Los Angeles Rams: 3 surprise picks in the 2018 NFL Draft

It’s been a wild offseason for the Los Angeles Rams, and if you think that won’t or can’t roll into how LA selects in the NFL Draft, then you haven’t been paying attention.

All that said, and conventional wisdom being what it is, when the Rams select at No. 23 it seems almost a lock that they draft a linebacker/EDGE rusher to compliment the moves they’ve already made in free agency.

Los Angeles is going to be an absolute beast on defense, and that is a well established theory. So it stands to reason that if the Rams offer some surprises in the draft, it would come on the offensive side of the football.

I wrote a piece earlier this year that said Snead and McVay should be willing to draft a running back. Yes, I know the current one is the Offensive Player of the Year, and Todd Gurley is going to be a feature once again in 2018, and he should be.

But don’t forget, he’s yet to put two consecutive good seasons together. His second season was a dud, when his rookie year was a monster. Last season, his third, resembled more of what people expected his sophomore year.

So what can we expect this season?

Exactly!!

One running back that could be a nice addition and create some depth is San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny. Living in the Mountain Time Zone, I’ve seen this guy a lot, and he’s a player fans in LA would love.

Penny is 5’-11”, and 220 lbs. At the NFL combine, he posted a 40 time of 4.46, had a 32.5 inch vertical leap, and a broad jump that measured 120.0 inches.

One of the best things about Penny is how good of a pass catcher he is out of the backfield. Also, he was impressive as a kick returner, averaging 31.9 yards per return and had seven for touchdowns over a three year span.

This a solid every down back who could be a bridge to the future should Gurley break down.