With the Los Angeles Rams on bye in Week 10, the team could be planning for the NFL Draft. Penn State will face Michigan on Saturday in a game that will feature several top NFL prospects. The Rams, according to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, will be in attendance for that game.
There are a few things that stand out about this. Every Saturday, Jordan Reid will publish a list like this for that week’s big college football game. This is the first time the Rams have appeared on a list like this this season.
This isn’t to say the Rams haven’t been to games and watched prospects in person. Having said that, it is worth noting that the Rams have a history of not attending events such as the Senior Bowl and the Combine in person.
The prospects involved in the Penn State-Michigan game are what draw the Rams to the game. Olu Fashanu, the Nittany Lions’ left tackle, is the biggest name here. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Fashanu will most likely be the top left tackle for many teams.
In addition to Fashanu, the Rams will be keeping an eye on quarterback JJ McCarthy. McCarthy is regarded as the draft’s third best quarterback, trailing only Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. If the Rams are looking to draft a rookie quarterback to sit behind Matthew Stafford for a season, the Michigan quarterback could be a viable option.
Fashanu and McCarthy are far from the only candidates. Edge rusher Chop Robinson and cornerback Kalen King are two Penn State defenders. Michigan guard Zak Zinter and running back Blake Corum are two other notable prospects to keep an eye on in this game.
This may not be a big deal in the end. However, as previously stated, the Rams are not typically mentioned among the teams attending these major games. In fact, they have a reputation for not attending major events during the pre-draft process. What makes this particularly noteworthy is that the Rams are in position to have a top-10 or even a top-5 pick, and one of the best left tackle prospects in the last five years is playing in this game alongside a top quarterback prospect. They could very well be conducting research.
It might not mean anything, but it’s also not something to dismiss.
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