The Rams finished off the 2019 NFL Draft with two seventh-round selections in Penn State DB Nick Scott at No. 243, and LB Dakota Allen at No. 251.
Scott was originally recruited by Penn State as a running back, but swiftly moved to safety with Giants running back Saquon Barkley a featured member of the Nittany Lions backfield. As a senior, Scott led the team with three interceptions — he finished his college career with 114 total tackles, five passes defensed, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and three picks.
Scott wasn't invited to the NFL Combine following his final season at Penn State, but that didn't bother special teams coordinator John Fassel, who's eyeing the former Penn State Special Teams Player of the Year as the next member of his unit.
"The combine was being aired on television and he was the first coach that called me while he was at the combine," Scott said of Fassel. "He said, 'Hey Nick I'm looking at your film and I'm extremely surprised that you're not here right now.' We've been in contact ever since then and he told me he was going to draft me and ke kept his word."
Just a few picks later the Rams wrapped up their draft with a brand-new linebacker out of Texas Tech.
Allen started 29 games in three non-consecutive seasons at Tech. The linebacker, who racked up 262 total tackles — 18.5 of which for a loss — 2.5 sacks, and four interceptions at Texas Tech, spent a season at East Mississippi Community College in 2016, where he was featured on the Netflix original series 'Last Chance U'.
Allen said his time on the show gave him some level of fame, and that it was an experience that confirmed his values: football and family.
"People do recognize me from the show, they recognize me as sort of the good guy from the show," Allen said. "The whole experience was just amazing and I'm thankful for it because I was able to continue to play football."
The Rams expressed some need at the linebacker spot entering the draft and may have secured some depth in Allen after losing linebacker Mark Barron in free agency.
