Rams take Battle!!!

[RamBill]

Louis Riddick ‏@LRiddickESPN

I'll give the #Rams credit - they knew their OL stunk & needed an infusion of healthy youth. Now..can they play, & when will Gurley b ready?

Ed Werder ‏@Edwerderespn

Rams approach with Isaiah Battle. This is his final college year, spends with Rams, goes through offseason, then starts rookie year in 2016.

Nick Wagoner ‏@nwagoner

May not be a more important figure at #Rams Park this summer than OL coach Paul Boudreau. Add another project to an ever-growing list.

NFLTradeRumors.co ‏@nfltrade_rumors

Clemson OT Isaiah Battle Receiving 3rd Rd Grades, Could Be Lucky To Be Drafted In Round 4 http://bit.ly/1TnYoe1

Matt Miller ‏@nfldraftscout

Good chance Clemson T Isaiah Battle is picked up today, but I did talk to multiple teams that do not like the off-field risk vs reward

Jason Cole ‏@JasonColeBR

GM said today OT Isaiah Battle has a 3rd rd grade, but will be lucky to go 4th rd supplemental. "I wouldn't touch him," GM said. We'll see

 

[den-the-coach]

Does it say something about the guys they drafted? Hope not.

No it doesn't, if you can add talent you add talent, regardless. Battle can play LT the Rams don't have anyone they drafted that could do that...Smart move all the way around.

 

[Fatbot]

Rok Watkins was the last time they spent a 5th round on an OL so it's a pretty low bar. Seems worth the gamble to try to develop him. It's gonna piss me off if other teams raid all our young potential from the practice squad tho.

 

[HometownBoy]

So lets say, for the sake of argument that he wins the LT job. Do you consider G. Rob a bust if he gets moved inside to left guard?

If you play good football I don't care where you move, as long as you help your team.

 

[Loyal]

I think you guys are overreacting...Battles is raw..gifted, yet raw...He is not competing vs Greg Robinson, IMO..Maybe vs Havenstein for RT....This guy needs to gain upper body strength (only had like 12 reps at 225 lbs at the combine)....He has potential, but alos has failed drug tests in his past....Only way he starts over Greg Robinson is if Robinson and Saffold get injured, and we're looking at the #1 pick in 2016.

 

[HometownBoy]

So lets say, for the sake of argument that he wins the LT job. Do you consider G. Rob a bust if he gets moved inside to left guard?

If you play good football I don't care where you move, as long as you help your team.

 

[DCH]

Nice pickup. I like the potential, and LOVE that he comes in with almost zero expectations except to compete. We now have three potential LTs and, what, four potential RTs on the roster?

Guys who can (potentially) be legit NFL LTs: Robinson, Battle, Saffold
Guys who can (potentially) be legit NFL RTs: Havenstein, Donnal, Battle, Saffold

That's helpful depth. That's also great competition.

 

[PowayRamFan]

Would be sweet if he made the squad and eventually be our #2 LT. What a luxury it would be to not have move Saffold when an injury occurs at a tackle spot...

 

[HometownBoy]

Would you rather have an elite guard or Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Khalil Mack, Blake Bortles, or Anthony Barr? Because that is the conversation.

elite guards can be found on day 2 or 3, not with the second pick in the draft. 2nd overall picks define franchises. Left guards don't.

An elite guard full stop.

Sammy Watkins can't catch shit if his QB's eating dirt, that much was proved last year. His stats looked great, but that nary helped when Orton hit the ground 33 times. Bortles was destroyed with out a line last year, what's the point of moving him from one O-line with holes all over the place to enough? I'd definitely rather have an actual GOOD player on my O-line for once over getting another defensive player. Might as well get more DEs in that case.

The O-line is literally the starting point of an offense. I don't care where they get good players for it or when, I just want good players on it. Saying they CAN be found is all well and good, but being able to and then doing so are two different animals entirely. So you go and get what you need to get immediately. Especially given the fact that an elite O-line can help make mediocre QBs look that much better and buy time for him to get it to wide receivers. Look at Seattle, Wilson looks great and all their mediocre receivers look like gods until they leave or face a team that shuts down their O-line. A great O-line can go a long way.

 

[NateTheRam]

If your watching NFL LIVE there gonna show a glimpse

 

[Mojo Ram]

I was watching the RT thinking it was Battle and was cringing. Realized Battle was #79 on the left side [whew]

 

[jrry32]

I'm okay with this pick. Especially after he came in at 312.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

The selection of Battle is a fascinating decision by Rams' general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher as St. Louis invested heavily in offensive linemen only a few months ago,

Its a fifth round pick for God's Sake! I wager that very few players pick in round 5 in the next few years are able to stick on this Present Rams roster. They are just taking a chance, it is not really a 'Surprise'

 

[jrry32]

Watch out Seahawks, we have Battlin' Isaiah Battle.

 

[lockdnram21]

So that's 5 picks used on o-linemen this year and 6 brought in total.

Additions: Donnal, Wichman, Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Battle, Reynolds

Losses: Wells, Long, Barksdale, Davin Joseph.

I would like to think we have improved here. Bark was the only good lineman we lost. everyone else either sucked or was injured, or both.

This unit has been completely overhauled.

Barks was mediocre to

 

[Mojo Ram]

Would you rather have an elite guard or Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Khalil Mack, Blake Bortles, or Anthony Barr? Because that is the conversation.

So those guys you mentioned are already elite in this conversation? They're not. Draft position doesn't mean squat unless you whiff on a player(punters/kickers/special teamers excluded). If GRob plays 10 years at Guard at a high level it's a good pick. By the same token if Tavon is a career PR it's not a good pick.

 

[JackDRams]

Well he ain't gonna take shit from anyone.

 

[OldSchool]

Can you please point me in the direction of the last Hall of Fame/Pro Bowl/All Madden guard taken in the top 5 of the NFL draft? Because I can sure as heck point you towards WRs, LTs, LBs, and QBs on the Final 4 NFL teams from the past 20 years that can claim that.

John Hannah 4th pick
Tom Mack 2nd pick (Rams own HoF)

(just outside your arbitrary top 5)
Bruce Matthews 9th pick
Mike Munchak 8th pick

These discussions can go round and round and round and are kind of pointless. Hall of Famers, Pro Bowlers and all Madden players can be found having been picked in any round from any position. Saying teams can only build with early picks is pointless. Two of our greatest players ever were Jackie Slater a 3rd round pick, hmmm similar to this year take a RT in the third round it's comfirmed Havenstien will start for 20 years and go to the HoF!! And don't forget Deacon Jones, 14th round pick, he would now be a UDFA.

 

[DCH]

Let's not forget, too, that Robert Gallery went from bust to beast when he moved from T to G. Guy was a monster for a few years there.

 

[NateTheRam]

Well he ain't gonna take crap from anyone.

What a idiot, if I was the coach he would be sent back to the locker room for that

 

[12intheBox]

What a idiot, if I was the coach he would be sent back to the locker room for that

Well, he was ejected from the game - as is almost always the case when punches fly.

 

[A55VA6]

Solid player. Hope it all works out. Could be a gem!

 

[HometownBoy]

Watch out for Seahawks, we have Battlin' Isaiah Battle.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Watch out everybody, apparently fucking Sagat's on our team. Watch out for Tiger Uppercuts NFC West.