Getty Quentin Lake of UCLA runs the 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.
Divine intervention must be working inside the Lake household — an NFL family tree that just grew another league branch courtesy of the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, April 30.
Quentin Lake once followed around his father Carnell when the 12-year cornerback and safety was putting together Pro Bowl appearances with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars before finishing up with the Baltimore Ravens. While the younger Lake was born in the Steel City to a dad who played in the eastern time zone, Quentin cited Irvine, California (where the Rams hold training camp) as his home town in his UCLA biography.
And even though he saw his father wear No. 37 and delivered punishing blows and game-altering takeaways as a five-time Pro Bowl selection for the three aforementioned franchises, Lake always was drawn to another team: The Rams.
And now, in his interactive interview with the L.A. media following the final day of the 2022 NFL Draft on Sunday, April 30, Lake summed up becoming a Ram in two words: “It’s destined.”
“I just think especially me, being a kid from Southern California and me going to UCLA, and then me playing for the Rams in LA, it’s just meant to be,” Lake added.
You heard the man, @quentin_lake!
🗣️ WHOSE HOUSE?!
Lake a Local Representative & Among Deep DB Rookie Class
Lake will enter the “Rams House” as a prized local get among the deep crop of four defensive backs the Super Bowl 56 champs selected during the closure of this draft season.
Lake not only listed the Orange County neighborhood of nearly 275,000 people as the city he represents, but he also starred at a renown state powerhouse and national prep juggernaut: Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, which has produced countless of future college football and NFL players ranging from Matt Leinart, Matt Barkley and in the 2021 draft, his prep teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown went in the fourth round to the Detroit Lions.
Lake revealed his proof on why he was glued to the Rams even though his first NFL fan experience was watching his dad with the Steelers.
“I had went to a couple games, actually, and I saw the culture and the environment that they had, and I kind of fell in love with it,” Lake said. “But I had definitely been keeping tabs on the Rams for awhile. Especially being at UCLA, being in LA, you know, you don’t really have a choice but to follow the Rams.”
How Lake Believes his Game Will Elevate
With his multiple Pro Bowl father, Lake got the chance to be around someone who taught him football fundamentals at a young age while his dad used those same techniques on Sundays.
“I’m glad I’ve had a father figure like that because he definitely laid the groundwork,” Lake said.
But, he isn’t planning on referring to himself as “Carnell Lake’s son” in the same league his dad starred in.
“Although I am kind of following his footsteps in terms of going to the NFL and playing in the NFL, I think the biggest thing for me is now I have the privilege to form my own legacy,” Lake said.
He’s not just one of four rookies in the defensive backfield. He’s going to a unit that already features multiple Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey and captain Jordan Fuller. Of course, the Rams also have perennial All-Pro Aaron Donald and added Bobby Wagner during March. Lake loves the situation he’s in.
“Honestly, I think it’s going to elevate my game,” Lake said. “Those guys, they do everything to the ‘T.’ Super technical, obviously take their job seriously, so for me, it’s like, you look up to them, but it’s also a challenge. You’re trying to do what they did and live up to the path that they made, and I think that’s awesome for me coming in for me as a young guy. You see what they did, they laid the groundwork for the organization. It’s just going to be awesome being around super high-caliber guys.”
It just so happens he met one of his new teammates a few years ago, which was dug up by the Rams’ Twitter account.
.@jalenramsey + @quentin_lake… gonna need y’all to recreate this. 🤣
More intriguing for Lake: He gets his own NFL shot with the team he followed during his younger Golden State days.
“It’s what I wished for,” he said.