LA Rams Draft Big Board: Top 23 Edge rushers in 2022 draft class

Round 7 Picks 239th or 254th (4)

As the LA Rams approach the podium for the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, it’s that now or never round

Option I – Edge rusher Ali Fayad from Western Michigan is a player who has the basics for a successful 3-4 outside linebacker but will benefit from a redshirted freshman season of adding power and refining his techniques to truly master the role for a successful NFL career. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 248-pounds, Fayad is better suited in a two-point stance.

Fayad is very knowledgeable, and his Shrine Bowl performance solidified the fact that he is a viable NFL prospect worth the time of day. He has some quality pass rush moves and understands how to excel on the edge. He is simply outgunned in many of his matches and needs to put on a bit more muscle to truly exert himself in the manner he wishes to do.

Option II – Edge rusher Cameron Goode from the University of California is a bona fide outside linebacker, and as such will be a more seamless transition for the LA Rams to play him on the edge. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 240-pounds, Goode has certainly attracted a lot of attention in pre-draft visits with NFC West teams (reports of him meeting with all but the LA Rams).

In 37 games, Goode made172 tackles, 36.0 tackles for a loss, 20.5 quarterback sacks, and two interceptions, each of which resulted in a pick-six. For a player who could be there in Round 7 or even after the draft? Oh yes, please. While he is not the most physically intimidating prospect in this Big Board, Goode has excellent instincts and flows to the play naturally. Goode, while not athletically gifted, gets the job done.

Option III – Edge rusher Tre Williams from the University of Arkansas is a curious and intriguing prospect who generates enough for both the pro and con debate of whether to select him, which is why he likely falls to Round 7 or further. He has the right size at 6-foot-4 and 253-pounds, but his off-field activities have led to some rather concerning allegations that will likely impact his draft stock.

On the football field, he has the power and vigilance to offer promising production. In five seasons, he played 45 games and generated 111 tackles, 21.5 tackles for a loss, and 14.5 quarterback sacks. He transferred from Missouri to play his final season of eligibility and put up the best numbers of his career as a Razorback. If he produces to his ‘potential’ at the NFL level, he is an absolute steal in Round 7. But is he mature enough to handle the pros? That is a question NFL GMs must answer honestly and objectively when considering Williams.

Option IV – Edge rusher Joshua Onujiogu from Framingham State College is a Division III draft prospect who truly has NFL potential. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 249-pounds, and is one of those players who will impress you with how well he shows up on a football field.

He played 47 games for the Framingham State Rams (see the connection already?) and put up 228 tackles, 67 tackles for a loss, and 36 quarterback sacks in five seasons. He even broke up five passes and had one interception which he ran back 47 yards.

He can flex into either a defensive end or outside linebacker at the NFL level, but the Rams would most likely select him for the outside linebacker role. That would be a solid opportunity for Onujiogu to ease into the NFL while putting in the work on the practice field. And he becomes a potential special teams impact player to boot.

And so, with the conclusion of the seventh round, the selection process ends. Er, not so fast, as the LA Rams will be more than happy to continue to sign undrafted rookies who are eager to join the defending NFL Champions.