The NFL just invited Washington Huskies offensive guard Jake Eldrenkamp to their ranks. Here’s why the Los Angeles Rams will love him
The University of Washington Huskies are an NFL player assembly line under head coach Chris Petersen. The team simply does not look to the stars: either in recruits or in production on the field. What Coach Petersen insists upon is contribution. And offensive guard Jake Eldrenkamp is a solid offensive lineman.
Washington guard Jake Eldrenkamp signed as a UDFA with the Los Angeles Rams, per source.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) April 30, 2017
The Rams need offensive line help. The 2017 NFL Draft did not yield many offensive linemen, and so teams like the Indianapolis Colts have made it a point to augment their ranks with undrafted free agents.
It’s so tough to judge the potential of offensive linemen. While I have no scientific data to back up my instincts, it seems as though the future of the player can evolve to NFL starter regardless of the initial scouting reports. Top ranked OL fall out of favor, and undrafted prospects can land as perennial starters.
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What the Los Angeles Rams will love about Jake Eldrenkamp
The Washington Huskies offensive lineman is not raw. In fact, he’s the opposite. He’s a polished offensive lineman who understands the techniques of both run and pass blocking. You can form your own opinion (check out # 52 at about the 7:00 mark). It’s a 13:00 minute or so video, so be sure to pop the popcorn!
On one hand, Eldrenkamp loves to engage and finish his blocks. As such, he’s a solid prospect. In the vacuum of a team in need of offensive linemen, Eldrenkamp appears to be a gift of the draft. Ranked as high as round 5 on some mocks, the fact the Rams landed him as a UDFA is good for the team.
On the other hand, Eldrenkamp is solid enough in fundamentals to make this roster. However, if the team feels he needs more time, he will likely make the practice squad for a year before coming back to play next year.
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What the Los Angeles will need to work on with Jake Eldrenkamp
On one hand, mo NFL rookie is foolproof. On the other hand, the synchronization of an NFL offensive line takes a great deal of time with even the most gifted of athletes.
The narrative of his scouting report hinges upon his adding mass to his body to play interior lineman for the NFL. Listed at 297 pounds on a 6-foot-5 body does not appear to be a pencil thin player. But his frame is somewhat narrow, so adding more muscle may not be a guarantee solution long term.
He is a solid, but not all-star, offensive lineman. Even so, he will need to compete and learn from, training in the NFL.
Why this pick is such a good fit
In the end, this is an excellent fit. The Los Angeles Rams failed to address positions at the offensive line in the NFL Draft, an area of need. So the team signed the Washington Huskies offensive guard with the intent of developing him into a solid performer.
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By all accounts, it should prove to be successful. In summary, Eldrenkamp has a solid foundation of instincts and techniques, and merely needs to add muscle and refine his natural skillsets.