NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah’s first 2019 NFL Mock Draft has Los Angeles Rams poaching talented Clemson Tigers defensive line

While the Los Angeles Rams are prepping for the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship, most of the NFL has already turned its sights to the offseason and the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft.

So with an eye toward our shifting priorities in about three weeks regardless of what happens, we have a new mock this weekend from NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah.

One of the great aspects of mock season is that once things start to heat up and we start to get our first mocks of the year from various analysts is that they can upend the early conventional wisdom. Different perspectives based on individual scouting that don’t necessarily adhere to the assumptions we’ve built to this early point.

And that’s what we’ve got from Jeremiah here.

Notes:

• No, there isn’t a groundbreaker at #1. Jeremiah has Ohio State Buckeyes EDGE Nick Bosa going first...
• ...but we do have a new #2! Michigan Wolverines EDGE (and that’s Jeremiah’s designation not mine as I wouldn’t classify him as such) Rashan Gary to the San Francisco 49ers.
• We get two picks thereafter that fit the January consensus in Kentucky Wildcats OLB Josh Allen and Alabama Crimson Tide DT Quinnen Williams...
• ...but (I’m starting to like the ellipsis-but combo for DJ’s mock) #5 is a whopper. DJ has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking Alabama RB Josh Jacobs a year after taking Ronald Jones in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of USC.
• First QB at #6 in OSU QB Dwayne Haskins.
• LSU Tigers LB Devin White at #10 to the Denver Broncos. Pray, Rams fans!
• Jeremiah’s mock is much lighter on edge rushers than ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s from this week. Clemson Tigers EDGE Clelin Ferrell at #12 matches Kiper’s mock. Mississippi St. Bulldogs EDGE Montez Sweat to the Seattle Seahawks at #21 was four picks earlier than Kiper’s. And Jeremiah has Louisiana Tech Bulldogs EDGE Jaylon Ferguson at #24 to the Oakland Raiders; Ferguson didn’t feature in Kiper’s mock. Jeremiah doesn’t have Florida Gators EDGE Jachai Polite, Florida State Seminoles EDGE Brian Burns or Old Dominion Monarchs EDGE Oshane Ximines in his first round unlike Kiper.

So at #30, who does Jeremiah mock to the Rams?

#30.) Clemson DT Dexter Lawrence

The Rams might need someone to replace Ndamukong Suh, who’s due to become a free agent this offseason. Lawrence has a very similar skill set and playing style.

The logic’s obvious with Kiper having mocked us to take OSU DT Dre’Mont Jones. Lawrence would be a fine addition; Kiper mocked him 26th overall, FWIW. And I couldn’t give a hoot about Lawrence missing the college football playoffs this year due to performance-enhancing drugs. If anything, I’d be interested in why he got caught.

So let’s get ready for tomorrow. We’re still playing football. Whether it’s come Monday or in a little more than two weeks’ time, we’re gonna begin turning our attention to the offseason and the offseason process.

Here’s hoping it’s in more than two weeks with some jubilation powering that change in attention.