The Los Angeles Rams will have a crowded offensive line room during training camp. With the starting five mostly set and Bobby Evans and David Edwards locks for the roster that leaves one, maybe two, spots for the taking. One of the players that will be competing for one of those spots is an undrafted rookie free agent, Brandon Hitner, from Villanova. He’s next in our roster preview series.
College Career
After being red-shirted his freshman year and limited action as a redshirt-freshman, Hitner saw action in seven games as a junior. A leader on the offensive line, he showed improvement every year with the Wildcats and started all 11 games at tackle his senior year.
While his career at Villanova started slow, he ultimately became a vital member of the offensive line as a full-time starter over his final two seasons. At Villanova’s Pro Day his vertical jump and broad jump measurements would have ranked top-five marks for offensive linemen at the NFL Combine. Then his three-cone drill time would’ve been top-10.
He is a versatile lineman that can play the tackle and guard positions, which also makes him more appealing in the NFL. While he’s undersized, his pro day numbers were undoubtedly worth taking a chance on. He’ll at the very least compete for a roster spot.
Roster Battle
Hitner will be competing with a plethora of undrafted players for 1-2 roster spots. Hitner’s versatility certainly makes him valuable, but Kaskey is probably the better tackle while Chandler Brewer and Jeremiah Kolone are the better guards. Hitner is going to have to catch eyes if he wants a spot not only on the roster but the practice squad.
Three Plays on Tape
Biggest Question
How will Hitner translate his pro day numbers to the field?
Hitner dominated his pro day, which is what caught a lot of NFL teams’ eyes. For him to make a roster or practice squad, that is going to have to translate to the field.
2019 Outlook and Role
For a player that is on the bottom of the totem pole and therefore the roster, there isn’t a lot of outlook here. Hitner will compete in training camp and attempt to catch some eyes to get a spot on his most likely scenario – the practice squad.
Chances of Making Final Roster
There are uphill battles, and then there’s what Hitner is facing. Hitner is coming from the FCS, and he may not even be the best FCS offensive lineman on the Los Angeles Rams roster. You never say never, but even if he does have a good camp, Hitner seems like much more of a practice squad candidate.
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