New mock draft from Mocking the Draft has Los Angeles Rams taking a player who won’t play in 2019

We made it! This week, we finally begin the 2019 NFL Draft.

This week’s Monday mock from Mocking the Draft’s Dan Kadar, the final Monday mock of the year, does a fine job at lining up everything we think we know about how this year’s draft is going to go.

As far as the Los Angeles Rams are interested, the first real turn comes at #19 where the Tennessee Titans select N.C. State Wolfpack OL Garrett Bradbury who is actually the top option in the SB Nation mock draft database:

As Kadar notes, the Titans recently signed former Rams OL Rodger Saffold III. So not only did they take Big Saff, now they’re taking our top draft option? Game on.

One thing to note here is that Kadar has just one safety going in the first round: Delaware Blue Hens S Nasir Adderley at #25 to the Philadelphia Eagles. While we’ve seen Adderley mocked to the Rams before, I think it’s more important that he’s the only safety in the first. The thing I’m most certain of in this draft is that the Rams will get a safety before Round 4 begins on Day 3. So with all the other safeties available after Round 1, the opportunity to trade down certainly remains an attractive proposal.

And at #28 to the Los Angeles Chargers and #30 to the Green Bay Packers, we get a pair of prospects we’ve seen headed to the Rams before: Clemson Tigers DL Dexter Lawrence and Boston College OL Chris Lindstrom.

So Kadar sends us a familiar, albeit risk-laden, pick:

#31.) Mississippi St. Bulldogs DT Jeffery Simmons

Offseason needs: Linebacker, guard, cornerback, defensive line

This is obviously a huge, enormous risk the Rams would take by selecting Simmons. It’s possible Simmons doesn’t play at all in 2019 after tearing his ACL while training. It doesn’t even fill what I perceive as one of their top needs. But his talent and potential is that of a top-10 player in this draft. The Rams have to fill plenty of needs, but Simmons could be special when he’s healthy.

One thing of note. When Kadar last mocked us to take Simmons back in February, he listed our top roster gaps as safety, edge defender, guard and offensive tackle. Now, he’s got them as linebacker, guard, cornerback and defensive line.

Simmons’ injury back in February is one of the biggest game-changers in this year’s draft process. Even today, ESPN’s Todd McShay reiterated how good his tape is:

So to get a top-five pick at #31 with the luxury of being able to redshirt him, it certainly seems like a pretty smart move for the Rams.

How do we feel about staying at 31 to take someone who won’t step on the field until 2020?