LA Rams 2020 NFL Draft board set, but if a top player falls to 52?

The LA Rams set their 2020 NFL Draft board. But so little solid information means 1st-round players could fall to the Rams at 52. What then?

The LA Rams have specific needs entering the 2020 NFL Draft. And those needs will likely establish how the team will prioritize players and positions for their decision board. But a lesser-known element of the NFL teams board is a presumption of who will be gone by the time that the team steps up to the podium. What if a first-round player is still there?

Inevitably, it happens every year. Either a player anticipated to be off the board in round one falls to round two, or a team overreaches for a player with a late grade to be chosen in round one. Sometimes both occur.  The likelihood that both will occur more frequently in 2020 exists because teams were shut down on their vetting process due to precautions. The NFL stopped teams from traveling to Pro Days, from meeting with prospects directly, and from hosting players to their facilities.

So what about the LA Rams?

There is always the core fans who want their team to draft for their roster needs, regardless of who falls in the draft. And there is the equal faction who want their team to draft the best player on the board, regardless of what the team needs.

The question is, who wins out this year?

It would be a safe assumption that due to the amount of talent available in the 2020 NFL Draft, a first-round running back or wide receiver could fall the Rams at 52.  If that happens, will the Rams make that player their selection? Or will the Rams stick to their own priorities, imposing their will upon a draft board despite how the chips fall?

Would the Rams choose WR Tee Higgins,  a standout 6-foot-4 216-pound wide receiver out of Clemson at 52? Many mock drafts have him off the board in round one. What about 5-foot-10 226-pound running back Jonathan Taylor out of Wisconsin? Many see him as the runner-up running back in this year’s draft?

I don’t know if the Rams will turn a blind eye if a top tier talent falls their way.  Certainly, running back is open for depth. And the Rams have been rather skilled at drafting for future starters. So even the best-laid plans on draft day will likely be a roller coaster ride.

With only six picks entering a very important 2020 NFL Draft, the Rams will likely emerge with a few holes left in the roster. But if the right top-tier player falls to them in this draft, many fans won’t mind at all.