AJ Arcuri Selected by Los Angeles Rams in Seventh Round; Four Spartans Drafted Overall

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State offensive tackle AJ Arcuri was selected by the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round (No. 261 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft on Saturday, April 30.

Michigan State finished with four draft selections overall, the most for the program since 2016. In addition to Arcuri, running back Kenneth Walker III (Seattle, second round, No. 41 overall), wide receiver Jalen Nailor (Minnesota, sixth round, No. 191 overall) and tight end Connor Heyward (Pittsburgh, sixth round, No. 208 overall) were also drafted.

A four-year letterwinner (2018-21), Arcuri took advantage of a sixth season at MSU in 2021 and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades by the media after starting all 13 games for the Spartans (first eight at right tackle, final five at left tackle). He played a total of 738 snaps, fourth most on the offensive side of the ball for the Spartans, and helped block for Doak Walker Award winner and Walter Camp Player of the Year Kenneth Walker III, who finished No. 2 in the FBS in rushing with 1,636 yards. Arcuri closed out his career by playing all 89 snaps at right tackle in the win over No. 12 Pitt in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl as the Spartans capped an 11-2 season and finished in the Top 10 of the national polls (No. 8 Coaches, No. 9 AP).

"It was surreal," said Arcuri of being the second-to-last pick overall in the NFL Draft and taken by the Super Bowl Champion Rams. "I'm fired up about this opportunity. It's something you dream about as a child. Just having my name called, it's something that I will remember for the rest of my life."

Off to Cali!@ARCURIaj85 is joining the reigning Super Bowl champs 💍💍 pic.twitter.com/UZqOFRW9oc
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) April 30, 2022

A product of Powell, Ohio, Arcuri played in 40 career games at MSU with 25 starts (five in 2019, seven in 2020, 13 in 2021). He started 17 career games at left tackle (five in 2019, seven in 2020, five in 2021) and eight at right tackle (2021).

One of five Spartans to earn Academic All-Big Ten honors five times, Arcuri graduated with his bachelor's degree in packaging in December 2020 and was named a semifinalist for the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy. He was recently named to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society.

Arcuri is MSU's first offensive lineman selected in the NFL Draft since 2018, when Brian Allen, who recently won a Super Bowl ring with Los Angeles, was a fourth-round selection by the Rams.