Quentin Lake explains why he thinks he fell in the 2022 NFL draft

Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake didn’t hide from the question when it came up on “Inside Football” with Trey Wingo: why did a player who’s developed into one of Los Angeles’ defensive cornerstones last until the sixth round in 2022?

Lake pointed to a mix of pre-draft injury concerns and one of the deepest draft classes in recent memory.

“I think I got flagged because of some injuries,” Lake said. “But I also say this too: in 2022, that was probably the biggest draft class ever. You had guys that took another year because of COVID, and kind of COVID messed up everything, too. So guys that were graded five, six, seven were really, you know, three, four, five.”

Lake said evaluators knocked him for his speed and physicality heading into that class, questions that dropped him to 211th overall — the 111th pick of the sixth round. He said his father set the tone for how he’d approach an uncertain path into the league.

“My dad told me — funny story — he was like, ‘Q, don’t be surprised if you get cut,'” Lake said. “He shot it to me straight. He’s like, ‘Be prepared for anything.'”

Lake said that conversation pushed him to learn every position in the secondary rather than lean on a single role, a versatility that’s defined his four seasons in Los Angeles.

The bet has paid off for both sides. Lake has racked up 235 career tackles, 22 pass deflections, four sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception since entering the league, including a 111-tackle, 17-game season in 2024. He was in the middle of another strong 2025 campaign — 61 tackles, 10 pass deflections, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception in 10 games — before a Week 11 elbow injury against Seattle ended his season early.

The Rams didn’t let the injury slow their plans. On Jan. 1, Los Angeles signed the team captain to a three-year extension worth up to $42 million, including $25.7 million guaranteed, making him a top-12 safety by average annual salary. Lake is now under contract through 2028 and enters 2026 training camp fully healthy and locked into L.A.’s secondary.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Quentin Lake explains why he thinks he fell in the 2022 NFL draft