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St. Louis Rams: Robert Havenstein Is Exactly What They Need

By Dusty Haralson

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Speculation during the offseason was consumed with the St. Louis Rams drafting a quarterback due to injuries to the “franchise” man Sam Bradford, and Shaun Hill and Austin Davis for just being very average.

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Either Jameis Winston from Florida State or Marcus Mariota were considered by the Rams.

Then, things changed. Chip Kelly, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, made shockwaves in the NFL by trading players and picks as if they were Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. The Rams gave away Sam Bradford and in return received the Eagles’ quarterback Nick Foles. Despite that, they were not fully satisfied at the quarterback position.

After Winston was presumed to be the number one pick, St. Louis turned to working for Marcus Mariota. The Tennessee Titans had the overall number two spot in the 2015 NFL Draft. The Rams were reportedly on the phone withe the Titans. But, nothing intrigued Tennessee’s general manager, Ruston Webster.

So the Rams were stuck with their number ten pick.

Many predicted the Rams were going to draft an offensive lineman, but Brandon Scherff was selected at the fifth spot by the Washington Redskins. Also, receivers like Kevin White and Amari Cooper were also possibilities before the draft, but they were also off the board by the time the tenth pick rolled around.

However, at the tenth pick, the Rams made the shocking move to draft running back Todd Gurley, despite already having a productive Tre Mason at the position.

Gurley, when healthy, is arguably the best overall player in the draft, and the Rams chose the best available player over their biggest need. He will be a great addition to Nick Foles and the Rams offense.

The Rams traded their second round pick (41) to the Panthers in a five pick trade, and with the 57th pick, they selected Robert Havenstein.

The massive 6-foot-7, 321 pound offensive tackle from Wisconsin has surprisingly quick feet. He has a lengthy frame that can help his success in the NFL against defensive tackles and linebackers.

It’s a great pick in my opinion, because the Rams had one of the worst offensive lines in the league according to ESPN. They allowed 47 sacks. That kind of offensive line play will never get you anywhere near the top of the NFL.

Without a good offensive line, Todd Gurley and Nick Foles will have a difficult time getting any momentum going. You can ask Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray, having a solid offensive line completely changed the momentum of the franchise. Murray had more space to run, and Romo had time to go through his progressions and throw to the correct receiver.

Maybe Havenstein can create holes for the running back pair of Gurley and Mason, and hold off defenders long enough for Foles to make good passes. This is the kind of player the Rams needed.

The offensive line is the weakest unit on the Rams, and an improvement there can really help the team’s journey back to the playoffs. Picking OT Havenstein at the 57th pick is a step in the right direction for the Rams.

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