Rams make small-school TE Gerald Everett their first pick of 2017 NFL Draft

Gerald Everett’s path to the NFL took detours through one shuttered FBS program and another that didn’t exist before 2008. This weekend, he became South Alabama’s first-ever draft pick.

The elusive tight end will bring his explosive downfield credentials to the Los Angeles Rams after being selected by the 44th pick of the 2017 NFL Draft — the Rams’ first pick of the draft.

While he’s already made history by being the first USA Jaguar selected, he’ll have a long road ahead to prove he can be as much of a threat in the big leagues as he was against Sun Belt competition.

At 6’3 and 240 pounds, he’s got legit NFL size, but his main selling point is how he moves at that weight. He ripped off a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, and that wound up being his most disappointing performance at the combine. He graded out among the top tight end performers across the event’s strength and agility drills, comparing well to freak athletes like O.J. Howard and David Njoku, two draft-mates he’ll be compared to throughout his career.

That athleticism is what helped him transition from high school basketball star to upper-tier draft prospect. He played only one year of organized football before heading to Hutchinson Community College, then landed at UAB in 2014. That season ended about as poorly as it could have — with the shutdown of the school’s football program — but an NCAA exemption allowed him to continue without missing a beat at South Alabama.

Everett was still learning the game with the Jaguars, but his ability to create space and find ways to carve out yards after the catch made him a first-team All-Sun Belt selection. He averaged nearly 15 yards per catch in his three seasons, gaining more than nine yards after each reception while bruising up defensive backs along the way.

He’s especially valuable over the middle, where he absorbs contact and creates windows. He catches the ball well in traffic and came through in big spots. Those basketball instincts come in handy in the red zone, where he boxes out defenders and attacks the ball at its highest point.

He’s still adjusting to the game, which means his fundamentals are still progressing. As such, he’s a limited blocker who will need plenty of work clearing lanes for his tailbacks. He’s also learning his route tree, which means lots of sloppy moves downfield and rounded routes instead of precise cuts. Working with a new quarterback will require an adjustment period.

His hands aren’t great, leading to a handful of frustrating drops to pair with some insane catches. Consistency won’t be his thing for a while, at least not with only six years of organized football experience under his belt. Additionally, the level of competition he faced in college was underwhelming, though an eight-catch, 95 yard performance against Mississippi State is encouraging.

Picking Everett satisfies one of the most important things the Rams need to do this draft: Help Jared Goff.

Signing Robert Woods was step one and now Everett gives Goff an athletic tight end to work with. Tyler Higbee was selected last year in the fourth round and finished his rookie season with 11 receptions, but no matter how the team feels about the progress of the former Western Kentucky tight end, there’s nothing wrong with adding more speed in the Rams’ pass game.