Mock Draft Round-Up: Who do the experts have the Rams selecting?

The NFL Draft has officially arrived with the first round beginning at 8 p.m. ET Thursday evening. While the Los Angeles Rams don’t have a first round pick, they will certainly be paying attention to prospects who potentially fall into the later portions of the first-round. The Rams have needs all over the roster, making their choices that much more unpredictable in what is already a very unpredictable year.

With mock draft season coming to a close, let’s take a look at who the experts have the Rams selecting in the NFL Draft.

TurfShow Times Staff

• Venie Randy Soares - Final 7-Round Mock Draft
• Blaine Grisak - Final 7-Round Mock Draft

Jourdan Rodrigue - The Athletic

• 53rd Overall (Projected Trade) - CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
• 69th Overall - DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
• 77th Overall - EDGE Derick Hall, Auburn
• 81st Overall (Projected Trade) - TE Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
• 133rd Overall (Projected Trade) - CB Garrett Williams, Syracuse
• 171st Overall - iOL Alex Forsyth, Oregon\
• 177th Overall - QB Clayton Tune, Houston
• 182nd Overall - RB Keaton Mitchell, Eastern Carolina
• 189th Overall - P Bryce Baringer, Michigan State
• 191st Overall - EDGE Andre Carter, Army
• 223rd Overall - S Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa State
• 234th Overall - WR Justin Shorter, Florida

“Smith is tough, technical, anticipatory (great qualities in a sticky match zone) and can switch between man and zone coverages. He’s exactly the type of cornerback prospect the Rams should be looking at to get their defense back to its intended aggressiveness, and with Cobie Durant potentially poised to start as an inside-first (with outside potential) cornerback, Smith seems like a great partner on the outside.”

Also Read: Rams bolster defense in Dane Brugler’s Mock Draft

Lance Zierlein - NFL.com

• 24th Overall (Projected Trade) - TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah

“Les Snead and Sean McVay are willing to sacrifice draft picks to find impactful players — we all know that. While the Rams are without a first-round pick, they do have enough total draft capital this year to potentially convince Jacksonville to dip to Pick No. 36, allowing Los Angeles to snare the most coveted pass-catching tight end in the draft.”

Mel Kiper - ESPN

• 31st Overall (Projected Trade) - QB Hendon Hooker

“Why not do this if you’re the Rams? Stafford had a rough season in 2022. They could get Hooker’s fifth-year option here, and there is a precedent of teams trading into the final spot in Round 1 (Lamar Jackson in 2018).”

Matt Miller - ESPN

• 36th Overall - EDGE Keion White, Georgia Tech
• 69th Overall - OT Matthew Bergeron, Syracuse
• 77th Overall - LB Daiyan Henley, Washington State
• 167th Overall - QB Tanner McKee, Stanford
• 171st Overall - iOL Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
• 177th Overall - RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State
• 182nd Overall - CB Starling Thomas V, UAB
• 189th Overall - DT Scott Matlock, Boise State
• 191st Overall - WR Tre Tucker, Cincinnati
• 223rd Overall - RB Kenny McIntosh, Georgia
• 234th Overall - TE Julian Hill, Campbell

“Pick a position, and the Rams probably need help there, either now or in the very near future. That sets up for a “best player available” pick. At 284 pounds, White has power and positional versatility. The Rams currently have two street free agents projected to start at defensive end and must add multiple pass-rushers in this draft. White is game-ready and could move throughout the defensive line in Raheem Morris’ scheme.”

PFF Staff - Pro Footaball Focus

• 36th Ovearll - TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
• 69th Overall - WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
• 77th Overall - CB Darius Rush, South Carolina
• 167th Overall - WR Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State
• 171st Overall - EDGE Lonnie Phelps, Kansas
• 177th Overall - EDGE Nick Hampton, Appalachian State
• 182nd Overall - LB SirVocea Dennis, Pitt
• 189th Ovearll - QB Aidan O’Connell, Purdue
• 191st Overall - S Kaevon Merriweather, Iowa
• 223rd Overall - WR Grant Dubose, Charlotte
• 234th Overall - OT Trevor Reid, Louisville

“Current tight end Tyler Higbee heads into the last year of his contract, and the Rams add first-round value in Mayer, who is excellent working the middle of the field and winning at the catch point.”

Tony Pauline - Pro Football Network (3-Rounds)

• 36th Overall - EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
• 69th Overall - NT Siaki Ika, Baylor
• 77th Overall - CB Garrett Williams, Syracuse

“Will McDonald IV is an outstanding athlete who caused a lot of disruption over the past three seasons. He possesses the size and explosion to be used as an edge rusher in a 3-4 alignment, but, at the same time, McDonald has enough athleticism to play in space. He could be a really useful piece for the Rams’ defense.”

Arif Hasan - Pro Football Network (3-Rounds)

• 36th Overall - EDGE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
• 69th Overall - CB Clark Phillips III, Utah
• 77th Overall - OT Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland

“Isaiah Foskey no longer looks like he’ll be a first-rounder, but his movement ability is well worth investing in. The Rams have complete unknowns at the position, so this is a start.”