Get to know the Rams' 10 undrafted free agent signees

Get to know the Rams' 10 undrafted free agent signees
May 11, 2021 at 09:31 AM

Stu Jackson
Staff Writer


The Rams supplemented their nine-member 2021 draft class by signing 10 undrafted free agents on May 1. Here's a little bit more information about each of those 10 newcomers:

WR Landen Akers, Iowa State

Akers, 6-foot, 191 pounds, registered 38 receptions for 593 yards and one touchdown across 48 games in four seasons with the Cyclones and was an Academic All-Big 12 selection every year (Second Team 2017-19, First Team 2020).

S Paris Ford, Pittsburgh

The 6-1, 197-pound Ford produced 147 total tackles, six interceptions, 20 pass breakups and three forced fumbles while playing in 29 games (18 starts) across three seasons. Also named All-ACC twice (First Team in 2019, Second Team by Associated Press in 2020). "Hailed as the Panthers' most devastating hitter in at least two decades," according to his school bio.

S Jovan Grant, Merrimack College

The 6-1, 210-pound Grant tallied 155 total tackles, three interceptions, eight pass breakups, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocks across 30 games from 2017-2019. Was a Northeast-10 All-Conference selection as a redshirt sophomore in 2018 after tying a career-high in total tackles (53) while setting a new career-high in solo tackles (37) that year.

DB Brontae Harris, UAB (pictured above)

The 5-10, 190-pound Harris collected 77 total tackles, four interceptions, and 20 pass breakups while playing in 33 games (23 starts) across three seasons (missed 2019 with a foot injury). As a redshirt senior in 2020, tallied 27 total tackles (four for loss), one sack, four pass breakups and one interception en route to Second Team All-Conference USA recognition. Originally began his college athletic career as a scholarship basketball player at Alabama A&M (redshirted) before transferring and walking on to the UAB football team, eventually earning a scholarship.

WR Jeremiah Haydel, Texas State

The 6-foot, 170-pound Haydel capped his college career being named an All-America kick returner by ESPN, Second Team All-America kick returner by Phil Steele and the Football Writers Association of America.

He was also All-Sun Belt Conference in 2020 as a:

Punt returner (First Team, Phil Steele)
Return specialist (Second Team, conference coaches and media and Pro Football Focus)
All-purpose player (Second Team, conference coaches and media)
Kick returner (Second Team, conference coaches and media)
Collectively, these accolades culminated from ranking third nationally and first in the Sun Belt Conference in combined kick return yards with 687, as well as being one of only two NCAA Division I FBS players to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown. Haydel's 13.0 yards per punt return (off 16 punts for 208 yards) ranked seventh nationally and led the Sun Belt, while his 25.2 yards per kickoff return ranked 25th nationally and second in the Sun Belt.

OT Alaric Jackson, Iowa

The 6-5 1/2, 321-pound Jackson logged 42 starts at left tackle, which means he started in every game he played during his career with the Hawkeyes. After being named a freshman All-America by the FWAA in 2017, he went on to receive Second Team All-Big Ten recognition from both league coaches and media and the Associated Press in 2018, Second Team All-Big Ten (Phil Steele) and Third Team All-Big Ten (league coaches and media) in 2019, then Second Team All-America (American Football Coaches Association), Third Team All-America (Steele) and First Team All-Big Ten (league coaches and media) in 2020.

OL Jordan Meredith, Western Kentucky

After appearing in 12 of 13 games in a reserve role as a redshirt freshman in 2017, the 6-3, 300-pound Meredith became a three-year starter (37 games total) at right guard for the Hilltoppers. This culminated with helping them earn the distinction of PFF College's No. 14-ranked offensive line unit in the FBS in 2020, as well as being named a Second Team All-Conference USA selection (league coaches, PFF and Phil Steele), plus Second Team All-American recognition from PFF individually.

[www.therams.com]