1 undrafted free agent who will make Rams’ 2024 roster

Now that the 2024 NFL Draft is well over, it’s time for teams like the Los Angeles Rams to start figuring out their eventual 53-man roster.

Like most teams, it’s been a busy offseason, starting with free agency and then the 2024 NFL Draft. The Rams started a bit behind the 8-ball, however, with eventual Hall of Famer Aaron Donald announcing his retirement. That possibly changed the Rams’ draft strategy just a bit.

As for the draft, the Rams did something they haven’t done during the entire Sean McVay era so far, making a first-round selection. Including that first-round pick of Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse, the Rams had 10 overall picks. But they did continue to make 16 more signings to the team after the draft in undrafted free agents.

Here are all 16 undrafted free agents the Rams signed, per the team’s X account:

Sam Wiglusz, WR, Ohio

Tuli Letuligasenoa, DL, Washington

David Olajiga, DL, Central Missouri

Jaylen McCollough, DB, Tennessee

JJ Laap, WR, Cortland

Cam Lampkin, DB, Washington State

Neal Johnson, TE, Louisiana

Blake Larson, OL, Augustana

Drake Stoops, WR, Oklahoma

Josh Wallace, DB, Michigan

Omar Speights, LB, LSU

Justin Dedich, OL, USC

Anthony Goodlow, DE, Oklahoma State

Kenny Logan Jr., DB, Kansas

Elias Neal, LB, Marshall

Charles Woods, DB, SMU

These 16 players, all of whom have agreed to terms with the team for now, have a chance to make a name for themselves, earning a second chance of sorts to make the Rams’ roster and begin their professional careers. It’s a long road to making the 53-man roster, though, where each of these undrafted free agents will be hoping to be on the team when the 2024 NFL season kicks off in early September.

Looking at all 16 undrafted free agents the Rams picked up, there are a few players that could possibly find their way onto the roster. But if we had to pick only one to be named to the 53-man roster on the next-to-last Tuesday before the regular season begins, it would probably be LSU football linebacker Omar Speights.

LSU’s Omar Speights has the best chance to make the Rams’ 53-man roster

The Rams are going through a bit of reconstruction in the linebacker corps in 2024. They have outside linebackers Keir Thomas and Nick Hampton, but as far as inside linebackers go, that’s pretty much left to Ernest Jones. The former Gamecock will be entering only his second season in the league and should continue to progress. But as evident, it’s clear this position needs some depth. That’s just one reason why Omar Speights makes perfect sense to make the eventual 53-man roster.

Speights comes to the Rams with a wealth of experience that started in the Pac-12 at Oregon State and then finally in the SEC at LSU for his last season. Altogether, he played in 55 games in his career, most of which he started.

Speights is considered a tackling machine. As a freshman in Corvallis, he ranked second on the team in tackles with 73, with 7.5 for a loss. He also had an interception and double-digit tackles in three games that season. Those numbers were good enough to earn him Freshman All-American honors, per On3. In total, Speights has 374 tackles, 25 for a loss, five sacks, and three interceptions for his collegiate career.

If not for a step back for Speights last season at LSU, he would have perhaps been drafted. He was also in one of the worst defensive units in the country in 2023. He didn’t record a single sack or tackle for a loss. But it seems obvious that the Rams believe they may have found a hidden gem with Speights. They signed him to a $9,000 signing bonus.