Welcome to Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Rams were the last team in the NFL to make a selection in the 2018 NFL Draft when they selected OT Joseph Noteboom with the 89th pick overall on Friday.
After multiple trades in the offseason, the Rams first pick was in the third round at No. 87, but minutes before they were to select, they traded that pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the No. 89 pick and another sixth round pick (217).
After watching two linebackers come off the board in front of them—a position of need for the team—the Rams opted for depth on the offensive line as they drafted Noteboom from Texas Christian University.
Noteboom hails from Plano, Texas and is a lean, athletic and intelligent player. He is a three-time All-Academic Big 12 selection and more than anything is one of the most durable players in the NFL Draft.
"Played left tackle for the last two years, started 40 straight games," said Rams general manager Les Snead when asked what he liked about Noteboo. "At the end of the day, you got a chance to get a young offensive lineman, add depth, learn from the starters that we have and develop him to become a future player for us.”
Noteboom did not miss a single game in his four-year collegiate career and helped protect the blind side of quarterback Kenny Hill for the last two seasons.
The TCU standout is 6'5" and weighs a whopping 309 pounds. Despite his size, the Rams believe there's room for Noteboom to put on even more weight and muscle this offseason and could become the eventual starter at left tackle after Andrew Whitworth retires.
Noteboom will have a lot of work to do this season as he backs up the All-Pro Whitworth, but he couldn't have landed in a better situation to learn from one of the best as he prepares for life in Los Angeles.
"That’s a perfect guy to learn from, a Pro Bowler like you said, a veteran," Noteboom said of Whitworth. "I’m excited. I’m going to take in everything he’s telling me."
The Rams will have three fourth round picks on Saturday and now five sixth round picks. They should be very active as they look for linebackers and more depth on the offensive line on the final day of the draft.
