Los Angeles Rams: 11 Targets in 2018 NFL Draft after Ndamukong Suh signing

3. Leighton Vander Esch, ILB, Boise State

The Rams entered the first season of Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense with linebackers who were more ideally suited for a 4-3 defense. After all, that’s what Les Snead drafted and signed them for during the Jeff Fisher era. The two inside linebackers were former safety-turned-linebacker Mark Barron, and former first-round pick Alex Ogletree.

The latter was shipped to the New York Giants while Barron is now the lone man inside. There’s no reason to believe that the Rams will enter the 2018 season undersized at the position, so Boise State inside linebacker Leighton Vander Esch has to be an option.

The 6-5, near-260-pound mammoth is built like an old-school linebacker and one ideally suited for a Wade Phillips defense. Vander Esch doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses in his game, though there are some questions about his less than desirable battle with guards. However, more often than not, he’d win one-on-one and it has everything to do with his ability to use his eyes when he’s engaged with blockers.

He understands how to get skinny and exploit creases in route to the running back. Vander Esch plays through trash and scrapes down the line as well — if not better — than anyone in the draft. There’s no hitch in his step when he sees ball he gets ball and has the sideline-to-sideline speed to dominate from the middle.

What separates him from any other inside linebacker in the draft is the ability to cover. When he asked to drop into coverage, he looked smooth, quick and flipped his hips like a safety. His size, athleticism and ability to blitz gives Phillips a player who can line up inside or out.