LA Rams Von Miller, Darious Williams in PFF’s 2022 Top 50 FAs

Draft

The third option for filling a roster spot is to draft for the vacancy. While this is the least likely option in terms of success, it could be combined with another option simply to ensure adequate depth at the position for the 2022 NFL season. It also is inherently a bit riskier, because the plan to draft for a specific roster spot presumes that the prospect sought is on the board when the team steps up to the podium. That’s not always the case.

One such prospect who is very intriguing at the 101st pick of the 2022 NFL Draft is Nebraska cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt. He is a 6-foot-0 205-pound defensive back who has been a rapidly developing and vital contributor to the Corn Husker’s secondary. He is particularly gifted in a wide range of coverages, and has the automatic instincts, whether man or zone, to make a quarterback’s job of completing passes a living hell.

Day 3 prospect?

Of course, the LA Rams typically choose an offensive weapon with their first trip to the podium, so the team may be shopping for a defensive back with the 139th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Should that be the case, they may be wise to focus on Missouri cornerback Akayleb Evans. Evans is a 6-foot-2 198-pound defensive back who played four seasons at Tulsa but portaled to Missouri to play his fifth season of NCAA eligibility.  Evans is a big physical cornerback, but his coverage skills, particularly downfield, need NFL coaching refinement.

The LA Rams do not possess a draft pick in the Top 100. So the ability to find an NFL-ready plug-and-play starting defensive back from the late-round picks possessed by the Rams this year is remote at best.  The team could combine this strategy with one of the other three options, not only to ensure better depth at cornerback but also to elevate the level of competition. But I don’t see the Rams finding a diamond-in-the-rough in this draft who can start out of the box in 2022.