Dzrams’ Annual Rams Draft Predictions and Mock Draft (2021)

Every year since about 2013 I post my review of the players they’ve scouted and then I channel my inner Les Snead and predict a draft strategy with a mock draft of what I think they will do.

This year, like last year, will be a lot more guessing due to Covid and not being able to track the top 30 visits. But it’s all in fun anyway.

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN:

Here are the positions in order that have had confirmed visits in the scouting process:

WR: 8, CB: 4, ILB: 3, OLB: 1, OLB/DE: 1, C: 1, RB: 1

WR - Every receiver they’ve met with is a playmaker that can threaten deep and usually also doubled as a return specialist. The projected draft range of the visits go from the 3rd to the 7th.
CB - The projected draft range of the visits go from the 2nd to late Day 3.
ILB - All visits were with players expected to go late Day 3 or be undrafted.

10 HISTORICAL PATTERNS:

1) Since McVay arrived, their drafts have primarily been future focused. Specifically, they generally draft the positions where they have impending free agents.

2) They generally do not approach the draft with acute needs. Snead has mentioned his desire to avoid having an acute need in the draft many times. So the chances are if a position wasn’t addressed in free agency, they don’t feel they have to run to the podium for that position at 57 or 88.

3) Whenever they have had visits with prospects projected to be drafted from early to late rounds, they always pick someone at that position. This most recently happened last year when Snead said they had a WR target for every round and ended up selecting Jefferson. They’ve done it again at WR this year.

4) They have not placed much value in money or draft resources on the ILB position. When they do draft it, it’s always fairly late on Day 3.

5) Snead is on record as saying their approach to finding their future LT is to just add bodies all the time that can play LT. This aligns with the approach they’ve taken in the draft. They draft OL in every round starting in the 3rd. They draft lots of bodies.

6) They draft WR and CB in the early rounds. Very few WRs and CBs drafted in the later rounds under Snead at all and none under McVay.

7) They draft a lot of Edge players but nothing before the 3rd round.

8) They draft Safety in every round. This is a top 3 position where they draft lots of bodies along with edge and OL.

9) Other than Brockers and AD - drafted in 2012 and 2014 respectively - they draft DL starting in the 4th and they haven’t drafted that many. That position, more than others, has typically been addressed in free agency.

10) They like Senior Bowl players and especially ones who stood out there.

11)They like versatile players.

This leads me to....

10 PREDICTIONS:

1) There will be a trade back with either 57 or 88. Guaranteed! Maybe they trade back at both picks but I doubt that.

2) They will draft a WR who is a deep threat, explosive playmaker and possibly doubles as a punt returner. It won’t be a slot only guy. It will be surprisingly early...that’s usually when they draft WRs - it may be their second or third pick

3) There will be more than one body added at OL. I expect a LT and a OC/OG.

In addition to Whit's possible retirement, they have 6 pending OL free agents - Corbett, Noteboom, Allen, Shelton, Brewer, and Demby. The last 2 guys will be exclusive right free agents so very easy to bring back. That still leaves 4 who could leave. If they stick with the pattern of drafting for future needs, OL will get lots of attention.

4) LT will be on Day 2. Just a hunch. With Whit changing his contract, actually giving money back this year and creating a larger hit next year, I’m getting the feeling that both sides know he’s done after this season.

5) CB will be on Day 2.

If D-Will walks - which seems likely given he might cost $20M - they'll need an outside CB. And in keeping with pattern #1, #3, and #6, they will certainly add a CB and it will be early.

6) Maybe they take an ILB in the 5th or later but I’m going out on a limb here: No ILB!

In the ILB room, they have 4 pending free agents - Young, Kiser, Howard, and Reeder. The last 2 guys will be restricted free agents so there's a good chance they’re back. However, last year they drafted Clay Johnston and picked up UDFA Christian Rozeboom who they’re reportedly high on.

7) Another limb...edge will be late, if at all.

The rationale here is that they hit WOLB early last year and the rotation of Hollins/Lewis/Oko was pretty productive once Ebukam's snaps decreased.

8) DL will get drafted somewhere near the mid rounds - I’m thinking 4th. SJD, who they apparently love, will be an unrestricted free agent. Gaines is already in house to replace him but with the loss of Fox and Brockers this year, the DL room is thinner. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see multiple DL picks.

9) Their picks will be scattered over 6 positions: CB, LT, WR, IOL, DL, and Edge.

10) League wide, there will be a ton of draft day trades. More than normal. In the aftermath of the pandemic with the opt outs, lack of medical info, etc., teams will be moving all around for their favorite targets since it’s likely fewer of them that they feel as confident about as a typical year. The Rams will execute numerous trades including some trading up.


MOCK DRAFT:

I’ll do two mock drafts which follow the above historical patterns, positional priorities, and predictions. It’s obviously still a lot of guessing because there is so much we don’t know. The first mock stays put at 57 and has a trade down at 88. The second trades down at 57 if one or two highly coveted players aren’t there.

First Mock Draft - targeting specific CB or OT.

57 - Asante Samuel Jr, CB - Great athlete, strong in coverage, competitive run defender. Can play inside/outside.

Alternative pick:
Dillon Radunz, OT - Doubt he’ll be there but if he is, I think they’d run to the podium. Good athlete, good power, versatile - can play OT and OG. Senior Bowl standout.

88 - Trade 88 for 100 and 126. The Titans historically like to trade up for targets.

100 - D’Ante Smith, OT - Walker Little and James Hudson are likely gone by this time. If they are there, one of them would probably be the pick. Snead is on record as saying their approach to finding their future LT is to just add bodies all the time that can play LT. D’Ante Smith needs a year or two of development but has very high upside and is capable of being a good LT in the future. He had one of the highest win rates at the Senior Bowl.

103 - D’Wayne Eskridge, WR - Good hands, good route runner, strong run blocker, punt returner, playmaker, can play on the inside or outside.

Alternative picks: Dyami Brown, WR - Dynamic playmaker, great athlete, vertical threat, good route-runner. Ran a limited route-tree in college;
Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR - Vertical threat. Home-run hitter. Also brings return skills. Doesn’t add much in the blocking game.
Josh Palmer - He was a Senior Bowl standout. Deep threat, good size. For some reason he’s not being talked about much. Paging Deadpool. Why not!?

The idea is, I see them taking a WR somewhere in this area.

126 - Kendrick Green, OC/OG - Good mobility, good power, big upside as he’s a little raw since he’s fairly new to the position.

Alternate pick: Robert Hainsey, OC/OG/OT - Draftnetwork has him as a backup swing tackle in a zone scheme. Deadpool says he’s an actual athletic RT that is more suited to a zone scheme. But many league insiders feel he will be converted to IOL. In alignment with that, he got the majority of his reps in the Senior Bowl at OC and OG. Per PFF, he looked like a natural center at the Senior Bowl. He showed out on multiple positions across the interior! Rams love converted tackles.

Again, it likely won’t be either of these players but I see them taking care of the OC/OG positional need somewhere in this range if they haven’t yet.

141 - Rashad Weaver, DE - Good size, length, and strength. 5T to replace Brockers.

Alternative pick: Chauncey Golston, DE - Senior Bowl participant. Good length, high motor, run defender, marginal pass rusher.

209 - Tarron Jackson, Edge - Senior Bowl participant. Good motor, strong, plus hand usage.

252 - Darius Stills, IDL - Disruptive pass rusher. Quick, overwhelming hand strength and power. Also undisciplined.

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2nd Mock Draft - If Asante Samuel or Dillun Radunz - i.e. specifically targeted CBs or LTs - are gone.

57 - Trade 57 for 68, 108. The Falcons are another team who like to move up for favorites.

68 - Quinn Meinerz, OC/OG - Good athlete, good mobility and power. Needs to refine technique. Works in the Rams blocking scheme.

Alternative pick: Aaron Robinson, CB - Good size and cover skills. Has the size and strength to play in the slot or on the outside. Good run defender.

88 - Walker Little, OT - Strong, excellent length, prototypical NFL size, good mobility. Hasn’t played since September 2019.

Alternative pick: James Hudson, OT - Great blend of size, length, power, and mobility. But raw. Needs a year or two to develop.

103 - D’Wayne Eskridge, WR - Good hands, good route runner, strong run blocker, punt returner, playmaker, can play on the inside or outside.

Same alternate WR picks as above.

108 - Paulson Adebo, CB - Good athlete, great 3-cone drill which the Rams emphasize. Good ball skills. Can play man or zone. Stanford connection.

Alternative pick: Trill Williams, CB - Great athlete, versatile DB - can play anywhere in the secondary. Good run defender. So-so ball skills.

If CB hasn’t been addressed yet, now is the time.

141 - Rashad Weaver, DE - Good size, length, and strength. 5T to replace Brockers.

Same alternate DE pick as above.

209 - Tarron Jackson, Edge - Senior Bowl participant. Good motor, strong, plus hand usage.

252 - Darius Stills, IDL - Disruptive pass rusher. Quick, overwhelming hand strength and power. Also undisciplined.