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A two-year starter at Washington praised for his technique, Jake Eldrenkamp hit training camp with the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 with a move to center but didn’t impress enough to stick around.
Eldrenkamp ended up on the practice squad for a week but then was released. The Rams still thought highly enough to give him a futures contract and alas, he’ll get another chance at cracking the roster but this time with stiffer competition.
Roster Battle
Eldrenkamp unfortunately couldn’t get over the hump last season with Austin Blythe being the main competitor in the way. However, with John Sullivan still entrenched as the starter and Blythe coming back to camp, Eldrenkamp will have a huge uphill battle.
The Rams’ class from the 2018 NFL Draft doesn’t help Eldrenkamp’s battle this year either, with Brian Allen and Jamil Demby joining the fray as interior OL depth.
Expectations
Eldrenkamp was a solid draft candidate. Here’s the key pull from a scouting report over at NFL.com:
An athletic zone-scheme fit at guard or potentially center if he proves he can snap it. Eldrenkamp is technically sound in both the running and passing games and he’s got desired body control and balance that zone teams like. The biggest question for him will be whether or not he can carry more mass, but the tape looks like that of a backup or possibly eventual starter if he can find the right scheme fit.
With Eldrenkamp making a positive impact by willing to move positions and snapping the ball “naturally”, look for Eldrenkamp to battle with other players for the center and guard spots.
Unfortunately, Eldrenkamp is going to be a long shot to make the roster with the draft picks likely getting preferential reps at camp and every opportunity to succeed.
Chances of Making Roster (2/10)
With the draft picks and incumbents on the Rams roster, Eldrenkamp will have a tough shot to make it to the 53-man roster. A year ago, there was very limited confidence and optimism in the OL group, but it has quickly become a deep and talented bunch.