LA Rams Draft: Top 50 Rams Big Board for 2023 NFL Draft

2023 NFL Draft Big Board: 7-10 features Jordan Battle, Anton Harrison, solid offensive tackles

The Rams have plenty of options in the 2023 NFL Draft. One such option is the likelihood of trading back if their desired targets are not on the board when the team is scheduled to step up to the podium. If that scenario plays out, the Rams could trade back for two draft picks, say with the Detroit Lions for their 62nd, 75th, and 146th picks?

That would keep the Rams in the second round (albeit late in that round) but would allow the team to pick up additional third and fifth-round picks.  That is simply one of a myriad of scenarios that could find the Rams choosing late in the second round. Is it worth it? That depends on just how badly the Rams covet players on their draft board. So let’s discuss some more intriguing prospects:

7  Jordan Battle, Safety, Alabama

Even with the 36th overall pick, the LA Rams cannot allow themselves to fall in love with a single player. Rather, the team must assess a number of players for a position who have equal potential to give the team equivalent positive impacts. One such player who would upgrade the Rams’ secondary at the safety position is the 6-foot-1 206-pound safety out of Alabam named Jordan Battle. (Bonus points for the name, right?)

Jordan Battle is a hybrid S/LB that has never failed to capture the attention of Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris, and Battle is a prospect that is 100 percent worthy of such interest.  He has solid coverage skillsets, which allows him to shave big cushions and play much closer to his receiver. But he is incredibly physical, playing like a linebacker in the box and in run support. He has the ability to split blockers, making him a devastating defender on screens and sweeps. He needs to refine his tackling, though, as he tends to put his head down and fails to wrap up the ball carrier.

8  Anton Harrison, Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma

After the challenges of trying to coach up Oklahoma Sooners OT Bobby Evans, do the Rams dare to revisit Oklahoma for an offensive tackle? I think the outstanding qualities of 6-foot-5 315-pound Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison are simply too irresistible to pass up. The LA Rams may be shopping for a bonafide franchise left tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft, and Anton Harrison has the makings of one.

The LA Rams need a big body on that blind side of QB Matthew Stafford, and Harrison is every bit big enough and more importantly, powerful enough, to hold his own against NFL edge rushers. He is the type of offensive lineman that plays powerful football until the final whistle and loves engaging in blocks again any and every defender around him.  Power? This guy has truckloads of it, and that gives him the ability to handle even the toughest bullrushes. He rides defenders around the horn, which could spell trouble if the Rams go with a mobile quarterback.

9 Rashee Rice, Wide Receiver, SMU

There will always be the likelihood for a wide receiver in the crosshairs of the LA Rams in each round of each NFL draft. While I for one am no fan of the team’s appreciation of loading up each year with new young talent, only to have them sit on the bench, 6-foot-2 203-pound SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice could be the exception to the rule. Will the salary cap cash-strapped Rams entertain thoughts of trading injured veteran WR Allen Robinson as they had traded injured WR Robert Woods the previous year? If they do, then Rahee Rice is an ideal addition to the Rams’ offensive arsenal.

Rice is a natural fit for the LA Rams receiver room, blessed with soft hands, superb route running, and the blocking ability that rivals that of tight ends.  He has good route-running skills, and his ability to pile on yards after catch will make even the most skeptical Rams fan smile and applaud. He is a muscular plug-and-play physique that is already NFL-worthy. His only drawback is a limited route tree.

10  Blake Freeland, Offensive Tackle, BYU

If you want a big blindside blocker who reminds you of the manner of Andrew Whitworth, then look no further than the 6-foot-8 305-pound offensive tackle behemoth out of BYU, Blake Freeland.  Because he towers at 6-foot-8, he has those long powerful tentacles that can lock onto the pass rusher and keep them away from his body.

Freeland is more than just height and long arms. He is a high-IQ blocker who quickly reads stunts and twists, and has a surprising natural balance for such a big offensive lineman that allows him to settle back and absorb even the most powerful pass rushers. He has great lateral movement, gliding to ensure that he remains between the defender and the quarterback. His strength is those powerful hard-hitting hands, delivering rocking blows to the defender with such force that he keeps them off-balance and unable to generate momentum or leverage.

He can get beaten inside by exceptional quick pass rushers, and his pre-Combine projection ranges anywhere from Round 1 to Round 5. I think his draft stock climbs rapidly after his workouts are recorded and published. But if he falls, so much the better for the Rams.