Being without a first-round pick, the Los Angeles Rams are typically excluded from mock drafts – besides those that go two or three rounds deep. CBS Sports bucked that trend by not only including the Rams in their latest mock draft, but by having them take a quarterback in Round 1.
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson projected a huge trade into the first round by the Rams to select Kentucky’s Will Levis. The trade moves the Rams from No. 36 overall in Round 2 to No. 18, swapping picks with the Detroit Lions.
In exchange for the 18th overall pick, the Rams send Detroit No. 36, 77 and a second-rounder in 2024. All things considered, that’s not a huge price to pay for a potential franchise quarterback, especially given the 18-spot jump.
We rounded out last week’s pro day travels with a stop in Lexington, Kentucky to see Will Levis in person. He’s built like a linebacker and watching him throw the ball in person is something to behold — you can actually hear the passes whistle — but questions remain about his ability to layer the ball to all three levels, and some inconsistencies when he rolls to his left. There’s talk that he could slip on draft day and depending on how long he lasts, maybe a team like the Rams would make a move to get him. Because if anyone can get the most out of Levis’ ability, it’s Sean McVay. (In this mock trade, the Rams get pick No. 18 and the Lions get picks 36, 77, and a 2024 2nd-rounder.)
It would be a bold move by the Rams, who still have Matthew Stafford under contract for another four seasons. There are some mild concerns about Stafford’s health and longevity after he suffered a spinal cord contusion last season, but he’s said he’s returning for the 2023 season and has given no indications he’s retiring any time soon.
Levis is a boom-or-bust prospect with a big arm and impressive athleticism, but he also has some poor tape from his time at Kentucky and didn’t display the best decision-making skills on the field.
It’s unlikely Levis would make it to the Rams at No. 36, thus the trade up for him, but this team isn’t exactly in a position to make a big move for a quarterback with all of its other needs.
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