Instant analysis: David Edwards adds depth with high upside at tackle

By:Cameron DaSilva

Offensive line depth was a pretty significant concern for the Los Angeles Rams entering the 2019 NFL draft after losing Rodger Saffold and parting ways with John Sullivan. Whether it was at guard, tackle or center, the Rams were bound to inject some young talent into the roster at some point.

They did exactly that with Bobby Evans in Round 3, and in the fifth round, they also added offensive tackle David Edwards out of Wisconsin. Evans can play any position except for center on the offensive line, but that’s not the case with Edwards – at least not right now.

He’s only played tackle for three years after being a high school quarterback and playing some tight end. It’s possible the Rams see him as depth inside at guard too, but the likeliest scenario is him backing up Rob Havenstein at right tackle.

It’s no coincidence that he’s a similar prospect to Havenstein and hails from the same program.

Havenstein is also a Wisconsin product and was actually replaced by Edwards in 2016 after the Rams drafted him the year before. Edwards is a big tackle, standing at 6-foot-6, 308 pounds, with 33 3/8-inch arms.

That length is something teams covet in tackles, which makes it likely that they’ll keep him outside, but there are certainly areas in which he can improve. For starters, he needs to improve his strength against powerful pass rushers on the right side. He was one of the best run-blocking offensive tackles in the draft, but that same effectiveness didn’t translate in pass protection.

Fortunately, Edwards will have a year or two to sit behind Havenstein, develop as a blocker and hit the weight room to improve his strength in pass protection. This is one of the better situations he could’ve been put in, giving him the chance to learn from two of the best tackles in the league with Andrew Whitworth being the other.

Edwards doesn’t have any experience at left tackle, but the Rams love to cross-train their linemen, so Aaron Kromer might see him as a potential replacement for Whitworth down the line. At the very least, he’ll add some competition at that spot with Evans and Joseph Noteboom also looking like possible heirs to Whitworth’s throne.

The Rams could’ve addressed a more immediate need like inside linebacker or defensive end, but they opted for another offensive lineman, which shows how highly they think of Edwards as a prospect.

[theramswire.usatoday.com]