rams mock draft – Syndication Server

NFL mock draft: Rams trade back with Bucs, acquire OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka

In this mock draft, the Rams move back 7 spots and acquire OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka from the Bucs

The Rams are keeping all options on the table in the first round of the draft on Thursday night, and that could include a trade for a veteran. That’s what transpired in our latest NFL Wire mock draft where I picked for the Rams.

Rather than staying put at No. 19, I was offered a trade by Bucs Wire editor Luke Easterling for the 26th pick. It was an offer I felt would help the Rams now, while also still giving them a chance to add a rookie for the future.

The deal was Pick 19 for Pick 26 and edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. Based on the trade value chart, Pick 19 was worth 55 points more than the Bucs’ pick at No. 26, which is the equivalent of a third-rounder. So essentially, Tryon-Shoyinka, a former first-round pick, was valued as a third-round selection in this trade and he still has two years left on his contract with the fifth-year option.

At No. 26, I then took Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton, an offensive lineman with excellent size at 6-foot-8 and the ability to play either left or right tackle.

The Bucs made an offer for the 19th overall pick that was tough to turn down. Not only do the Rams only move back seven spots, but they pick up a starting-caliber edge rusher in Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – the No. 32 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He fits the mold of the type of edge rusher the Rams look for, standing 6-foot-5 and 259 pounds, and could step in right away opposite Byron Young. So the Rams fill one major need by acquiring Tryon-Shoyinka, who still has three years left on his contract, and still pick up a future starter at offensive tackle by taking Guyton. He’s 6-foot-8 and can play either left or right tackle, which could need upgrading at some point in the next year or two. So by moving down seven spots, the Rams still manage to add a starting edge rusher and a potential franchise left tackle.

Tryon-Shoyinka hasn’t panned out the way the Bucs hoped through three seasons, recording only 13 total sacks: 4.0, 4.0 and 5.0. However, he has the tools to be a productive starter, standing 6-foot-5 and 259 pounds with good athleticism.

Though he had a career-best five sacks in 2023, he had a career-low seven quarterback hits and 30 total pressures. There’s still time for him to develop into a 10-sack player as he enters his age-25 season in the NFL, and the Rams are a team that could take a chance on him this year.

2022 NFL mock draft: 7-round projections for the Rams

Here’s how all seven rounds of the 2022 NFL draft could shake out for the Los Angeles Rams

The 2022 NFL draft is just hours away, and your favorite NFL team is about to add tons of young talent to help improve their chances of success in the upcoming season.

Here’s how all seven rounds of this year’s draft could shake out for the Los Angeles Rams:

Rams Wire’s final 7-round mock draft

The Rams have a lot of options in the draft, and this is one scenario that would make them winners this weekend.

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.

Pages: 1234

Mock draft roundup: Who the experts are projecting for the Rams

It’s anyone’s guess which direction the Rams go early in the draft.

Since the 2019 NFL season ended, and even before then, mock drafts have been put out by analysts and media members just about every week. They’ve fluctuated significantly over the last three months, with the only consistent projections being Joe Burrow to the Bengals and Chase Young to the Redskins with the first two picks.

The Rams haven’t been included it most mock drafts because they don’t have a first-round pick, but in the last couple of weeks, there has been an influx of multi-round projections that feature the Rams.

And with the team holding two picks in each of the second and third rounds, things could get really interesting for Los Angeles.

We’ve rounded up the latest mock drafts from writers across the internet, including Luke Easterling of Draft Wire and ESPN’s Mel Kiper. While there are a few players mocked to the Rams by multiple analysts, there’s a wide range of prospects being projected to Los Angeles.

Draft Wire (Luke Easterling)

52. OT Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
57. EDGE Julian Okwara, Notre Dame
84. C Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
104. WR Van Jefferson, Florida
126. LB Markus Bailey, Purdue

Pro Football Focus

52. OT Ben Bartch, St. John’s
57. LB/S Kyle Dugger, Leoir-Rhyne
84. LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State
104. C Matt Hennessy, Temple

NFL.com (Chad Reuter)

52. LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
57. C Matt Hennessy, Temple
84. CB Darnay Holmes, UCLA
104. EDGE Derrek Tuszka, North Dakota State
126. RB Lamical Perine, Florida
199. QB James Morgan, FIU
234. S Antoine Brooks Jr., Maryland

Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer)

52. WR Michael Pittman, USC
57. EDGE Alton Robinson, Syracuse
84. OT Matt Peart, UConn
104. LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech

ESPN (Mel Kiper)

52. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU
57. WR Devin Duvernay, Texas

The Ringer (Danny Kelly)

52. OL Robert Hunt, Louisiana-Lafayette
57. LB Malik Harrison, Ohio State

CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson)

52. EDGE Terrell Lewis, Alabama
57. OL Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU
84. WR Tee Higgins, Clemson
104. CB Michael Ojemudia, Iowa

The Athletic (Dane Brugler)

52. WR Tee Higgins, Clemson
57. OT Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
84. CB Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech
104. LB Malik Harrison, Ohio State
126. EDGE Jonathan Garvin, Miami
199. G Solomon Kindley, Georgia
234. WR Trishton Jackson, Syracuse

Here are the players mocked to the Rams by multiple analysts in the projections above:

LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech (twice)
LB Malik Harrison, Ohio State (twice)
C Matt Hennessy, Temple (twice)
WR Tee Higgins, Clemson (twice)

Every mock draft except for two has the Rams taking an offensive lineman with one of their first two picks. And only two mock drafts have them double-dipping on one side of the ball in the second round.

So the feeling most analysts get is that the Rams will split offense and defense with their first two picks. After that, it’s a bit less certain.

No one mocked a safety to the Rams before the seventh round, even though it’s an underrated need due to their lack of depth behind their starters. Kiper was the only one to give the Rams a running back, too, sending them Clyde Edwards-Helaire in Round 2.

This list is an example of how unpredictable the draft is, and while it’s fun to read and simulate mock drafts, no one truly knows what will happen this weekend.

[vertical-gallery id=631292]

7-round mock draft: What I would do as Rams GM

I took the keys to the Rams and made eight picks in the draft after trading down once.

Just about every mock draft on the internet is an attempt at predicting what each team will do. It’s an exercise that doesn’t yield positive results, given the unpredictable nature of the draft, but it’s useful in the fact that it helps project where prospects might land.

For this seven-round mock draft, I went in a different direction. Instead of predicting what the Rams will do at No. 52 or 84, I went with the prospects I would select if I were GM Les Snead.

The Rams have so many needs entering the draft that they could go in countless directions with their first four picks, all depending on which players fall to them at each draft slot.

In order to come up with this mock draft, I used Pro Football Focus’ simulator and attempted to keep it as realistic as possible. (Sorry, but I refused to take Kenneth Murray at No. 84 overall). This simulator allowed for trades, too, so I made one in the fourth round.

Let’s get to the picks.

52. EDGE Josh Uche, Michigan

Uche is exactly the type of player the Rams need. He can rush the passer, play off-ball linebacker and he simply makes plays all over the field. Linebacker is their weakest position on the roster right now, and Uche offers position versatility and provides a spark as a pass rusher off the edge.

While he wouldn’t be a lock to start, he would add competition to the pass-rush unit that currently features Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo battling to start opposite Leonard Floyd. Uche would be a home run selection for the Rams anywhere in Round 2.

57. G/C Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU

Cushenberry could go much earlier than this, but with how loaded this draft is at other positions such as wide receiver and tackle, Cushenberry and other interior linemen could fall. For the Rams, this would be a dream scenario.

He can play center or guard, and depending on where the Rams decide he fits best, he’d most likely be an immediate starter at either position. His 2019 season left something to be desired, but Cushenberry is a stud and should have success early in his career.

Pages: 1234

Rams select RB and WR in 2nd round of Mel Kiper’s mock draft

The Rams double-dip at skill positions in Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft for ESPN.

The departures of Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks have created a couple of openings on the Rams’ roster that otherwise weren’t anticipated. Sure, they have Darrell Henderson, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods at running back and wide receiver, but it’s very possible Los Angeles adds to those position groups in the draft.

With such great depth at both spots in the incoming draft class, it’ll be hard for the Rams to pass up playmakers in the early to middle rounds. In Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft for ESPN, he addresses running back and wide receiver right out of the gate in Round 2.

At No. 52 overall, he has the Rams taking LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Five picks later at No. 57, Kiper projects Texas wide receiver Devin Duvernay to the Rams. It’s an interesting combination, and as unlikely as it may seem, Les Snead and the Rams front office tend to take the best player available rather than addressing a need.

Here’s what Kiper wrote about the Edwards-Helaire pick:

With Todd Gurley gone, do the Rams really know what they have at running back? Veteran Malcolm Brown and 2019 third-round pick Darrell Henderson Jr. both averaged less than 4 yards per carry in limited opportunities last season. The 5-foot-7 Edwards-Helaire was tremendous for the national champs in 2019, becoming the first player in SEC history with 1,000 rushing yards and 50 receptions in a season. Give him some receiving reps in L.A. and he’d be a great option for Jared Goff. The Rams also have needs along the offensive line and the front seven.

All things considered, Edwards-Helaire wouldn’t be a bad pick at No. 52, depending on how the team views Malcolm Brown. They’re clearly high on Darrell Henderson after trading up to draft him in the third round last year, but Brown is in the final year of his contract and the team nearly let him go last offseason as a restricted free agent.

Duvernay at No. 57 is much more questionable. He’s a smaller slot receiver whose value would seem to be better in the fourth round, especially for the Rams. They already have Kupp to man the slot, and although their wideouts play all over the field, Duvernay isn’t suited to play outside extensively.

Even after trading away Brandin Cooks to get this pick, wide receiver isn’t among the Rams’ most pressing needs. But since I don’t have an edge rusher or guard with a second-round grade, I’m going to look to Duvernay, a dynamic wideout who ranked third in the FBS with 106 catches and fifth with 1,386 receiving yards while working mostly from the slot. Duvernay also ran a 4.39 40 at the combine.

In Kiper’s mock, Jalen Reagor and Michael Pittman – two players better suited for the Rams – go in the two picks right before Los Angeles, leaving them with Duvernay. But in that situation, the Rams would be more likely to take a center like Matt Hennessy or a tackle such as Ezra Cleveland, who were both on the board.

Rams add running back help in 3rd round of mock draft

The Rams take a step toward replacing Todd Gurley.

After the first two weeks of free agency, the Los Angeles Rams’ remaining needs are coming into focus. They re-signed Michael Brockers, Andrew Whitworth and Austin Blythe, also adding A’Shawn Robinson and Leonard Floyd.

However, the Rams did lose Cory Littleton, Dante Fowler Jr. and Greg Zuerlein, and parted ways with Todd Gurley, Clay Matthews and Nickell Robey-Coleman. Heading into the draft, they could use help at edge rusher and inside linebacker, as well as along the offensive line.

In the latest mock draft from Chad Reuter of NFL.com, the Rams address those holes and add help at running back to fill the void left by Gurley.

Here are the picks made by Reuter in the mock.

52. G Hakeem Adeniji, Kansas

84. LB Jacob Phillips, LSU

104. (compensatory) RB LeVante Bellamy, Western Michigan

126. OLB Jonathan Greenard, Florida

Adeniji in the second round fills arguably the Rams’ biggest need, given how poorly the offensive line played last season, particularly at guard. He’s not an ideal fit in the Rams’ zone blocking scheme, but Aaron Kromer could work with him to improve his technique.

In the third round, the Rams add Phillips and Bellamy. Phillips is an athletic linebacker with great size, but he needs to improve his strength and tackling technique. Bellamy is an interesting prospect because he doesn’t have prototypical size at 5-foot-9, nor is he a great receiver, but as a complementary piece to Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown, he makes sense.

Greenard would be a steal in the fourth round. He’s an underrated pass rusher and could go as early as the second or third rounds, but his technique on the edge needs work. Getting him in the building with Brandon Staley could prove beneficial and make this a good match for both the player and team.

[vertical-gallery id=630009]

Rams 7-round mock draft: Pre-combine offensive line makeover

The Rams need help on the offensive line, which comes in this mock draft.

The NFL combine gets underway next week in Indianapolis, which will give scouts, personnel evaluators and coaches another piece of data when it comes to building their draft boards. Prospects will rise and fall as a result of their work and weigh-ins at the combine, whether it’s fair or not.

The Rams will have a smaller contingent of coaches at the combine this year with their new coordinators staying back in L.A., as well as Sean McVay spending just one night in Indianapolis. But before the event begins, we put together a fresh seven-round mock draft for the Rams.

In this exercise using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine, the assumption is that Dante Fowler Jr. leaves in free agency, but Cory Littleton and Andrew Whitworth return. With that in mind, we rebuilt the interior of the offensive line after adding a starting-caliber edge rusher with Los Angeles’ first pick.

52. EDGE Julian Okwara, Notre Dame

In Round 2, the Rams take edge rusher Julian Okwara out of Notre Dame. He’s a perfect fit for a 3-4 defense, with good height (6-foot-4) and a solid build. His athleticism pops off the tape and getting him with defensive coordinator Brandon Taylor, who’s coached outside linebackers with the Broncos and Bears, would help extract Okwara’s potential early on.

84. C Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin

In the third round, the Rams select another Wisconsin offensive lineman, taking center Tyler Biadasz. He played with David Edwards in 2018 and was one of the best centers in college football two seasons ago. He regressed a bit in 2019, but he would be an upgrade over Brian Allen and Austin Blythe.

116. G Damien Lewis, LSU

At No. 116 in the fourth round, the Rams go back to the well of interior offensive lineman and select LSU guard Damien Lewis. He’s a powerful blocker who thrives in the running game, which is something the Rams sorely missed when Rodger Saffold left. Taking Lewis would give the Rams options, allowing Bobby Evans, Joseph Noteboom and even David Edwards to focus on playing tackle in the near future.

179. LB Mohamed Barry, Nebraska

The Rams are without a fifth-round pick after the trades involving Aqib Talib and Dante Fowler Jr., so in Round 6, they take a linebacker. Mohamed Barry out of Nebraska is the pick, bringing elite athleticism to the position next to Littleton. He might not be a hulking run defender with prototypical size, but he’s physical and fast – two traits that typically earn linebackers snaps in sub-packages.

211. DE Mike Panasiuk, Michigan State

Finally, the Rams address the defensive line by adding Mike Panasiuk out of Michigan State. He’d be a viable replacement for Michael Brockers, should he leave in free agency, providing immediate depth to a unit that needs it.

It might seem like overkill to double-dip on the interior of the offensive line and pass on a tackle, but passing on Biadasz and Lewis was too hard to do. There were no better tackles available at the time, either.

Keep in mind the Rams are in line for an additional compensatory pick in the fourth round, which will make addressing their needs easier.

Early 7-round mock draft for Rams: Fortifying the trenches in L.A.

In this mock draft, the Rams go all out to fortify the trenches.

The 2020 NFL draft is still more than three months away, but with the Rams in full offseason mode, attention has been turned to the incoming class of prospects. While there’s still a lot to be determined before the Rams go on the clock in late April – like the hiring of a new defensive coordinator, the combine, and free agency – it’s easy to get a sense already of which positions they’ll be looking at.

The defensive front will be a focal point for the Rams this offseason, as will the offensive line. They need help in both areas and depending on what they do in free agency with their limited spending money, it’s likely that their first pick or two will be utilized on the offensive line or front seven.

We cooked up a seven-round mock draft for the Rams to get a feel for which prospects might be available when they go on the clock, beginning with the 52nd overall pick, which is the team’s first selection.

Here’s how the picks shook out, using The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator.

52. Trey Adams, OT, Washington

84. Alton Robinson, EDGE, Syracuse

116. Paddy Fisher, ILB, Northwestern

159. Tommy Kraemer, OG, Notre Dame

179. Jason Strowbridge, DE, North Carolina

211. Jordon Scott, NT, Oregon

Right off the bat, the Rams grab a potential replacement for Andrew Whitworth. Adams has major injury concerns, missing significant time at Washington, but that could benefit the Rams by having him pushed down draft boards. He’s a massive prospect at 6-foot-8, and when healthy, he’s a starting-caliber left tackle.

In the third round, Robinson fills a need at outside linebacker with Dante Fowler Jr. possibly leaving in free agency. He’s an explosive pass rusher who needs refining with his technique, but the potential is there. While in high school, he faced a second-degree robbery charge, which caused Texas A&M to rescind its offer, but he landed with Syracuse and has had a clean record since then. It is a red flag that teams will take into consideration, of course.

In Round 4, the Rams add a physical linebacker who can help either replace Cory Littleton or play alongside him. He’s not the fastest linebacker, but at 6-foot-4 and nearly 250 pounds, he’s able to take on blocks and defend the run. That’s something the Rams need next to Littleton, if he returns.

In the later rounds, the Rams return to the trenches. They add a guard in Kraemer and two defensive linemen with Strowbridge and Scott, bolstering the offensive and defensive line. Kraemer would compete at either guard spot, while Strowbridge could help replace Michael Brockers at defensive end if he departs.

Scott has high upside as a nose tackle, even though the position isn’t a pressing need. Sebastian Joseph-Day and Greg Gaines were fine in 2019, but it never hurts to add some competition.

It might be surprising that we didn’t mock any skill position players to the Rams in this simulation, but the wide receiving corps is deep, the running back room is sufficient if Todd Gurley is back and the tight end room is one of the best in the NFL. Cornerback is also a strength in the short term, as is safety.

Depending on what happens in free agency, the upcoming draft will be mostly about the trenches.