Los Angeles Rams mock draft update

As the NFL draft draws nearer, speculation is increasing about what the Los Angeles Rams will do with the 15^th overall pick. Shortly after the end of the 2015 season, the early mock drafts were strongly indicating the Rams would use their first round pick to bring in their new quarterback of the future.

Fast forward to mid-March and the picture has evolved a little. Here is a selection of the latest mock drafts with the ‘Who’s Who’ of potential Rams:

NFL.com

Bucky Brooks – Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama

Daniel Jeremiah – Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor

Lance Zierlein – Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi

Charles Davis – Jared Goff, QB, California

A bit of a mixed bag here. While only one analyst has the Rams taking a quarterback, three of the four are going offense, with another position of need (wide receiver) being addressed. Brooks’ pick is a bit of a low baller – particularly with the Rams having resigned Mark Barron – but with James Laurinaitis playing in New Orleans next year, it is hard to argue that more depth would not be useful.

CBS.com

Rob Rang – Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi

Dane Brugler – Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis

Pete Prisco – Josh Doctson, WR, TCU

Will Brinson – Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis

Jared Dubin – Paxton lynch, QB, Memphis

Definitely more of a united front from the CBS team, with offense throughout, and three of the five predicting the Rams will take Lynch at 15. Those not sold on the idea of Case Keenum keeping the starters job will probably look more favourably on this one, even if the indications are that Lynch is perhaps less ready for the NFL than some of the other first round prospects.

Best of the rest

Cris Collinsworth (via PFF.com) – Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota (at number 1 from Tennessee)

Chris Burke (via Sports Illustrated.com) – Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota

Tony Grossi (via ESPN.com) – Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis

More mocks, more writers tipping the Los Angeles Rams to take a quarterback. While Collinsworth’s suggestion of the Rams trading up to number one overall to grab Wentz is probably too far-fetched, this succession of predictions suggests one thing – despite Jeff Fisher insisting Keenum is the man going into 2016, no-one is buying it.

It might not be impossible to imagine a scenario where the Rams take, for example, Paxton Lynch at number 15 then leave him on the bench for the first handful of games – much like the Jacksonville Jaguars did with Blake Bortles in 2014 after taking him at number 3 overall. This would mean Fisher has technically kept his promise regarding Keenum, but still gives the new quarterback plenty of game time during the season.

Keep checking back to Ramblinfan for more pre-draft speculation as April 28^th gets closer.