As things stand right now we're in a bind as it pertains to our LT of the future. Whit remains a bandaid, one of the best bandaids ever but a bandaid nonetheless. So no matter how you slice this thing identifying who that will be is crucial moving forward.
Looking at our roster it is possible there's someone they like at that spot. It might be Noteboom, but I am skeptical on that as his complete lack of physicality in the run game will make him a poor replacement for a guy who is one of the best LTs in the league in run blocking. Also McVay was reminded this year while watching SF's rise to the top of the division that the run game is crucial to success, even as his own run game fell to the bottom range in the league. So it seems to me that Boom's future is depth.
There are other options... Maybe Evans is the guy. Or maybe Edwards. Of the two I'd go with Evans but you know with Edwards likely to settle in again at RG and Evans likely to battle Hav for the RT job I feel like the dev LT role is a need or at least a role that they will pounce on if something is available in the draft.
So irt the draft and to my eye the window for a LT in this class is the first 60 or so picks. That goes up or down depending on how much you like the second tier types, but either way this is a very good draft in that teams actually have a chance to find their LT in round 2. Enter the Rams picking at 52, which is not ideal for this, but is very much within that range where they might get lucky. Of course the problem here is how hard it would be to take a dev LT if they're looking at some of the other positional possibilities like Aiyuk (explosiveness) or Chinn (sub nickelbacker fit with safety upside) or Okwara, any of those types who bring explosiveness and upside. I mean I don't know that I could pass up on some of the names that are in that group not to mention potential sliders.
But looking ahead we don't have a first round pick in 2021 either. So it seems like the Rams might not have a choice but to suck it up and take the dev LT. And of course that's assuming one they like is there, as well as it begs the question of "who" would be the guy they would have to pull the trigger on?
Well things get murky outside of the early half of the first, with a lot of deviation in mocks. Overall it seems like there's four OTs who are almost certain to go in round 1 (Wills, Wirfs, Thomas, Becton). And there are roughly five who slot into that late round 1 on into round 2 range (Jones, Niang, Wanogho, Bartch, Jackson). Of that second group who--if any--is good enough to make Snead overlook a potential impact skill player? I find that to be an interesting mental exercise.
