The Los Angeles Rams fortified the trenches early in the draft when they selected Steve Avila with the 36th overall pick, opting not to trade down because they loved him as a prospect. He’s already impressing folks in Los Angeles this offseason, earning practice reps with the starters along the offensive line.
Avila may only be a rookie with plenty to prove, but the Rams are counting on him to contribute early on at either guard or center. His position flexibility, along with his pure talent, make him a valuable piece of the offensive line heading into the 2023 season.
2022 stats (PFF)
College stats
- 0 sacks allowed
- 2 hits allowed
- 83.6 pass blocking grade
- 66.6 run blocking grade
Position group
Avila falls into two position groups: guard and center. He played both in college, which was one of reasons the Rams liked him so much in the draft, but he’ll likely settle into one spot in the NFL.
That position should be guard, especially considering the Rams already have two starting-caliber players competing at center in Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton. At guard, Avila will compete with Logan Bruss, Tremayne Anchrum Jr., potentially Shelton and one of either Joe Noteboom or Alaric Jackson.
The Rams clearly have a lot of options at guard and it will come down to who plays best in training camp and the preseason, but Avila is already on a good path. He was getting first-team reps in OTAs and minicamp, a positive sign for the rookie out of TCU.
2023 outlook
The Rams got nothing out of their top draft pick last year after Bruss went down with a torn ACL in the preseason. Avila will be much more involved as a rookie this year, assuming he’s able to stay healthy. He’s on track to start at one of the guard spots, hopefully improving a position that has undergone plenty of changes in recent years.
Avila is a dominant pass blocker and an impressive run blocker, all helping him get selected near the end of the first round. He’s not perfect, of course, and he’ll face some bigger, stronger and quicker defensive linemen in the NFL. But Avila has all the makings of a high-end starter for Los Angeles.
It’s hard not to get excited about his potential as a blocker in the Rams’ system, given his athleticism and sheer strength on the inside.
