Rams Senior Bowl preview: 10 players Rams will be paying close attention to this week…

Rams Senior Bowl Preview: 10 players L.A. will be paying close attention to this week
10 players the Rams will be watching this week at the Senior Bowl

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Blaine Grisak



The Los Angeles Rams have made it a habit of drafting players who participate in the Senior Bowl. Last season, they drafted seven players who were in Mobile in 2023, including Steve Avila, Byron Young, and Puka Nacua. The Senior Bowl gets started on Tuesday with the first day of practice. Here are 10 players the Rams will be paying close attention to this week.

1. CB Quinyon Mitchell - Toledo

Cornerback will be a position that is on the table for the Rams in the first-round of the NFL Draft. Quinyon Mitchell is one of the best play-making cornerbacks in the county as he’s had 27 pass breakups and six interceptions over the past two seasons. There’s a chance Mitchell ends up as a top-20 pick. With the Rams selecting at 19, he’ll be a player that they have a close eye on in Mobile.

2. CB Max Melton - Rutgers

If the Rams wait until day two to take a cornerback, Melton will be a name to watch. He’s only 5’11, 193-pounds, but he has 32-inch arms and a wingspan of 76.375-inches. It’s because of that wingspan and arm length that he’s able to make plays on the ball consistently. He’s a long, physical corner who excels in zone coverage.

3. EDGE Laiatu Latu - UCLA

The Rams will most certainly be watching the top edge rusher in Mobile this week. Latu has a chance to go in the first-round and could end up going in the top-20. He’ll most certainly be an option for the Rams when they pick at 19. Depending on who is available in free agency, Los Angeles may end up not needing an edge rusher in the first round. With that said, Latu is a player they should be very familiar with at UCLA and will be one of a few options in the first-round.

4. iOL Jackson Powers-Johnson - Oregon

It will be interesting to see how high Powers-Johnson’s draft stock rises this week. In recent years, players like John Michael Schmitz and Creed Humphrey have impressed in Mobile. However, neither player ended up getting selected in the top-50. While Powers-Johnson’s stock may rise in Mobile, but that may settle down as we get closer to the draft in April. The Rams need a center, but 19 is too high. He may be an option in a trade down or even in the second-round. It’s worth noting that Zach Frazier will be in Mobile, but will only be participating in non-contact drills as he returns from a broken fibula.

5. OT Javon Foster - Missouri

Foster might be one of the best mid-round tackles in the draft. The Rams will need a take a tackle at some point in the draft, but the question remains where exactly they take one. If they decide to wait and take a depth player that can develop into a starter, Foster is someone they’ll be watching closely this week. I’d also add Tyler Guyton here. Guyton is likely a first-round player, but will be an option at 19. He measured well at 6’7, 328-pounds.

6. OT Taliese Fuaga - Oregon State

Fuaga may end up being the best tackle in Mobile. Depending on how he performs this week and measures at the Combine, he could end up being a top-15 pick when all is said and done. With that said, he’s still in the Rams’ range. There’s some concern about whether or not he can play on the left side. It will be interesting to see if practices there over the next few days to silence those doubts.

7. QB Bo Nix - Oregon

Like it or not, the Rams have to keep quarterback as an option in the first-round. Someone like Nix may not fit their development path from an age perspective, but at some point they’ll need to prepare for life after Stafford. Nix has the athleticism and the arm talent, but would benefit from sitting for a year or two and learning an offense. With the current prime of quarterbacks and players performing well until their mid-late 30s, Nix taking over at 26 or 27 isn’t as bad as it was 10 years ago.

8. S Cole Bishop - Utah

The Rams need players who can create takeaway and that’s Cole Bishop. He’s relentless when pursuing the ball and can line up anywhere in a defense with his versatility. Bishop is an experienced player with 29 career starts and is the “box safety” that Snead will fall in love with much like he did with Taylor Rapp. It would not be surprising if the Rams keep a close eye on Bishop this week.

9. WR Malachi Corley - Western Kentucky

While wide receiver isn’t necessarily a top need in the draft, it wouldn’t hurt for the Rams to draft one. Cooper Kupp dealt with injuries, but took a step back. Demarcus Robinson is a free agent while TuTu Atwell has never truly been a fit in the offense. Someone like Corley could end up being a Deebo Samuel type weapon for Sean McVay. He has true yards after the catch ability and is built like a tank at 5’10, 215-pounds. He plays with the physicality that McVay and co. like in their wide receivers.

10. WR Xavier Legette - South Carolina

Again, with Robinson becoming a free agent and Atwell not a fit, it wouldn’t hurt for the Rams to draft a wide receiver. The mold of receiver that they need is someone with speed and brings size in the red zone. Right now, he’s a late first-round, second-round caliber player and may be an option in a trade back. Legette broke onto the scene this year after not much production early in his career at South Carolina. There’s a chance that he’s the most explosive player in Mobile which is what the Rams need.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2024 06:19AM by Rams43.