Andrew Donnal to St. Louis Rams: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The final day of the 2015 NFL draft is underway. With the No. 119 pick in the fourth round, the St. Louis Rams selected Iowa offensive lineman Andrew Donnal. 

St. Louis' strategy for this draft was to repair the offense, particularly the offensive line and run game. Without a doubt, the Rams have delivered. 

They used the No. 10 pick on elite running back Todd Gurley. That was St. Louis' luxury pick, and Gurley finally gives Jeff Fisher a true workhorse back. What Eddie George was to Fisher's Tennessee Titans, Gurley will be expected to be for the Rams. 

However, the Gurley pick will be wasted if the run blocking does not improve. For that reason, St. Louis has used the majority of its picks on linemen. 

The team grabbed Wisconsin tackle Rob Havenstein in Round 2 and Louisville lineman Jamon Brown in the third round. 

Donnal is yet another guy capable of stepping in and competing for playing time in training camp. 

The Rams also selected quarterback Sean Mannion in Round 3, so this draft has been entirely dedicated to the offense. 

As much as that must kill a defensive coach like Fisher, it was a necessary strategy. 

How Andrew Donnal Fits in With the Rams

The selections of Havenstein and Brown were all about finding immediate contributors capable of boosting the ground game. 

Both players will step in and immediately create run lanes for Gurley and Tre Mason. With no elite receivers and a mediocre passing attack, the Rams will need a high-end rushing game to become competitive on offense. 

Still, the Rams were in need of a guy capable of keeping new Rams quarterback Nick Foles upright. Donnal should be that guy. 

He is not a mauler in the run game. He's not incompetent in that area, but he lacks the raw strength and athleticism to push around NFL defensive linemen. 

On the plus side, he possesses great size (6'6", 313 pounds) and uses his mechanics to best defenders. He's a capable pass-blocker and doesn't get overrun by pass-rushing ends. He'll keep Foles upright and clean. 

Donnal will require some development before he's totally confident at the NFL level, but that's not a major issue. 

He was a 13-game starter at right tackle for Iowa last season. He doesn't have much starting experience prior to 2014, but he received playing time at both tackle and guard before taking over as a starter. 

Havenstein will take over the right tackle position. As a second-round pick, he'll be expected to step in and start from day one. 

As for the opening at left guard, it's likely that Donnal and Brown will duke it out. Brown has more experience than Donnal and should be the favorite, but that will be settled on the practice field. 

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Initial Reaction and Grade for Donnal Pick

The Rams are returning just two starters from the 2014 line (Greg Robinson, Rodger Saffold). Drafting a third offensive lineman might seem like overkill, but it really isn't. It was a necessary blueprint for this year's draft. 

The Rams cannot simply assume that Havenstein and Brown will excel and immediately develop into starters. There's strength in numbers, so St. Louis knew it had to add another lineman to increase competition. 

Also, it's not about the starters alone. The Rams are also in need of depth on the line. Even if Donnal doesn't win a starting job, he'll provide some promising depth. 

The St. Louis offensive line has been held back in recent years by injured and aging veterans. The Rams needed young, healthy bodies for the offensive line, and they've accomplished that. 

Grade: A-

Steven Gerwel is the longest-tenured Rams Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and served as the Rams' game-day correspondent in 2014. You can find more of Gerwel's work by visiting his writer profile or following him on Twitter.