The Los Angeles Rams officially enter draft season with the great honor of pick 32 in the NFL Draft. Of course that pick actually belongs to the Lions due to the Matt Stafford trade. However the Rams are the ones to walk away with the Lombardi Trophy. Now they must look forward to free agency and the draft. Just a little more than two months away, here’s what we could be looking at in the 2022 NFL Draft for the Rams.
For team specific drafts I use mockdraftdatabase.com.
Round 4, Pick 103: Mario Goodrich, CB, Clemson
The Los Angeles Rams, despite holding the explosive Bengals to 20 points in the Super Bowl, are pretty thin at cornerback. Darious Williams is reliable, but they could use another starting corner opposite Jalen Ramsey. Williams is also a free agent. In a deep cornerback draft, this comes in the form of Mario Goodrich.
He has a high floor with good coverage skills, but is held to a relatively low ceiling with average athleticism and fluidness. Despite their first pick coming on day three, they could get a starting caliber player quickly.
Round 4, Pick 141: Alec Lindstrom, IOL, Boston College
The Los Angeles Rams couldn’t get much going in the run game during their Super Bowl victory. Here we have them addressing a need along in the inside of the offensive line. Alec Lindstrom started for two straight years with Boston College, and is brother of Falcon’s guard Chris Lindstrom.
Just like Goodrich, Lindstrom has the technique needed for his position, but is an average athlete. However, center allows for more development with strength, meaning he could turn into a quality starter. Brian Allen will hit free agency, but drafting someone like Lindstrom could allow them to bring in a temporary starter. Allen could even be signed to a short deal to allow Lindstrom develop.
Round 5, Pick 186: Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State
Trade! JAX Receives: Pick 174 (5), 2023 Round 7; LAR Receives: Pick 186 (6), 2023 Round 5
Troy Andersen may just be the most versatile football player on any field. He was named Big Sky Freshman of the Year as a hybrid running back and linebacker. He then moved to quarterback and was first-team All-Big Sky, before moving back to linebacker and adding two more of the same accolade.
He’s an explosive linebacker who has a ton of upside. Adding on his ability to be a possible weapon on offense, grabbing him this late could be a steal. However, his stock is rising, and jumping back may simply not be possible depending on how teams view him come time of the NFL Draft. After Ernest Johnson has looked to be a slam dunk pick last year for the Los Angeles Rams, the hope would be that Troy Andersen joins him as a starter quickly.
Round 6, Pick 209: Zach Tom, OL, Wake Forest
Although he’s listed at offensive tackle, and has spent the past two seasons protecting Sam Hartman‘s blindside on the outside, Tom will likely slide back in when he hits the pros. He started at center in 2019, and played a lot on the interior line during the East-West Shrine Bowl in January. He’s a quick player with nice lateral movement. His versatility will allow him to be a depth option anywhere along the line, and could be the Swiss army knife the Rams need on the depth chart right now.
Round 6, Pick 210: Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh
Our first double at a position for the Los Angeles Rams brings us the Pittsburgh Panther Damarri Mathis. He’s an aggressive corner with great physical traits. However, unlike the previous corner pick, he needs work in coverage. He isn’t particularly sticky in man coverage, but will make the receiver regret catching the ball. If he can develop his coverage abilities, he has a chance to make it in the NFL. While that’s a big if, he could be a quality addition to the Rams secondary depth.
Round 6, Pick 212: Reggie Roberson Jr, WR, SMU
While some of the previous players had high floors with somewhat lower ceilings, Roberson does not. He has a sky-high ceiling, and has shown he can be one of the most explosive players in college football. However, after season ending injuries in both 2019 and 2020, he wasn’t quite able to return to form this past season.
Roberson is a threat with and without the ball, and displayed good speed prior to his injuries. If he can wind the clock back to 2019, when he broke out with 800 yards and 6 touchdowns, he could be a steal for the Los Angeles Rams. He’ll try to show he still has the speed and natural abilities at the Combine, which could help his NFL Draft stock. After Ben Skowronek didn’t produce much, and Tutu Atwell didn’t have a single target, the Rams could use the possible steal.
Round 7, Pick 240: Markquese Bell, S, Florida A&M
Trade! KC Receives: Pick 235 (7); LAR Receives: Pick 240 (7), 2023 Round 6
Once again I traded back, as I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the players available around 235. Despite only dropping back five spots, I was very content with gaining a sixth and Markquese Bell. Bell brings a style of safety that any team can use. That style being an ultra-aggressive run stopping safety.
Bell brings great physicality to the secondary and will lay out mean hits. However, he still needs to prove himself against the pass, and with discipline in general. However, the Los Angeles Rams could still use some safety depth, and especially one that brings a different playstyle.
Round 7, Pick 250: Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State
I know Johnny Hekker is a Los Angeles Rams fan favorite, but he’s on a steady decline and put up one of his worst postseason performances in the Super Bowl. Matt Araiza averages a stunning 51.2 yards per punt, which would’ve led the NFL this past season. It’s a deep punter draft this year, but getting Araiza at 250 would be a great pick. He also went 45 for 45 on extra points this season, but did falter on field goals, going 18 for 28. If the Rams decide to save the $2+ million by parting ways with Hekker, there’s no better solution than Araiza.
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