Steve Avila Selected No. 36 by Los Angeles Rams in NFL Draft
A second TCU Horned Frog is off the board. Offensive guard Steve Avila has been picked by the Los Angeles Rams at No. 36 overall, fifth in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft Friday night in Kansas City.
He joins wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who was taken with the No. 21 overall pick by the Los Angeles Chargers.
This is right where NFL.com Analyst Lance Zierlein had Avila pegged.
“Three-year starter who offers versatility, power and athleticism,” Zierlein said in his evaluation of the former Horned Frogs O-lineman. “Playing at a lighter weight should not be a problem if teams want that from him. His girth makes him resistant to opposing power, and he’s light enough on his feet for pass protection duties and run blocks that extend beyond the box. He’s not a consistently nasty finisher and below average hand work has a clear impact on his ability to sustain blocks. Avila is likely to start right away as a Day 2 draft pick and should have a solid NFL career as either a guard or center.”
Before his entry into the draft, Avila became TCU’s first consensus All-American since wide out Josh Doctson back in 2015. He helped anchor an offensive line that produced one of the country’s most prolific offenses. In so doing, he started every game and didn’t permit a single sack for the second season in a row.
Avila appeared in 46 total contests while in Fort Worth. That included 35 starts between center and guard over his final three seasons.
