When looking at the Rams’ list of needs in the 2021 NFL draft: there’s a mix of offense and defense. They need a new starting center, but they could also use help at inside linebacker. They clearly want to add a dynamic wide receiver, but cornerback is a need following Troy Hill’s departure.
It’s hard to gauge which direction the team will go at No. 57 overall, its first pick in the draft. It will likely come down to which players are on the board because if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Les Snead, it’s that he doesn’t reach for a position of need.
The oddsmakers don’t have a good feel for whether the Rams will take an offensive player or a defender with their first pick, either. According to BetMGM, the odds are as follows:
- Offense: +100
- Defense: -125
Those odds mean a $100 wager on the Rams picking an offensive player will return a $100 profit. On the flip side, you would have to bet $125 on a defensive player being picked first to win $100.
So, the odds slightly favor the Rams taking a defender with their first pick – but just barely. For comparison, the Bengals are -5000 to take an offensive player first and only +1200 to take a defender. Those are extremely lopsided odds, with players such as Ja’Marr Chase, Kyle Pitts and Penei Sewell all being linked to Cincinnati.
It’s hard to predict what the Rams will do, though. Mock drafts have them picking every position from a center to a cornerback to an edge rusher and an inside linebacker at No. 57 overall.
They can’t go wrong with a player at any of those positions as they would all fill needs. Among the players to watch when the Rams go on the clock for the first time are C Quinn Meinerz, LB Jabril Cox, CB Asante Samuel Jr., CB Aaron Robinson and C Creed Humphrey, none of whom are certain to even reach the Rams at 57.
If we were to wager on offense or defense for the Rams’ first pick, we’d lean defense because there should be plenty of cornerback, linebacker and defensive line prospects available compared to the number of offensive linemen that might be there.
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