ST. LOUIS (AP) _ The St. Louis Rams selected offensive lineman Isaiah Battle in the fifth round of the NFL supplemental draft.

The Rams announced Thursday that they’ve selected the former Clemson player. Battle played in 27 games and started 15 during three seasons with the Tigers.

The 6-foot-6, 312-pounder emerged from spring as the starter at left tackle, but cited having a child due this summer in deciding to leave the school.

Rams general manager Les Snead says the team “felt it was an opportunity to get an earlier round value for a later round price.” Snead says Battle will practice during what would have been his senior season and go through the offseason program before starting out as a rookie.

The Rams will lose a fifth-round pick in the 2016 draft.