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2015 Rams Roster Preview: OT Andrew Donnal Tries To Improve Rams' 4th Round Resume

Big Ten offensive linemen are the starch of the NFL diet. The Rams got themselves some puhtatuhs in Iowa OT Andrew Donnal in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. When is he gonna get to eat?

Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Here are your fourth round picks for the Rams from the last decade:

Year Pick Name POS College Result
2015 20 (119) Andrew Donnal OT Iowa TBD
2014 10 (110) Maurice Alexander SS Utah St. Special teams only as rookie
2013 16 (113) Barrett Jones C Alabama Struggled with nagging injuries, extremely limited; big opportunity in 2015
2012 1 (96) Chris Givens WR Wake Forest Impressive, unexpected rookie season; two disappointing years thereafter
2011 15 (112) Greg Salas WR Hawaii Featured as a rookie, traded to New England in 2012 offseason
2010 1 (99) Mardy Gilyard WR Cincinnati .............................no
2009 3 (103) Darell/Dorell/Who knows Scott DT Clemson Sporadic contributions over three years
2008 2 (101) Justin King CB Penn St. Still receiving royalties from Torrey Smith
2008 29 (128) Keenan Burton WR Kentucky Two years of production curtailed with a knee injury in 2009; cut a year later
2006 16 (113) Victor Adeyanju DE Indiana Four years of solid reserve support

That's not a great record in the fourth, though all top four have opportunities coming their way this preseason and beyond.

Roster Battle

While I often list the entire line in this section for linemen in the roster preview, let's just look at the tackles today.

Greg Robinson and Rob Havenstein are the likely starters on the left and right, respectively. That leaves Isaiah Battle, Brandon Washington, Darrell Williams (roster preview), Steven Baker (roster preview) and Donnal. Last year, the Rams started with just two tackles listed in Jake Long and Joe Barksdale, though Greg Robinson kicked from guard to tackle following Long's injury and Rodger Saffold is the offensive tackle hatch to break in case of emergency.

Expectations

High. For me, it's a battle between Donnal and, per the Supplementary Draft, essentially fifth-round pick Isaiah Battle. I don't think it's entirely out of bounds to envision a 53-man roster with four tackles, but out of the gate, I think it's a Donnal/Battle dongle battle.

Chances of Making The Roster (8.5/10)

If I'm condensing his entire chances down to a Battle battle, that at least makes it 50/50. But I would (a) give Donnal the edge there on blocking style/skill to fit a run-heavy offense and (b) also give a bump for a four-tackle roster, so I'll put it just shy of a 9.