Byron Murphy could be potential steal for Rams in second round of 2019 NFL Draft

If the Los Angeles Rams look at cornerback in the second round, Byron Murphy could be a potential target at No. 45.

After trading out of the first round with the Atlanta Falcons, the  main focus surrounding the Los Angeles Rams now shifts to what the team will do at No. 45.

Originally, the Rams didn’t have a second-round pick thanks to a previous trade, and while there was some excitement over the team finally having a first rounder for the first time during the Sean McVay era, trading down was an excellent move.

Along with earning a second-round pick that will most likely be used on a player they were already targeting, Los Angeles earned an additional pick in the third round as well, giving them a total of four picks for Friday.

The Rams have found plenty of value in the middle rounds of the draft over the last couple of years, and after months of evaluating talent, it’s safe to feel confident in Los Angeles potentially finding a few steals during the final two days of the draft.

But before looking too far ahead, all of the focus surrounding the Rams at the moment is what the team will do with that No. 45 pick since they could potentially benefit from a few players slipping out of the first round, including Byron Murphy.

Thanks to a stellar career at Washington, Murphy is considered to be one of the top cornerbacks from this year’s draft class, and while it may seem like a long shot for him to be available when the Rams are on the clock, the NFC champions can still be hopeful.

One of the most exciting factors surrounding the second round of the draft is some of the players most teams expected to be off the board already, and while Murphy may be upset over falling out of the first round, the rookie can still end up on a great team.

For Los Angeles, the defense is in good shape at the moment thanks to a duo in Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, but the uncertainty surrounding these two beyond the 2019 season is one of the reasons the Rams are expected to look at cornerback.

While Los Angeles still needs to decide whether Peters deserves a new contract to keep him around for the long run, Talib may only have one or two solid years left in him.

A cornerback like Murphy with amazing body control, and the kind of toughness that any defensive coordinator would love to work with seems like he would be a great addition for a team like the Rams, even if his rookie year consisted of mostly playing behind Peters or Talib.

Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the tough factor here would be seeing if Murphy would be able to slip far enough in the second round to be available at No. 45 since numerous teams selecting before them could use help at cornerback as well.

But if Murphy were to happen to be available, this would almost seem like an easy decision for the Rams at No. 45 to provide depth to the cornerback position, right?