Addressing the positions of need in the NFL Draft for the Los Angeles Rams

Day one of the 2019 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Los Angeles Rams haven’t made any selections because of a trade back with the Atlanta Falcons. The Rams flipped their first-round pick as well as their sixth-round pick in exchange for second and third-round picks.

Here’s the Rams’ new crop of picks:

Let’s take a look at the positional needs by the Rams, and the potential draftees that could fit the bill by way of day two of the NFL Draft:

Offensive Line

Round 2:

C Erik McCoy, Texas A&M Aggies

OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida Gators

iOL Dalton Risner, Kansas State Wildcats

I would love all three options represented here in round two. McCoy was one of the top guys left on my big board and would immediately step in and start at center from day one. Jawaan Taylor was a top-15 pick who’s slipped due to a medical red flag on his knee, which is a true shame. Taylor is an absolute monster in the run game and a day one starter at right tackle (or guard for the Rams). Risner is similar as he could start at right tackle or guard (maybe even center). Any of these guys could start from day one, and all present great value at this point in the draft.

Round 3:

C Elgton Jenkins, Mississippi State Bulldogs

I’m not as high as most on Jenkins, but he’d be fine at this point.

Defensive Line

Round 2:

EDGE Jachai Polite, Florida Gators

EDGE Zach Allen, Boston College Eagles

EDGE Chase Winovich, Michigan Wolverines

Polite and Winovich are true starting outside linebackers, whereas Zach Allen is more of a hand in the dirt defensive end type. Regardless, all three present impressive options at this point. Polite is a dangerous rusher with a speed-rush and arsenal of moves. Allen is a thicker more powerful player who has football IQ for days. Winovich is a bit old at 24-years old, but his effort and athleticism (as well as hands) are fantastic.

Round 3:

iDL Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois Leathernecks

iDL Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State Buckeyes

These guys are both interior players, so I’d wait on selecting either of them until round three. Saunders is a highly athletic NT/3T who even took snaps at defensive end. He would present a logical replacement for Ndamukong Suh. Dre’Mont Jones on the other hand is a liability against the run, but might be one of the best pass rushers from an interior stand point.

Cornerback

Round 2:

CB Byron Murphy, Washington Huskies

CB Greedy Williams, LSU Tigers

CB David Long, Michigan Wolverines

CB Sean Bunting, Central Michigan Chippewas

CB Joejuan Williams, Vanderbilt Commdores

CB Rock Ya-Sin, Temple Owls

CB Amani Oruwariye, Penn State Nittany Lions

This part of the draft has me salivating, truthfully. There are so many quality cornerbacks remaining it’s truly incredible. All of these guys have varying skillsets. Some are better in press coverage, some in man, some off, and some in zone. All are potential options in the second round, and some are bound to remain on the board in round three presenting superb value at that point. It’d be a major mistake for the Rams to come away today with no cornerbacks selected.

Round 3:

CB Justin Layne, Michigan State Spartans

CB Jamel Dean, Auburn Tigers

As if there weren’t enough cornerback options in this draft, Layne and Dean are two guys I’d be happy with in the third round (after all the guys mentioned above). Truly an embarrassment of riches at the position. Layne will need time, so sitting behind Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib would be ideal. Dean on the other hand is more complete as it stands, though a scary medical history on his knees could drop him.

Safety

Round 2:

S Nasir Adderley, Delaware Blue Hens

S Juan Thornhill, Virginia Cavaliers

S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida Gators

S Deionte Thompson, Alabama Crimson Tide

Shot, meet chaser. The safety class is also ridiculously stacked like the cornerback class. None of my top guys went, and ironically, only one of my lowest rated safeties was drafted in Johnathan Abram. Every guy on this list is a day-one starter at safety, though the Rams don’t necessarily need that. Regardless, the combo of Marqui Christian and Blake Countess played roughly 400 snaps last year, so there is potential for some sub-package LB/big nickel/dime opportunities for a third safety on the Rams’ roster. That’s why any of these guys would prove to be a fantastic pick. Any one of these guys can play single-high, though Gardner-Johnson could start in nickel for most teams.

Round 3:

S Taylor Rapp, Washington Huskies

S Sheldrick Redwine, Miami Hurricanes

These are two guys I really like as well. Rapp would be the perfect in-the-box option in today’s league, where Redwine has upside to play as more of a traditional safety though he lacks the consistency. Again, the secondary should be heavily addressed today.