The Los Angeles Rams selected TCU guard Steve Avila with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
College: Avila's senior campaign at TCU in 2022 made him the school's first consensus All-American since wide receiver Josh Doctson in 2015. He was a team captain for a Horned Frogs team that competed in the College Football National Championship and the anchor of an offensive line that paved the way for one of the nation's most prolific offenses. He started all 15 games at left guard and didn't allow a sack for back-to-back seasons. He also led all TCU offensive players with 1,044 snaps played his senior season. He was a 2022 First-Team All-Big 12 selection, an Outland Trophy Semifinalist, an Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Semifinalist, and an honorable mention for Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year. Avila participated in the Senior Bowl ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. In 2021, he started 11 games at center and saw action at right guard. He capped his junior season as a First-Team AP All-Big 12. He started all nine games played as a sophomore in 2020 and made starts at three different positions - six at center, two at right tackle, and one at right guard. He was the only player to start at three different spots on the offensive line that season. Avila saw action in 11 games his redshirt freshman year in 2019.
Personal: Was rated a four-star recruit by ESPN following his senior year of high school and ranked as the No.9 offensive guard in the state of Texas and No.42 in the country. He was named District 8-6A Co-Offensive Most Valuable Sophomore Player in 2015. Avila chose to play at TCU over Kansas State and Utah. He joined former TCU Offensive Lineman Joe Noteboom as well as college teammates Tre Tomlinson and Ochuan Mathis with the Rams.
