Rams 2022 Draft Prospect Profile: Luke Fortner (G/C, Kentucky)

[theramswire.usatoday.com] Rams 2022 Draft Prospect Profile: Luke Fortner (G/C, Kentucky)

Skyler Carlin
April 3, 2022 10:19 am PT

The interior of the offensive line of the Los Angeles Rams is going to look somewhat different next season. Despite the Rams retaining Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton in free agency, Austin Corbett inked a deal with the Carolina Panthers.

While Shelton could begin the season as a starter — and David Edwards is capable of playing either guard spot — taking an interior offensive lineman in the 2022 NFL draft seems to be a likely scenario for the Rams. Depth on the offensive line is vital in the NFL and Los Angeles realizes that they have to prioritize keeping Matthew Stafford upright.

In the days leading up to the draft, I’ve begun to take a look at prospects that the Rams could consider, beginning with Cole Strange and Ed Ingram (you can check those out below).

Cole Strange Draft Prospect Profile
Ed Ingram Draft Prospect Profile
Next up on my list of interior offensive line prospects that could interest the Rams is Luke Fortner out of Kentucky.

Background
Fortner spent six years at Kentucky as he was given another year of eligibility due to COVID. After redshirting as a freshman, Fortner played in 55 total games and started in 36 consecutive games to finish his collegiate career.

In his final season at Kentucky, Fortner made the switch from right guard to center seamlessly. Liam Coen, the new offensive coordinator of the Rams, was the offensive coordinator at Kentucky last season, so there’s some familiarity between Fortner and Coen.

At the NFL scouting combine, Fortner would post a 5.21 40-yard dash (18th among IOL), a 7.75 three-cone (12th among IOL), and a 4.95 20-yard shuttle (22nd among IOL). Despite his unexciting results at the scouting combine, what makes Fortner a fit for the Rams?


How he fits the Rams
Despite his mediocre times at the scouting combine, Fortner showed plenty of athleticism in the interior during his time at Kentucky. Kentucky used screens often in their offense and that allowed Fortner to showcase his ability to get out in space and convert blocks.

Once again, Fortner played under Coen in 2021, which would likely make it easier for him to make the transition from college to the NFL. Fortner’s ability to play center and guard makes him someone that the Rams could consider adding to provide depth in the interior, at the very least.

Just like most offensive linemen, Fortner does have areas where he’ll need to improve, especially in the strength department. There’s no doubt Fortner could be on Los Angeles’ radar due to the connection with Coen, but it’s a matter of whether or not he’s available when the Rams are on the clock.

Draft projection
I’ve seen mock drafts where Fortner goes in the third round before the Rams even have a chance to select him. On the other hand, other mock drafts have Fortner falling to Day 3 of the draft, giving Los Angeles multiple chances to snag him.

Fortner wasn’t one of the offensive linemen that skyrocketed his draft stock at the scouting combine. Even though he didn’t wow anyone at the scouting combine, his positional versatility could interest teams that want to bolster the interior of their offensive line.

Given the differing draft projections for Fortner, the Rams could have an opportunity to select him with the 104th overall pick in the third round or hope he falls to them in the fourth/fifth round. While Fortner may not be ready to start immediately, he’d be a valuable backup until he develops into a starter at the next level.