Rams mock draft roundup: Post-Senior Bowl projections from experts

[theramswire.usatoday.com] Rams mock draft roundup: Post-Senior Bowl projections from experts


Cameron DaSilva
February 6, 2023 7:47 am PT
Predicting which player a team will take in the draft is incredibly difficult, especially this early in the offseason. It’s even harder when you’re talking about Les Snead and the Rams, who won’t go on the clock until No. 36 overall in the second round.

Last week, we highlighted four mock drafts that included the Rams’ pick in Round 2, but that was before the Senior Bowl took place. Now with the fun in Mobile behind us, there’s a new collection of projections.


Here’s a roundup of three new mock drafts, which have the Rams focusing on the pass rush and offensive line.

Matt Miller, ESPN
The pick: LSU OLB BJ Ojulari

Ojulari is quickly becoming a popular pick for the Rams in mock drafts, and it’s easy to see why. He’s on the smaller side at 6-foot-3, but that’s less of an issue for a team running a 3-4 defense like the Rams do. He brings good juice off the edge, though that only translated to 16.5 sacks in three seasons at LSU.

The Rams desperately need pass-rush help, even with Leonard Floyd lining up on one side. Their approach to replacing Von Miller last year simply didn’t work.

Here’s what Miller wrote about Ojulari:

Positional value comes into play here, and with no left tackle of value on the board, the front office pivots to pass-rusher. Ojulari (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) had 12.5 sacks the past two seasons while playing off the edge of the LSU defense and wearing the famed No. 18 jersey awarded to a team leader.


Pro Football Network, Ian Cummings
The pick: Kansas State OLB Felix Anudike-Uzomah

Anudike-Uzomah was highly productive at K-State. He had 11 sacks in 2021 and 8.5 in 2022, recording a total of 25.5 tackles for a loss the last two seasons. He has the ceiling of a high-end pass rusher with the explosiveness he’s shown off the edge. The Rams need an edge defender like him on the roster, especially considering their projected starter opposite Floyd is Michael Hoecht right now.

Here’s Cummings’ take on Anudike-Uzomah:

If the Rams are looking for a dependable pass-rushing presence on the edge, Felix Anudike-Uzomah is the guy. He’s fast, violent, refined, and has good bend.


33rd Team
The pick: North Dakota State OL Cody Mauch

The staff at 33rd Team addressed a different area of need for the Rams. They have Los Angeles taking Mauch, who was a stud at the Senior Bowl, playing both tackle and guard. He’s a physical lineman who likes to finish his blocks, playing with an edge when lined up at guard.

At the NFL level, Mauch projects better as a guard, so he’d be a candidate to replace David Edwards if he leaves in free agency.