2015 Rams Mock Draft: Take One

So it's officially that time again. You know, the time of year where the NFL is in playoff swing, the Sunday's are filled with tail-gaiting, nachos and beer and the commercials are very expensive.

Or if you associate with the Rams, the time where you get to dream about new coaches and players while sitting on the couch watching another team play. So, in the spirit of January, I'm rolling out a three round mock.

For the sake of making things easy, I'm following Dan Kadar's excellent mock draft. The Rams are 10th overall, but they've lost out to many coveted players. You're not going to like what I'm about to do.

Round 1 - Pick 10 - Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA

The Rams are out of luck with the results of the top nine picks here. Scherff and Collins are gone, along with Mariota and Winston. Even some of the top receivers are off the board. Do the Rams pick a linebacker? The defense could get by with a few minor additions, but the offense needs major work, which is why the Rams are reaching big for Hundley.

Picking Hundley this high is a tough pill to swallow, but it makes a lot of sense. Waiting around for a QB is dangerous, especially with a player whose stock is all over the place. Hundley is a consistently dangerous player to defenses. His dual-threat capability gives the Rams so much more flexibility moving the ball and I don't think he's given enough credit as a passer, even though he has a lot of work left to do.

If there is any team who should pick Hundley, it's the Rams. The team has capable set of runners in Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham. They have tall, physical receivers in Brian Quick, Kenny Britt and Jared Cook. They have speed threat in Tavon Austin to work in legitimate option plays.

The team needs an offensive line and a quarterback to have a capable offense. Drafting Hundley, a player who looks more comfortable on the move than in the pocket makes sense, likely because it'll be a necessity to whoever takes the snaps anyway.

Teams reach for quarterbacks. Teams don't reach for a left guard they could probably find in round two.

Round 2 - Offensive Tackle / Guard - Ty Sambrailo - Colorado State

First off, check out this great scouting report by With the First Pick on Sambrailo. He's a non-stop, to-the-whistle blocker who displays excellent athleticism and vision in the run game. He's easily able to block moving defenders and get to the second level. He's the type of lineman who can turn regular running plays into monster runs.

As a pass protector, that athleticism helps him significantly. He's able to keep up against speed rushers - a significant advantage in the NFL. What he does need to work on, however, is his strength and pass protection technique. With a NFL weight program and an off season of practice under his belt, Sambrailo could easily play as a guard. His athletic run blocking ability would be well suited to the Rams after adding Hundley.

His versatility and ability to play either tackle spot would also be beneficial to a team that has struggled with offensive line injuries.

Round 3 - Center - Hroniss Grasu - Oregon

The Rams keep with the theme of offensive line, but they're likely to target a free agent for more draft flexibility. Grasu is like Sambrailo in that athleticism and lateral ability define his play. He needs to add some power to his game, but his technique should allow him to be capable enough while he works on adding it.

Adding a second athletic lineman might seem counter productive to a power run offense, but the key here is adding flexibility. By giving the Rams two players upfront who are capable, athletic blockers, the team has a better chance of breaking off game-changing plays instead of consistently pounding away. With a new offensive coordinator and an offense so young, that's unlikely to happen anyway.