Steve Avila Bio
Esteban “Steve” Avila, born on October 16, 1999, in Arlington, Texas, is an American professional football offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 305 pounds, Avila plays a physical, intelligent brand of football in the trenches. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft and quickly became a key player for the team.
Before reaching the NFL, Avila built a decorated résumé at Texas Christian University, where he earned Consensus All-American honors and developed into one of the most respected interior linemen in college football. A former four-star high school recruit, he has been praised for his positional versatility, having started games at center, guard, and tackle during his career.
Early Life and Background
Steve Avila was born on October 16, 1999, in Arlington, Texas, where he grew up in a culturally rich household. His father is Mexican-American and his mother is African-American, a background Avila has often cited as a source of pride throughout his life. He attended South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas, where he first developed into a high-level offensive lineman.
As a high school prospect, Avila was rated a four-star recruit, drawing interest from several major college football programs across the country. He committed to play college football at Texas Christian University, choosing the Horned Frogs over other suitors. His combination of size, footwork, and physicality made him a priority recruit for the TCU coaching staff.
Path to American Football
Avila arrived at Texas Christian University with the tools to develop into a long-term NFL prospect. As a freshman, he redshirted, preserving a year of eligibility while adjusting to the speed and complexity of the college game. The following year, as a redshirt freshman, he appeared in 11 games and began showing the kind of positional flexibility that would later define his professional career.
During his redshirt sophomore season, Avila started nine games, lining up at center, right tackle, and guard. That versatility, combined with steady improvement in pass protection and run blocking, helped him earn first-team All-Big 12 Conference recognition from the Associated Press. He also earned second-team honors from the Big 12’s coaches, signaling his arrival as one of the conference’s premier interior linemen.
Steve Avila Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Avila’s first-team All-Big 12 recognition in 2021 marked the start of his rise toward national prominence. He anchored the interior of the TCU offensive line with consistency, helping power one of the most productive rushing attacks in the Big 12. His combination of strength at the point of attack and the ability to reach linebackers on the second level made him a favorite target for pull blocks and combination blocks.
In 2022, Avila elevated his game to a Consensus All-American level, one of the highest individual honors a college football player can receive. He repeated as a first-team All-Big 12 selection and was widely viewed as the top interior offensive line prospect in the 2023 NFL draft class. His play that season cemented his status as a Day 1 or Day 2 NFL pick.
NFL Breakthrough with the Los Angeles Rams (2023)
Steve Avila was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round, 36th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft. The Rams targeted him as a future building block for their offensive line, and he was given an immediate opportunity to compete for a starting job. He won the starting left guard position out of training camp and never looked back.
In his rookie season, Avila started all 17 games at left guard and was the only Rams player to play every single offensive snap. That durability and reliability were central to an offense that leaned heavily on the run game, and his steady play earned him a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. The honor placed him among the top first-year players in the league and validated the Rams’ decision to invest a high draft pick in him.
Los Angeles Rams Continued (2024–Present)
With the addition of guard Jonah Jackson in 2024, the Rams moved Avila from left guard to center, his natural college position. The change was designed to maximize the offensive line’s flexibility and to take advantage of Avila’s pre-snap intelligence and communication skills. Unfortunately, his 2024 season was disrupted by a knee injury suffered in the Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions, which required MCL surgery and led to a placement on injured reserve on September 11, 2024.
Avila was activated on November 11, 2024, and returned to the left guard position for the remainder of the season. He continued to start at left guard to begin the 2025 season, providing veteran stability on a Rams offensive line that values continuity. His ability to bounce back from injury and seamlessly shift between positions has been a hallmark of his early professional career.
Driving Style and Strengths
While “driving style” in football applies to blocking rather than racing, Avila’s approach in the trenches is built on power, leverage, and intelligence. He excels in phone-booth run blocking, where he can use his lower body to drive defenders off the line, and his pass-protection footwork has steadily improved each season. Coaches have praised his football IQ, particularly his ability to read defensive fronts and adjust protections at the line of scrimmage.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining milestones of Steve Avila’s career came in his rookie season when he became the only Rams player to start all 17 games and play every offensive snap. Being named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team further highlighted his immediate impact at the professional level. His selection as a Consensus All-American in 2022 also stands as a career-defining collegiate achievement.
Steve Avila Career Wins
Steve Avila’s résumé is built more on consistency, awards, and positional dominance than on traditional win-loss statistics. Across his college career at TCU, he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2021 and 2022, capped by a Consensus All-American selection in 2022. In the NFL, his rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 resulted in a PFWA All-Rookie Team selection after starting every game and playing every snap on offense.
Los Angeles Rams Highlights
Avila’s first full NFL season in 2023 stands as his most decorated professional year to date, marked by 17 starts at left guard and All-Rookie recognition. His transition to center in 2024 was cut short by a knee injury, but he returned to action later that season and reclaimed a starting role. To begin 2025, Avila is back at left guard, where he continues to anchor the Rams’ offensive front.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his postseason awards, Avila posted consistent game-by-game performances throughout his college and professional career. At TCU, he started games at center, right tackle, and guard, demonstrating rare versatility for an interior prospect. That flexibility has continued in the NFL, where he has produced at a high level at both guard and center.
Steve Avila Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Steve Avila comes from a biracial household that has shaped his identity as an athlete. His father is Mexican-American and his mother is African-American, and he has spoken about the importance of that multicultural background. He grew up in the Arlington, Texas, area and attended South Grand Prairie High School, where he became a highly recruited offensive lineman.
Personal Life
Avila has largely kept his personal life private, focusing public attention on his football career. He is currently active on social media, where fans can follow his journey. Details about his marital status, spouse, or children have not been publicly disclosed in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
Steve Avila entered the 2025 NFL season as a returning veteran along the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line, having come back from a 2024 knee injury. After shifting back to left guard, he resumed his role as a full-time starter, providing experience and stability next to new teammate Jonah Jackson. The Rams’ decision to keep him at left guard rather than center suggests confidence in his pass-protection and run-blocking ability at that spot.
Throughout the early part of the 2025 campaign, Avila has been a fixture on an offensive line tasked with protecting quarterback Matthew Stafford and opening lanes for the Rams’ running backs. His durability, after playing every offensive snap as a rookie in 2023, remains a major asset, especially given the injury issues that cut into his 2024 season. The Rams view him as a foundational piece of their offensive front for years to come.
Looking ahead, Avila’s primary goals for the remainder of 2025 include staying healthy, maintaining his high level of play, and helping the Rams return to postseason contention. If he can put together a full, productive season at left guard, he will further cement his reputation as one of the more reliable young interior linemen in the NFC. His continued development will be central to Los Angeles’ offensive identity in 2025 and beyond.