4-round mock draft: Rams gamble on promising but risky OT prospect

The Rams need immediate help on the O-line, which this mock draft wouldn’t necessarily provide.

The Los Angeles Rams will have to play the waiting game in the draft once again this year, not having a pick until No. 52 overall. It’s the price they’re paying for acquiring Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars, also being without a first-round pick in 2021, too.

As a result, the pickings will be much slimmer at 52 than at No. 20 overall, which is where they would’ve been picking had they not acquired Ramsey. Finding a Day 1 starter in the middle of the second round will be difficult, but it’s not impossible.

In the latest mock draft at Draft Wire, Luke Easterling has the Rams addressing the offensive line in Round 2, which comes as no surprise. He mocked Washingon left tackle Trey Adams to the Rams at No. 52, a high-risk, high-reward pick.

Adams had a solid 2019 season, but he played just three games combined in 2017 and 2018. He missed significant time due to ACL and back injuries, putting his status as a potential first-round pick in question.

Adams might just be the perfect prospect for the Rams, though. Andrew Whitworth seems poised to return for another season, which would give Adams the chance to sit and learn for a year before potentially taking over as the starting left tackle in 2021 – similar to the way the Rams handled Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen in 2018.

In the third round, Easterling has the Rams taking Missouri defensive lineman Jordan Elliott. He can play multiple positions up front, but at 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, he probably fits best as a defensive tackle. That role is currently occupied by Aaron Donald, which would push Elliott outside to defensive end. It’s not a terrible fit, but also not an ideal one given his lack of length.

Finally, with the Rams’ last pick in this mock draft, they select offensive lineman Darryl Williams. He can play either guard or center, but he’s a developmental prospect with very little starting potential in Year 1. The Rams need immediate help on the interior, which Williams wouldn’t help with much as a rookie.

Here’s how the final mock draft shook out.

  • 52. Trey Adams, OT, Washington
  • 84. Jordan Elliott, DL, Missouri
  • 116. Darryl Williams, OL, Mississippi State