The 2020 NFL Draft is finally here with the first round kicking off on Thursday night. Barring a massive trade up, which GM Les Snead called “a little unrealistic,” the Rams won’t participate in the first night of the draft.
They’ll have to wait until the second round where they’re slated to pick at No. 52 and No. 57. They also have two picks in the third round, one in the fourth and one each in the sixth and seventh rounds.
With needs on the offensive line, all across the defense and also at running back, the Rams can go multiple directions with their first few selections. I already laid out what I would do if I were the GM, but now let’s project what the Rams might go with.
In my final seven-round mock draft, I tried to keep it realistic with Pro Football Focus’ simulator, only taking players who have a decent chance to be available at the respective pick.
Here’s what I could see the Rams doing on Friday and Saturday in the draft, barring the inevitable trades Snead is bound to make.
52. OLB Terrell Lewis, Alabama
Lewis would be a perfectly fine pick for the Rams, even a good one. I’d rather go with Josh Uche thanks to his college production and but Lewis’ ceiling is probably higher. If not for injury concerns, he’d probably be a first-round pick. You could even argue he deserves to be a first-rounder as it stands now.
He’s a dynamic pass rusher with excellent length and a developed skill set. That’s not to say he doesn’t have room for improvement, but his potential is as good as any pass rusher not named Chase Young in this class.
The Rams met with Lewis and have shown interest in him during the pre-draft process. And his attendance at the Senior Bowl is the cherry on top for Los Angeles.