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Isaiah Battle got NFL call while in hospital with pregnant girlfriend
Tadd Haislop’s headshotTadd Haislop @TaddHaislop
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July 9, 2015 3:07pm EDTThe Rams sacrificed a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft in order to continue their offensive line-boosting effort in 2015.
St. Louis took Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle in Round 5 of Thursday’s supplemental draft. The 6-6, 312-pounder was expected to be the only player selected — any team that selects a player in a supplemental draft must forfeit the corresponding pick in the following year’s primary draft.
MORE: All-time best undrafted free agents | Terrelle Pryor’s supplemental draft journey
Battle, whose girlfriend is expected to give birth sometime this week, was in the hospital when his agent called to inform him of the selection.
“I was just trying to wait for a call, but it was kind of hard,” Battle told Perform Media. “I was very excited and I’m appreciative and feel blessed that I will have a chance to perform. I’m just glad I got picked.”
St. Louis doesn’t plan to force Battle into action immediately — the opposite, in fact.
“We felt it was an opportunity to get an earlier round value for a later round price,” Rams General Manager Les Snead claimed in a statement. “He’s going to practice what would’ve been his final year of college eligibility with us, go through our offseason program, and then start his rookie season a year from now. This will allow us to bring him along gradually both on and off the field.
“Now it’s up to Isaiah and us to go work to reach his potential as a person and player.”
The Rams selected four offensive linemen in the 2015 NFL Draft: Wisconsin tackle Rob Havenstein, Louisville tackle Jamon Brown, Iowa tackle Andrew Donnol and Fresno State guard Cody Wichmann.
SN scouting expert Eric Galko thinks Battle has the ability to start as a rookie. From his scouting report:
Leaving Clemson likely due to a mix of family reasons and failed drug tests in the past, Battle is the only player in this supplemental draft who is a surefire draft pick. With plus-length at 6-6, 290, he has the build of an NFL outside lineman.
On film, he plays with decent bend and first-step contact, sinking well enough to drive initially with his hands and keep his lower half balanced through first contact in pass protection sets. He’d fit best in a quick pass protection due to his strengths in pivot control and quick hand exchange to limit quick rush moves. His kick slide footwork and patience is impressive and controlled.
Battle does play a bit too high for long driving run blocks, but does make contact at first at the second level. He meets with his hands well before engaging blockers and adjusts fluidly to keep his block controlled. However, he doesn’t play with violent hands or dominating force.
He’ll need to continue to fill out his frame, play with more explosiveness, and continue to be decisive as a blocker in pass protection sets. While he doesn’t have elite upside, Battle doesn’t look far off from being an NFL starter by season’s end, especially if he lands in an offense that works more 3-step drops.
Agamemnon2015 NFL Supplemental Draft – Isaiah Battle, Clemson
Posted on July 1, 2015 by Dan Shonkaby Dave Syvertsen, Ourlads’ Draft Analyst
Isaiah Battle, Clemson, Offensive Tackle, 6070, 290Isiah Battle, Clemson, Offensive TackleStrong Points: Ideal frame for the position. Has plenty of length with a thick lower body and strong backside. Plenty of room for more good weight once he enters an NFL strength program. Powerful upper body with heavy, violent hands. Can alter the path of any defender when he accurately punches. Moves with light feet and healthy joints. Bends his lower body well. Derives equal power from upper and lower body. Mechanically sound and works hard to play with consistent technique. Quick in a short space, will close a gap in a blink when moving downfield.
Weak Points: Consistently late out of his stance. Mentally doesn’t show the same speed as his physical ability. Will be late to adjust to double moves and blitzes. Relies too much on his length and hand power, putting his body in poor position against quicker defenders. Will tire easily and starts to bend too much at the waist. Gets grabby with his hands the further from the line the engagement is. Doesn’t show urgency or assertiveness downfield. Has been in some minor trouble off the field over the past two years.
Summary: Would have been a fourth year senior in 2015. Started 11 games in 2014, and 4 games in 2013, all at left tackle. Battle has the ideal frame and physical ability for the left tackle spot in the NFL. His feet are more than quick enough and he can derive elite power from his upper body to go along with top tier length. Battle made a late decision to leave Clemson early and enter the 2015 Supplemental Draft for financial and family reasons. With that in mind, he has been through two short term suspensions during his 3+ year career at Clemson and he was pulled over by police in June 2015 and found in possession of marijuana. Therefore, there are off-field concerns that need extra investigation. As a player, however, Battle would have been in the discussion for a top 100 overall spot in the 2016 NFL Draft. At times his game mirrors players who have been selected in the 1st round. For teams looking for edge protection help, Battle can be viewed as a prospect who could help as soon as the second half of 2015.
http://blogs.ourlads.com/2015/07/01/2015-nfl-supplemental-draft-isaiah-battle-clemson/
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