It is officially the Rams draft season! This means tons of speculative Rams mock drafts. They have already started to make some moves including cutting Bobby Wagner and are looking to trade Leonard Floyd, Allen Robinson, and Jalen Ramsey.
I would expect some moves like this to come in the next couple of weeks, and to keep an eye on Tyler Higbee as well.
That being said, what would a Rams draft look like without those players on the roster? For this mock, I’ll be using PFF’s mock draft simulator and making unforced trades for the players mentioned above.
Complete Rams Draft
Whether Floyd stayed or not, the Rams need pass-rush help to take pressure off of Aaron Donald. With the first-rounder they get from the Vikings after trading Ramsey, they decide to go after another Georgia Bulldog in Nolan Smith. Smith tested very well at the combine with a great athleticism score and is a great Edge option for the Rams draft
With their original second-round pick, the Rams draft Ohio State tackle Dawand Jones to be an anchor on the outside and possibly Havenstein’s heir. After last season’s debacle having quality depth pieces along the offensive line will be a priority in the Rams draft
Houston Cougars Nathaniel Dell (AKA Tank) met with the Rams at the combine and would definitely be a solid option instead of Allen Robinson
Drafting TCU’s Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson adds another young player to the secondary. He had five interceptions in the last two seasons and a very impressive 36 passes defended in his college career. He has good speed posting a 4.41 40-yard dash and 39-inch vertical as well.
Luke Schoonmaker from Michigan is a similar tight end to Higbee with his strength being his reliable hands and ability to match up well against the defense.
Dorian Williams out of Tulane is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker. He’s a gifted athlete with an impressive frame and a lot of raw ability.
With the next two picks, they add some young playmakers on defense to units that could use some improvement.
Chandler Zavala out of NC State should bolster the inside of the line where David Edwards struggled last season. Especially because Edwards, Oday Aboushi, and Matt Skura are all free agents. It’s smarter to go the rookie route there.
Quindell Johnson from Memphis and Coastal Carolina’s Jerrod Clark yet again boost the defensive backfield and defensive line that could use some more competition among the young players.
Atonio Mafi adds an athletic lineman close to home that helped UCLA rush for lots of yards last season with Zach Charbonnet and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. This also reinforces the interior of the line that needs some help.
One of the more premium picks in the later round, Malik Cunningham out of Louisville offers an interesting option for a backup quarterback. Cunningham sat behind now MVP Lamar Jackson and is a big threat with his legs. We know that the coaching staff loved Bryce Perkins and Cunningham plays pretty similarly, but with more upside to grow as a passer.
Utah Utes Tavion Thomas is another steal if he falls this late, as he’s a great satellite back that would fit well schematically in McVay’s system.
Overall I think they try to bolster both sides of the ball equally with a focus on the trenches. I think some premium positions that we could see picked are receiver and backup quarterback. This Rams draft is pretty huge for Les Snead as it’s a tone-setter for the next 2-3 years.