Gordon: Rams wisely bolster O-line depth
• By Jeff Gordon
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_2205e11b-90a1-5a78-bd03-91838b2e3b8d.html
By adding still another offensive tackle prospect to the pile, the Rams made their fan base feel somewhat better about their offensive line.
They made rare use of the NFL's supplemental draft Thursday, burning a fifth-round pick in 2016 to select former Clemson tackle Isaiah Battle.
Battle was the only player taken in this supplemental draft and first player selected in this manner since star-crossed wide receiver Josh Gordon went to the Cleveland Browns in 2012. Every other NFL team "passed" on every round Thursday.
Battle played left tackle last season, starting 11 games and playing more snaps (824) than any other Tiger. He played in 27 games overall before leaving Clemson, saying he had "some family matters to address, with a child due this summer."
Like most players who land in the supplemental draft, Battle had other off-field issues that jeopardized his college eligibility. Multiple reports cited failed drug tests as a mitigating circumstance for his early departure from college.
But most NFL teams sent a representative to his pro day workout Tuesday and Battle made his case. There was speculation he could go somewhere in the first four rounds, but he fell to the Rams with the eighth overall pick in Round 5.
Offensive line coach Paul Boudreau just got another prized pupil. Battle joins 2015 draft picks Rob Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnal and Cody Wichmann on the rookie-heavy unit.
Havenstein was running with the first team during Rams OTAs, thanks to his solid run blocking, while Brown moved inside as the No. 1 right guard.
CBSSports.com notes that Battle is something of a project, albeit an interesting one:
Physically speaking, Battle is exactly what NFL scouts are looking for at the tackle position. His combination of height (6-foot-6, 312 pounds), arm length (35 3/8") and easy movement make Battle a potentially formidable pass blocker as edge rushers struggle to get around him. He's also quick to the second level when run blocking and can re-direct to hit moving targets once there.
While undeniably gifted, Battle remains quite raw and some scouts questioned whether he had the competitiveness to ever take full advantage of his talent. Battle offers only average functional strength at this time and too often bends at the waist rather than at the knees, which leaves him vulnerable to the bull rush and counters back to the inside.
Concerns about Battle's playing strength were only inflamed after he completed just 12 repetitions of 225 pounds at his Pro Day workout before cramping up. As a point of comparison, the lowest number of repetitions in the bench press by any tackle selected in the 2015 draft was 16 ... from Havenstein.
So he has some work to do, having missed all of the offseason work leading up to the start of training camp later this month. But Battle appears to have the athletic potential to work out over the long haul with the Rams, assuming he stays out of trouble.
Battle's upside as a pass blocker could prove critical if top 2014 draft pick Greg Robinson keeps struggling with that aspect of his game.
If he pans out, Battle will create a more competitive camp and allow the Rams to develop quality line depth. He is far more likely to do that one of the street free agents the Rams brought into the mix after last season.
And who knows, maybe they found a gem. The fifth-round pick in '16 was a modest price to pay for real athletic potential. Battle has a chance to be the best of the rookie linemen.
