WATCH: Rams Select S Quentin Lake With Pick No. 211 in the NFL Draft
The Rams added depth to their secondary with their first selection in the sixth round, taking safety Quentin Lake out of UCLA with the 211th pick.
An already elite unit for the Rams gets some welcome depth, as Lake will come in looking to make a name for himself on the Rams roster. Lake is a local kid, having attended Mater Dei High School before attending UCLA.
Lake produced a solid 2021 season for the Bruins, racking up 53 total tackles, including two tackles for loss. He would also snag three interceptions in 2021 as well as six pass deflections, flashing the ability to be a ballhawk who gets after it.
While Lake likely won't see the field early or often for the Rams, he is a solid depth piece that could contribute down the road for a talented Rams secondary, which is all the Rams can ask for of a sixth round pick.
Pros:
Safety with average size who is primarily deployed in deep zones. Lake takes good angles to targeted receivers downfield and ahead of him on crossing routes. He locates the ball in the air to make a play on it. In run support, he takes favorable angles to lateral moving ball carriers when pursuing from depth. Lake establishes contact with tight ends early when matched up in man coverage.
Cons:
Possessing below-average speed, Lake leaves big cushions in coverage to prevent getting beat deep. This also hurts his sideline to sideline range which is poor. His mental alertness and reaction time are below average which shows in the red zone. He is influenced by the eyes of the quarterback and easily moved too far off his spot. Lake shows little feel for spacing, often drifting too far to the sideline and leaving his zone unoccupied. Below average change of direction means he allows separation at the top of routes. Keeping his hands on receivers for too long and leaning causes him to lose his balance. Lake plays with below-average effort in the run game and tackles high, waiting for his teammates to finish the job. He is unable to shed blocks due to a lack of effort
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rams? Click Here
Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Ram Digest message board community today!
