Safety isn’t among the Rams’ most pressing needs heading into the draft, but it is a position they’re likely to address at some point this weekend. John Johnson and Taylor Rapp are secured as the starters, but the Rams are one injury away from starting Nick Scott or Jake Gervase.
That’s not a great position to be in, and it’s why they’re probably going to add some depth in the draft – likely on Day 3. And with how often the team used Marqui Christian as a hybrid third safety/linebacker, the Rams could use a rookie in a similar way.
Sean McVay said recently that the team is looking to upgrade their safety depth at some point.
“When you most likely lose your third safety, a guy that’s been a major contributor in a variety of ways, in Marqui Christian, you’re saying, ‘OK, what do you want to do to try to improve the depth behind John Johnson, behind Taylor Rapp?'” McVay said, via ESPN. “You look at, with Eric (Weddle) having retired, I think those are things that we’re looking to upgrade overall.”
Scott has the athleticism to be a decent backup, but he’s still fairly raw having played safety for only a few years dating back to his college days. The Rams simply can’t rely on him as a starter in a pinch right now, which makes safety an underrated need.
One intriguing prospect to watch is Kenny Robinson Jr. out of West Virginia. He played in the XFL last season and still has draft eligibility, and the Rams talked to him this offseason. As a potential fourth-round prospect, he would make a lot of sense for Los Angeles both as a backup free safety and a contingency plan in case Johnson leaves in free agency next year.
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