It’s that time folks, here is my first mock draft for the Rams. The Rams are projected to receive a third, fourth and six round compensation picks, I will mock the draft with those picks as well.
2nd Round (37th overall) – Forrest Lamp, OT/OG, Western Kentucky (6-foot-4, 300 lbs)
If you guys have been reading my recent draft material, then you already know I have developed a huge draft crush on Forrest Lamp. Lamp is not only a need for the Los Angeles Rams, but he is actually good at what he does. He compares very similar to that of Bears Center Cody Whitehair and Cowboys All-Pro Guard Zack Martin. Regardless of what many think, I believe Lamp can play Left tackle from day one and the Rams can try their former no.2 overall pick Greg Robinson inside at guard.
Lamp would be a perfect plug-in-play candidate for the Rams until they have their first-round pick back in 2018. Lamp has the prototypical build of a guard so while he might not be as dominant at tackle (even though he played their his whole college career) he should still be solid enough of a upgrade for the struggling line. Expect Lamp to be locked in at at least a second-round grade after he blew up at the Senior Bowl.
Other options: Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC, Pat Mahomes II, QB, Texas Tech and Adoree Jackson, CB, USC
3rd Round (69th overall) – Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado (6-foot-0, 205 lbs)
Chidobe Awuzie is a guy I have been fond of since November. He is physical, has good size, athletic, versatile, he can rush the passer and he’s a play-maker. I would gladly take this guy in the third-round if I was the L.A. Rams brass and laugh at the 31 other teams that passed this kid up. He’s actually my no.1 overall CB in this draft I see more of an understanding of the game and more football IQ than the big prospects who just have been given the size.
Awuzie is the steal of the draft if he falls past the second round like everyone is saying.
Other options: Tyler Orlosky, C, West Virginia, Rasual Douglas, CB, West Virginia and Pat Elflein, C, Ohio State
4th round (101st overall) – Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU (6-foot-4, 195 lbs)
I am a fan of this kid and he makes a lot of sense for the Rams. Think about drafting a Brian Quick-like prospect. That sickens you right? Well, first off it’s in the fourth round and second Dupre played against real competition and was only held back because of the heavy-run game scheme that LSU has installed. Dupre is likely a second-round talent that will fall because of his lack of production. Wasn’t his fault though.
Dupre gushes potential with his ability to run multiple route trees, his size, catch radius, his deep-ball ability and his tracking. Dupre to the Rams in the fourth-round would be a great pick as he could learn to grow in a system that would actually use him.
Other options: Connor McDermott, OT, UCLA, Nico Siragusa, G, SDSU and Nathan Peterman, QB, Pitt
4th round (Compensation pick) – Fish Smithson, FS, Kansas (5-foot-11, 201 lbs)
This Jayhawk has all the makings of a draft diamond. While a player like Budda Baker, is likely to go early in the draft because of name recognition on a top team. I will take the technically sound Kansas product who doesn’t have the name recognition but shares practically the same size as Baker. I like Baker, but Smithson comes from a school that has put the best DB duo in the league (Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib).
Smithson makes sense here for the Rams, they can let McDonald go make a lot of money somewhere else in free agency, move their stud Strong Safety Mo Alexander to his pure position and at the same time practically bring back Rodney McLeod for a cheap price. I see a ton of McLeod in Smithson, but the fact is that Smithson was forced to be a leader on a struggling Kansas team and is an all-around better cover guy than McLeod.
Other options: Lorenzo Jermone, S, St. Francis, Jake Butt, TE, Michigan and Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech
5th round (151st overall) – Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State (5-foot-9, 180 lbs)
How fitting would it be if the man who broke Marshall Faulk’s records and became the all-time leading rusher in FBS history went to the team Faulk was on. Donnel Pumphery has obvious limitations with his size, but he could be the next Darren Sproles the league has been waiting for. Pumphrey makes sense for the Rams here regardless what they want to do with Benny Cunningham or not. The Rams need a scat back that can relieve Todd Gurley and Pumphrey is just the man for the job.
Other options: David Sharpe, OT, Florida, James Connor, RB, Pitt and Dareus Rogers, WR, USC
6th round (190th overall) – Josh Harvey-Clemons, SS, Louisville (6-foot-5, 228 lbs)
This is one of those late round picks where you just take a flyer on a an athletic freak. That right there is exactly why the Rams should select Josh Harvey-Clemons. I know in this mock the Rams already drafted a safety, but this is completely different. Harvey-Clemons has crazy size and many thought before the year started he would rise up boards and finally open eyes. He’s just been a disappointment overall and that’s why you would be getting this type of player later in the draft.
Other options: Davis Webb, QB, Cal, Weston Steelhammer, SS, Air Force and Jamari Staples, WR, Louisville
6th round (Compensation pick) – Joe Mathis, EDGE, Washington (6-foot-2, 255 lbs)
Mathis was the leading sack artist for Washington for the majority of the year, despite only playing in six games. Yes, that’s why he’s about to free-fall in the draft. Mathis is the perfect pick later on for the Rams. It would be their first actual 3-4 hybrid type of pick. When I see Mathis I see James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harrison is shorter, but knows how to use his size to his advantage. Mathis and Harrison are workout warriors and gym rats. Regardless how far this guy falls in the draft, you will hear his name more than once.
Other options: Sam Rogers, FB, Virginia Tech, Ricky Seals-Jones, WR, Texas A&M and Corn Elder, CB, Miami
7th round (226th overall) – Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee (6-foot-3, 210 lbs)
As many of you know, I really like Pat Mahomes in this draft, but he likely won’t be there in the second round. Josh Dobbs is a guy who many are calling un-draftable. I disagree, I actually think he shows flashes where he does many things better than the guy everyone raves about Deshaun Watson. Dobbs, may have to switch positions like Terrelle Pryor, but he does show promise as a draft project. With Case Keenum gone, the Rams have two QB’s on the roster. Giving Goff and Mannion some competition makes sense.
Other options: Christian Tango, ILB, San Jose St., Steven Taylor, OLB, Houston and Barry Sanders Jr. RB, OK-State
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