Todd McShay 2-round NFL Mock Draft: Rams get former 5-star talent in secondary

ESPN’s Todd McShay posted his fourth NFL Mock Draft of the year on Tuesday and going two rounds, his pick for the L.A. Rams at 36th overall should add some talent to a cornerbacks room that desperately needs it. Though Georgia’s Kelee Ringo didn’t have the career that some were projecting when he was coming out of high school, he still managed to win two national championships and should be no worse than a day two pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

McShay has the Rams picking Ringo with their first pick in the draft.

A five-star recruit in 2020, Ringo was a top-10 recruit overall in the nation that year and went to college football’s greatest defense for the last two years. He played in 29 games over the last two years, recording four interceptions and 15 passes defensed.

NBC’s Chris Simms ranked Ringo as the number five cornerback prospect in the draft and noted that what stood out is his size (6’2, 207 lbs) is what stood out the most, likening him to a player who looks much more like a safety. But Ringo’s 4.36 speed in the 40-yard dash helps him keep up with almost any receiver on the outside.

Ringo could end up going in the first round when it’s all said and done or he could slip past L.A.’s first pick at 36. He’s got all the athleticism and size to be an interesting replacement for Jalen Ramsey, but there’s a reason that Ramsey went fifth overall and Ringo is available here. Can he start to put it together at the next level?

Simms notes that the negatives are all centered around “foot stuff” and “change of direction” stuff. He also notes that “4.36 doesn’t show up on the film.” Do the Rams have the right defensive coaching staff in place to make him work at the next level? If Ringo gets it right, he has All-Pro potential.