LA Rams: 7 Round mock draft 4.1 – before FA

Here is a 7 round mock draft 4.1 for all LA Rams fans to think about before free agency begins March 16

The free-agent market begins to develop on Monday, March 16th. Every LA Rams fan has an idea which player the Rams should pursue, especially which ones to re-sign. However, Todd Gurley‘s future with LA is a big question mark.

The once-promising running back may need to rejuvenate his career elsewhere. Gurley is not as productive as he was earlier in his career. Is it because of injury or offensive scheme? Or, is it a little of both?

For the sake of this mock draft, let’s say that LA trades Gurley and two draft picks to move up into the first round. Remember, LA has six of a possible seven draft picks for the 2020 NFL Draft. The Rams will want to move up into the first round to grab their top guy.

Imagine the good fortune for LA if they execute another Les Snead blockbuster. In this scenario, the Rams first tag OLB Dante Fowler Jr.   The team then packages Fowler, Gurley, their 2nd and third picks to the Detroit Lions to move into the third overall spot. To get the Lions’ interest, the Rams would have to really sweeten the deal and Detroit agrees.  Detroit gets a premier edge rusher, an elite running back, and two solid picks in a deep draft.  The Rams get their answer to the San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa.

Shock waves permeate throughout the NFL world telecommunication center. Why, because the draft will be done over the internet due to the pandemic virus moving across the globe.

Here is the first selection by LA…

LA Rams select Chase Young, Edge the Ohio State University

Chase Young gets taken by the LA Rams as the third overall selection of the draft. The Rams gave up Gurley and some draft picks to get him. Don’t forget, if a generational player is available, do what you have to do to get him.

Young gets taken because Dante Fowler’s contract demands are too high. The Rams will see that Young has a brighter future and will be more affordable for the next few years. Also, Jalen Ramsey becomes a free agent after the 2020 season.

Young fits the physical prototype for a defensive end, according to Bill Walsh‘s point of view. He stands 6-feet-5 weighing 265 pounds which is ten pounds lighter than what Walsh would prefer. Young collected 30.5 sacks in college over three seasons.

LA played in a 3-4 base defense last season. Young would project as either an edge rusher or as a standard defensive end if the Rams moved to a 4-3 type of defense. The Rams’ new defensive coordinator, Brandon Staley, would not have any difficulty finding a spot for Young on the defense.

Young’s rookie contract would be, according to overthecap.com, a four-year deal worth $38,277,516. LA would have the fifth-year option to pick up or not. Expect Young and Aaron Donald to wreak havoc for many seasons together.

Here is the second selection by LA…

LA Rams select Cesar Ruiz, C University of Michigan

LA selects Cesar Ruiz in round 3 as the 104th overall pick of the draft. The Rams gave up Gurley and both the 52nd and 84th picks to jump into the first round. Ruiz is the 104th round-three compensatory pick awarded to LA for the loss of Rodger Saffold.

Ruiz is the ideal lineman to select in round three. He played games at Michigan at the center and guard. The Rams can always use multiple position players. Injuries are always one play away from occurring.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com gives his thought’s on Ruiz:

"Athletic and tenacious with the combination of skills and technique to fit into a variety of blocking schemes on the next level. Ruiz wins early with initial quickness and fast hands into first contact. He works to convert early advantages into wins. He’s consistent in securing down-blocks and has the athletic traits to become a second-level factor. He’ll give some ground to power rushers … Ruiz has early starting potential and should develop into a good pro with guard/center flexibility."

Ruiz will compete with Brian Allen for the starting center job. Allen was drafted by LA in the 2018 draft. He played in nine games last season.

Here is the third selection by LA…

LA Rams select Joshua Kelley, RB UCLA

The Rams take a running back to replace Gurley. They select Joshua Kelley as the 126th overall pick in round 4. Kelley should be a good fit for the Rams offensive scheme under Kevin O’Connell.

Kelley will compete with current Rams running backs for the featured back spot. Malcolm Brown saw the most playing time, among the remaining backs, with 69 rushes for 255 yards. Kelley looks to be an upgrade as a dual-threat back.

In college, Kelley ran the ball 454 times for 2303 yards. He caught 38 passes for 264 yards. Most of all, he averaged 5.2 yards from scrimmage per play.

Kelley stands 5-feet-11 weighing 219 pounds. He had a terrific week during the Senior Bowl practices and game. His performance impressed Maurice Jones-Drew afterward Sam Hellman of 247sports.com wrote the following:

"“Joshua Kelley, he only gets so many opportunities right? The first time he gets the ball, he’s able to break a big run early in the game,” Jones-Drew said. “That’s what you’re looking for. Explosive runs. These are opportunities that he might not have gotten. … He’s running hard. He’s breaking tackles. He’s doing some great stuff…"

Expect the Rams to take the local collegiate running back to re-tool the running game.

Here is the fourth selection by LA…

LA Rams select Anthony Gordon, QB Washington State University

The Rams choose to draft a quarterback instead of trying to keep backup Blake Bortles. Anthony Gordon is selected to backup Jared Goff as the 199th overall pick in round 6. LA hopes they find magic in Gordon as Jacksonville found in Gardner Minshew.

Gordon backed up Minshew in 2018 at Washington State. In 2019, Gordon played very well under the Mike Leach air raid offensive scheme. The Rams offense employs some of those same offensive principles in their air attack.

At Washington State, Gordon completed 71.5% of his passes for 5596 yards with 48 touchdowns. He became the third straight quarterback to garner an invitation to the NFL Combine after Luke Falk and Minshew.

He measured to stand 6-feet-2 weighing 205 pounds at the Combine. The Walsh prototypical quarterback stands 6-feet-3 weighing 210. Gordon is as close to that as Drew Brees is.

Gordon would figure to battle John Wolford to backup Goff for the 2020 season. Expect Gordon to win that job and become acclimated to the speed of the NFL game while standing on the sideline during games. Wolford may or may not make it to week 1 on the Rams practice squad roster.

Gordon’s upside is his ability to throw the ball from any possible position. Whether it’s on the run or in the pocket, he can make a play.

Here is the last selection by LA…

LA Rams select Dante Olson, LB Montana University

Dante Olson is the last player drafted by the Rams in the 2020 draft. It seems like a natural thing for the Rams to have an Olson or Olsen on the roster, doesn’t it? Merlin and Phil Olsen did alright in the Rams uniform.

This Olson played for the Montana Grizzlies of the Big Sky Conference. Merlin and Phil played at Utah State. It’s worth noting that you are probably not impressed by either Olson or Olsen’s collegiate resume’. After all, they didn’t play in the SEC, right?

In 2019 at Montana, Olson made 174 total tackles. He made more tackles than any other player at any level of college football. Olson is the proverbial tackling machine.

Will Olson be able to make the transition from FCS football to NFL football? He has the size to make it. Olson stands 6-feet-3 weighing 240 pounds which is very similar to Samson Ebukam.

At the Combine, he ran a 4.88-second 40-yard dash. He bench-pressed 225 pounds 15 times and had a vertical jump of 42 inches. Olson could make waves, initially, on special teams.

Olson made seven total tackles in the East-West Shrine Bowl. His total was tops for the West defensive team. All he seems to do is make tackles. Hopefully, he makes a lot more in a Rams uniform.