Who is the Rams' Most Underrated Offensive Player?

The Los Angeles Rams have remained a constant in the NFC as a playoff contender in most seasons under head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead.

A recent roster shakeup has turned the team that was once thought to be in a rebuild has garnered a young, talented group of players on both sides of the ball that have heightened expectations for the 2025 regular season. This Rams team has a great mixture of youth and veteran talent that makes them a strong overall group.

One of those veteran players is right guard Kevin Dotson, a key piece of the Rams offensive line at right guard, yet seemingly unheard amongst the general fans in the NFL. To some, he is arguably the best offensive lineman on Los Angeles' front and is rarely recognized as such.

In McVay's rushing offense, linemen need to have quality movement skills to work laterally down the line of scrimmage in the wide-zone blocking scheme, requiring an ability to reach and hit landmarks to the second level, and seal off defenders coming from the backside. Dotson is one of the best at doing this and has become a force at right guard using his great power at the point of attack and creating creases up front for guys like Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, and soon to be Jarquez Hunter.

Dotson brings the physical demeanor for this Los Angeles front. He shows it in pass protection when looking for work or sitting down to anchor against speed and bull rushes. He can regather and recover well in his sets, which gives quarterback Matthew Stafford time in the pocket to keep the offense on-time and in rhythm.

Just how good was Dotson last season? He was tied for the ninth highest-graded guard by Pro Football Focus at a 77.7 with New York Jets' Alijah Vera-Tucker and the eighth-best run blocking grade amongst at all guards.

Dotson is a part of an offensive line that features veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein, young left guard Steve Avila, and free agent signee center Coleman Shelton. This is a quality group of linemen that will be a strength for the Rams in 2025.

Heading into the season, Dotson isn't exactly underrated as his PFF grade would suggest but he is hardly recognized for his ability in the trenches in a league that won't be awarding linemen until this season. Let's hope that changes in what could be a great year for Los Angeles.