Are Rams already showing interest in draft’s top left tackle?

With the Los Angeles Rams on a bye week in Week 10, the team could be looking ahead towards the NFL Draft. On Saturday, Penn State is taking on Michigan in a game that will feature several top NFL prospects. According to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, the Rams will be in attendance for that game.

There are a few things that make this extremely notable. Jordan Reid will release a list like this every Saturday for that week’s big college football game. This is the first time this season that the Rams have been on a list like this.

Now, this doesn’t mean that the Rams haven’t been going to games and watching prospects in person. With that said, it is worth noting that the Rams have been known for not going to things the Senior Bowl and Combine in person.

What makes the Rams being in attendance for the Penn State-Michigan game are the prospects involved in the game. The biggest name here is Olu Fashanu who plays left tackle for the Nittany Lions. Fashanu will likely be the top left tackle for many teams in the 2024 NFL Draft.

In addition to Fashanu, quarterback JJ McCarthy is someone the Rams will certainly be watching. McCarthy is considered the third best quarterback in the draft behind Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. The Michigan quarterback could be a potential option for the Rams if they are looking to draft a rookie quarterback to sit behind Matthew Stafford for a season.

Fashanu and McCarthy are far from the only prospects as well. Penn State defenders include edge rusher Chop Robinson and cornerback Kalen King. Michigan guard Zak Zinter and running back Blake Corum are also notable prospects that the Rams could be keeping a close eye on in this game.

This may end up not being a big deal. However, as mentioned earlier, the Rams aren’t usually mentioned among the teams attending these big games. In fact, they have been a team known for not being at big events during the pre-draft process. What makes this especially notable is the fact that the Rams are in position to have a top-10 pick or potentially even the top-5 and one of the best left tackle prospects over the past five years is playing in this game along with a top quarterback prospect. They could very well be doing some due diligence.

It might not mean anything, but may not be something to ignore either.