Plumbing The Depths For NFL Draft Gold: A Rams Mock Draft

The Los Angeles Rams Hosted The Tennessee Titans At SoFi Stadium On Sunday Night Football. Photo Credit: Ryan Dyrud | LAFB Network
The Los Angeles Rams Hosted The Tennessee Titans At SoFi Stadium On Sunday Night Football. Photo Credit: Ryan Dyrud | LAFB Network

Plumbing The Depths For Draft Gold: A Rams Mock Draft

While the rest of the world is comparing hand size and 40 times, we Los Angeles Rams beat writers toil in a very different labor force. Ram’s mock-drafters are miners. The rest are cherry-pickers. Is it the sexiest of work? No. But, mining isn’t sexy work, but it is necessary. We miners plumb the depths to find metals and minerals that the league is actually built of.

The Rams do make it easier on us miners than other teams do in a few ways. They also make it more difficult in one way. The players they target are often really really good at one specific thing or freak athletes. This typically allows Ram’s mock drafters to select the best player available based on those ideas rather than team needs. 

What the Rams do that adds an Infinite Improbability Button to the mix is their willingness to trade any draft pick for more picks. This year this includes every pick. If there isn’t a pick they like, they will flip it for another pick (Along with a few more bites at the proverbial team building apple.) Of course, this adds a ridiculous amount of variables to an already incomprehensible amount of tomfoolery.  

These particularities have been taken into consideration for this particular mock draft. 

Round 3: No. 104 overall Jalyn Armour-Davis 

CB Alabama 6’ 197 Lbs.

Another swing at an Alabama defender with injury red flags? This might be a tough sell to Rams Nation given Terrell Lewis struggles, but the Rams need to use 104 to pick a player that could start in their first season and no other college football program prepares their players for the pros like Alabama. 

One problem with that is Armour-Davis only spent one year as a starter for Nick Saban. A part of the reason he missed playing time was due to a knee injury suffered in high school. He ended up needing surgery during his freshman year with the Crimson Tide. Another reason he didn’t start was because he played behind Patrick Surtain. Surtain seems to have a very bright future as a defensive back in the NFL. 

Armour-Davis has the speed and size needed to play pro ball, but his game needs refinement. He opted to throw his hat in the ring for the draft rather than return to Alabama for his senior season. This is to the benefit of the Rams. Armour-Davis’ best football is definitely in his future, and that is after a positive 2021 season. He gave up only 290 yards and zero touchdowns on 44 targets. 

The Rams will absolutely trade back from 104 if they can’t get a year-one starter, but Armour-Davis could fit that bill. His versatility helps his case as well. He has success in man and in zone, as well as playing inside, outside, and at safety. 

[brid video=”1003220″ player=”34350″ title=”428%20%20LAFB%20Live%20Draft%20Show%20Day%201″ duration=”14918″ description=”The Crew of the LA Football Network are LIVE in Las Vegas covering the NFL Draft. Tune In for our live NFL Draft stream, and everything you need to know involving the Rams and Chargers!Hosted by Ryan Anderson, Brittany McReynolds, Will Decker, Jamal Madni, and Ryan Dyrud. Tune in all weekend!” uploaddate=”2022-04-29″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/22501/snapshot/1003220_th_1651274501.jpeg” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/22501/sd/1003220.mp4″ width=”16″ height=”9″]

Round 4: No. 142 overall Traded to Seattle for 145 and 229

There is no way the Rams would trade with a divisional rival and thus allowing that team to get “their guy,” right? Well, they did it just last season with their biggest rival and that trade with the 49ers was a bigger swing, 88 for 117 and 121. 

Round 4: No. 145 overall  JoJo Domann

LB Nebraska 6’1” 228

Jojo Domann’s skill as a big nickel would fill a need for the Rams while obviously bolstering shallow depth at linebacker. He doesn’t possess the ideal length for a mike linebacker but is a very good athlete with great pursuit and closing speed. Domann is comfortable in space and good in coverage. In three seasons, he came up with 16 passes defended and two interceptions. He did give up his share of receptions but he was able to limit yards on those receptions. He held receivers to 5.4 yards per catch and zero touchdowns. He also has 25.5 tackles for loss and nine career forced fumbles. 

Within the Ram’s offense, he could certainly contribute in sub-packages and his skill set would translate very well on special teams. 

He has a tendency to play with his hair on fire which can be a negative as much as it is positive. Domann has also missed time due to a litany of minor injuries. No serious red flags and the worst of it happened several years ago. He tore both ACLs in 2017 within a few months of each other. Both of which required surgery. He will also turn 25 before taking a snap in the NFL. 

Round 5: No. 175 overall  Joshua Ezeudu

Guard North Carolina 6’4” 308 Lbs

Joshua Ezeudu certainly looks the part of an NFL guard. Big and athletic and smart. The drawback is there is a disconnect between that size and how he uses it. He should be overpowering, but he isn’t. 

But with the kind of blank slate picking up this guy in the fifth round is worth the investment.

Round 6: No. 211 overall Sterling Weatherford

Safety Miami (Ohio) 6’4” 224 Lbs

Sterling Weatherford is an intriguing prospect for the Rams. He has great vision and is a mountain of a safety. For many, this puts him into the tweener category. Too small to be a linebacker, too big for a safety. 

For the Rams, he could be used to shore up their issues securing the box. He could be used in situations that don’t call for a high shell, as he would provide better run and slot defense than Taylor Rapp. He would also be an asset on special teams. 

Round 6: No. 212 overall Josh Johnson

WR Tulsa 5’11” 183 Lbs

Josh Johnson is a proven producer at the college level. He was one of three ACC receivers to catch for over 1,000 yards. His best traits are his ability to get open impressive catch radius and his pristine route running. His worst is a glaring issue; he had 28 drops in three seasons. He uses proper catching techniques but has small hands. 

Round 6: No. 218 overall Jason Poe

Guard Mercer 6’1” 300 

Poe is a small unseasoned guard from a tiny school in Georgia. But he is also a twitched-up ball heat and a rock pulverizer. If he progresses quickly he could compete for a starting spot, if he isn’t a fast learner he could dwell among the practice squad. 

Round 7: No. 229 overall Joshua Williams

CB Fayetteville State 6’3” 195

Joshua Williams won’t compete for a starting role in 2022, but with his length and 4.51 speed, he can be developed into a contributor and possibly a starter. He came up with an impressive nine passes defended and three interceptions in his final college season. 

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Round 7: No. 238 overall Noah Ellis

DL Idaho 6’4” 346

Ellis is a developmental project, but the Rams are in no hurry with the defensive line. He does fall in line with what the Rams look for at this position. He also has the versatility to work as far inside as a nose tackle all the way out to a three-technique. 

Round 7: No. 253 overall Nephi Sewell

LB Utah  6’ 226 lbs 

High football IQ, good athlete. Also t-rex arms and lacking in traits. If he makes a splash as a special teamer, could earn his way to a role player on the roster.