The Rams continue adding to a massive rookie class. After drafting 14 prospects last weekend, Los Angeles has announced the signing of a prodigious 26 undrafted free agents:
- LB Kelechi Anyalebechi, Incarnate Word
- K Tanner Brown, Oklahoma State
- WR Braxton Burmeister, San Diego State
- CB Timarcus Davis, Arizona State
- CB Tyon Davis, Tulsa
- S Collin Duncan, Mississippi State
- K Christopher Dunn, NC State
- RB Tiyon Evans, Louisville
- WR Tyler Hudson, Louisville
- S Tanner Ingle, NC State
- WR Sam James, West Virginia
- OLB Matthew Jester, Princeton
- S Quindell Johnson, Memphis
- CB Jordan Jones, Rhode Island
- C Sean Maginn, Wake Forest
- C Mike McAllister, Youngstown State
- CB Cameron McCutcheon, Western Carolina
- G Grant Miller, Baylor
- TE Christian Sims, Bowling Green
- LB Ryan Smenda, Wake Forest
- WR Xavier Smith, Florida A&M
- LB DeAndre Square, Kentucky
- S Rashad Torrence, Florida
- LS Alex Ward, UCF
- QB Dresser Winn, Tennessee-Martin
- LB Jaiden Woodbey, Boston College
With former kicker Matt Gay now residing in Indianapolis, the Rams have resolved to a kicking competition between Brown and Dunn. Brown had a stellar year with the Cowboys converting 22 of 23 field goal attempts and making all 42 of his extra points. Dunn had an even better 2022, rebounding after 5 missed field goals in 2020 and six misses in 2021. He converted 28 of 29 field goal attempts in 2022 and, over five years with the Wolfpack, never missed one of his 200 extra point attempts.
Gay wasn’t the only special teamer Los Angeles lost. After losing Matthew Orzech to the Packers in free agency, the Rams will give Ward a run at the position. After drafting punter Ethan Evans in the seventh round, Los Angeles is set to have a full rookie special teams unit.
Winn joins the quarterback room behind Matthew Stafford, Stetson Bennett, and Brett Rypien. He threw for nearly 3,000 yards as a sixth-year senior for the Skyhawks with 18 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. The Rams also signed Burmeister, a former starting quarterback at Virginia Tech who transferred to the other coast. Based on his listing with the Rams, he’ll be attempting to switch positions in the NFL.
With only eight linebackers under contract in a base 3-4 defense, the Rams supplemented heavily from the rookie class, drafting three and signing five more undrafted. They similarly added some significant depth at defensive back, drafting two and signing eight more undrafted.
The Rams have a substantial 40 rookies occupying roster spots on the current 90-man roster (which only holds 89 players as of right now). This seems to be a bit emblematic of the Rams recent all-in strategy that resulted in a Super Bowl but left them with a top-heavy roster with hefty contracts. Regardless, it presents many young rookies with clear opportunities for roster spots and playing time.
