.

For both players, Aumavae-Laulu has a particularly important role, as he'll line up alongside each at left guard. It's why Stanley has tried to be particularly involved in his development, and one of several reasons why Linderbaum is preaching confidence to his young teammate.

Another notable aspect? Both Linderbaum and Stanley have liked what they've seen out of Aumavae-Laulu this far, with the former focusing on the growth he's seen in regard to transitioning inside and adjusting to the professional game.

"I think he's handled it well," Linderbaum said. "Obviously, kind of being thrown into the fire with the [first team], he's done well. A lot of new stuff comes up just because it's the first time in the offense and some of these plays, but he's handled it well.

"He plays with confidence, and you can tell that in his game, and he's only going to get better and better, so I'm excited for him."

Stanley echoed similar sentiments, putting an emphasis on the day-to-day growth he's seen out of Aumavae-Laulu and the work that's been done behind the scenes to foster his rapid development.

"Sala's been great," Stanley said. "He's gone out there, done everything coach has asked him to do. He's put in all the effort that he needs to put in. He's putting in the extra work, he's smart, he's a quick learner."

But really, this is just the beginning for Aumavae-Laulu on his journey to starting at the sport's highest level; he's only spent a few days in pads, and Simpson has a prime opportunity to stake his claim on the left guard spot this coming week.

And yet, on Aumavae-Laulu's pursuit to better himself, the broader picture seems so small - thanks in large part to his focus on maximizing his growth each day, much as Harbaugh, D'Alessandris, Linderbaum and Stanley have said time and again.

"This is part of the camp where you really grow and develop as a player, and I'm starting to see him definitely make strides every day," Stanley said. "He gets better every day."

Will it be enough for Aumavae-Laulu to start alongside Stanley and Linderbaum come Week 1? That will play itself out in the coming weeks ... but one thing's for certain: he'll be much better tomorrow than today, and there's a high chance he's reached a new level come kickoff on Sept. 10.

You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter at @DFlickDraft

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