LA Rams 2023 Mock Draft featuring 3 blue chip OL prospects

The LA Rams will certainly be focused on bolstering their team with the 2023 NFL Draft. But how quickly can rookies be expected to make an impact on an NFL team? And will the LA Rams, having gone through an epically bad season of remaining healthy, be willing to change their practice of giving all the snaps to only their best veterans?

I don’t know the answer to those questions, but the answers will play a huge part in how effective the LA Rams are in selecting their next crop of rookies to add to this team. After all, the key factors to a successful rookie season are:

Talent, fit, coaching, and perhaps most of all, opportunity. Even the highly lauded RB Kyren Williams from the 2022 NFL Draft class has only carried the football 25 times for 108 yards by Week 14. While he has the first three, 25 carries with just four games remaining is certainly not the level of opportunity that many fans or Fantasy Football teams have been expecting.

This is a unique version of an LA Rams mock draft. While I used an online NFL Draft Simulator, I limited my pick options to the players who were named in the LA Rams Draft: Top 50 Rams Big Board for 2023 NFL Draft that NFL Mocks.com site expert Hunter Haas had customized for the Rams draft needs. So how did that all turn out?  While I think the results were rather impressive, the true litmus test is how you, the reader, feel it has played out. So let’s get right to it. Let us know in the comments section what you think.

Round 2: Pick 39

OT Blake Freeland out of Brigham Young University jumped off the page at me. Just imagine the LA Rams getting a true rookie offensive tackle who stands 6-foot-8, weighs 308 pounds, and is a former state champion in both the shot put and javelin. It’s the best of all worlds, isn’t it? The key to being an outstanding blindside offensive tackle in the NFL is an offensive lineman who possesses great size, power, reach, handwork, and footwork. Freeland has all the makings of a rookie offensive tackle who the Rams can and should draft, line up as their starting left tackle, and let him grow through the preseason into the position.

The Rams have a chance with Freeland to get someone who possesses all of those uncoachable attributes that make a huge difference when everything falls into place. And wouldn’t it be fun to take a chance at getting rock-solid offensive line play at the left tackle position again?

The Rams know that an NFL Championship team needs an elite blindside blocker, a shut-down DB, a strong-armed QB, and a relentless pass rusher. The biggest void on the Rams roster is that elite blindside blocker, a role that Blake Freeland could develop into with the right coaching and patience.

And the depth on the Rams’ offensive line by drafting him right out of the blocks is the right message to send to QB Matthew Stafford.  Protecting the quarterback must be the no-mistakes message by the Rams in this off-season. Drafting OT Blake Freeland is the equivalent of shouting it from the rooftops.

Round 3: Pick 69

When the LA Rams choose an EDGE rusher named Bralen Trice out of the University of Washington, the Rams are choosing a 6-foot-4, 269 pounds powerhouse who is a bit raw, but whose ceiling is among the highest from a very deep and talented draft class. But the LA Rams do not get just an EDGE rusher, but also an emergency punter, a role he played throughout his high school career.

That’s right.  A powerhouse off the edge who can put the football in a pinch? Well now, let’s dive a bit deeper into this guy. For starters, how is this guy’s pass rush win rate? You’d better sit down for this one.

He has only played for the Huskie for two seasons. But his most recent season was solid. He recorded 33 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, and 8.0 quarterback sacks. He pushes hard on each play, an energetic edge guy who holds a remarkable balance, with outstanding play against the run, the instinctive ability to set the edge and force the ball carrier back to the middle of the defense, and the ability to get small and turn the corner to get after the quarterback.

While raw, he has no quit. He has tremendous special teams experience, covering both punts and kickoffs, as well as blocking field goals and return units. And he has all of the uncoachable attributes that linebacker coaches love in outside linebackers. He has good length, a solid and powerful physique, a mindset to play hard on each play through to the whistle, and a thirst to get to the quarterback as though he has just arrived from desert maneuvers.

Blindside blocker? Check. Edge rusher? Check. Onto the next positional need:

Round 5: Pick 169 (Projected Comp Pick)

If you are still concerned about the state of the LA Rams’ interior offensive line, you should be pleased with the next simulated selection, offensive guard Nick Broeker. While some may view Broecker as a raw prospect, he is exactly where the LA Rams hoped he would be. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 315 pounds, he is projected to slide to an interior offensive lineman role in the NFL, much like the Rams 2022 drafted offensive lineman Logan Bruss.

The LA Rams will need to take a hard look at the interior offensive lineman position in the 2023 NFL Draft. While the team is getting back both Tremayne Anchrum Jr. and Logan Bruss from injured reserve, the team will lose 2022’s starter David Edwards, and the fact is that durability with the Rams’ existing players is a significant concern for the 2023 NFL season.

Broeker is the type of offensive lineman who I love lining up in the interior. He is strong and physical, he loves to block, is a mauler, and has the snarl of someone who plays a bit on the not-so-nice side. That type of attitude is not something that can be coached into a player. He either plays with an attitude or doesn’t. Broeker does, and it is very noticeable in the way he plays hard until the whistle blows the play dead.

So what is he doing in the fifth round? He will need to add some muscle mass and truly sculpt his form into a solid offensive lineman. That and a bit of polish to refine his techniques. He is good now, but he can be great with a bit of patience, coaching, and work in the weight room. I think he is worth the investment.

Round 5: Pick 173 (Projected Comp Pick)

You have to believe that the Rams will be drafting a running back in this draft. But unlike other seasons, this time the team opens with a bigger-bodied rusher out of the University of Kentucky, RB Chris Rodriguez. We projected Rodriguez to be a Day 2, Round 3 projection, so simulating his name being called at the end of Round 5 seems like a true value.

Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 224 pounds, he is a big body who can power through arm tackles but does not easily surrender making optimal use of his blockers. Best of all, because he has a year playing for Liam Coen as the UK’s offensive coordinator, much of the LA Rams’ offensive schemes and plays will already be part of his vocabulary and body of work.

I would love to get a college player like Chris Rodriguez in the Rams backfield. While he may not be a burly bruiser running back, nearly 75 percent of his rushing yards came after initial contact. He is not going to fall down at the first swipe. That is something I would relish in the Rams’ running game, as the team has turned more and more to small elusive running backs. Of course, those players have a role to play. But if the Rams truly intend on improving their bottom-of-the-barrel rushing, they need to have a sturdier type of athlete in the backfield.

Rodriguez should be as close to a plug-and-play rookie prospect as they come.  Because he’s played for OC Liam Coen, who has himself served on the LA Rams coaching staff on two separate occasions on the offensive side of the football, he already is plugged into the Rams’ offensive schemes and philosophy. That is a significant head start for a rookie, and he should be able to make a strong case for playing time in the season opener.

Round 6: Pick 181

The LA Rams will certainly want to add to their secondary, but the majority of picks do not arrive until Day 3. So the Rams will focus on selecting University of Syracuse CB Garrett Williams, another Round 3 projected prospect who surprises everyone by falling to Round 6. Standing 6-foot-0 and weighing a bit light at 189 pounds, Williams does not turn any heads at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, and that lack of headliner athleticism allows him to slip to Day 3.

But don’t overlook the fact that Williams is a headsy defensive back who sees, diagnoses, and moves to where the football is going at the moment the football leaves the quarterback’s hands. He has a myopic memory, a must-ability to shake off a bad play to come back and make a great play on the next offensive snap.

Williams is not fast at backpedaling, nor is he the fastest track star on the football field. One thing Williams can do is plant his foot and change direction instantly, Combine that with the ability to time his jumps to arrive at the football just before it lands in the receiver’s outstretched arms is a deadly, and very effective, combination.

The LA Rams will likely part ways with veteran DB Troy Hill, and the lack of playing time for either DB Robert Rochell or Shaun Jolly suggests that the Rams will be shopping for secondary help, and a chance to pick up a smart secondary pass defender is always a huge plus.  While Williams may not be instantly engaged in the Rams’ secondary rotation, he is a player who has significant upside and could be a significantly pleasant surprise, even in his rookie season.

Round 6: Pick 185 (via GB Packers)

There are many reasons for the Rams not to select Kansas State running back, Deuce Vaughn with a Round 6 pick. But there is one reason why they do. He is that good, and that overrules everything else. Good at what exactly? Well, you learn the answer to that question simply by placing a football into his hands.

Standing 5-foot-6 and weighing 176 pounds is not a great starting point to becoming an outstanding blocker or powerful ball carrier in the NFL.  But Vaughn works around those obvious physical limitations with uncanny speed, the ability to pivot and redirect his trajectory almost instantly, and the ability to get small enough to hide in the shadows of his blockers.

But he truly shines when he is part of the passing game, as he is every bit as good as a receiver. That makes him an incredibly versatile offensive weapon, a bit like a 49ers WR/RB Deebo Samuel mini-me. And as long as the LA Rams are comfortable designing plays for a player with that versatility, I’m all for it.

Historically, the Rams draft significantly talented young offensive weapons and then do nothing with them. TE Brycen Hopkins, TE/WR Jacob Harris, and until the past several games, WR Tutu Atwell have done nothing but gather dust on the Rams bench. A powerfully versatile offensive weapon like Deuce Vaughn is only a positive addition as long as the coaching staff has a clear plan in place and a strong commitment to get him involved and keep him involved in the offense.

Round 6: Pick 197 (via Tenn Titans)

In the wake of the LA Rams cutting three of their veteran outside linebackers before the 2022 NFL season ends, you can bet that the Rams’ draft priorities will target multiple edge rushers. And when the Rams find that University of Pittsburgh EDGE rusher Habakkuk Baldonado is still on the board in Round 6, you can almost predict a pool plunge from one or more of their coaches.

This 6-foot-5 260-pound defensive outside linebacker has a projected value of a Round 3 prospect, but the supply is so very great that he falls to Day 3. He is a powerful but lanky edge rusher whose long meat hooks are excellent at grabbing and bringing down quarterbacks. Those long arms of the law will give him plenty of chances to prove himself, and opposing quarterbacks headaches trying to pass beyond his long reach.

Baldonado is a gifted outside linebacker whose mere presence on the edge gives the Rams’ pass rush a boost. He loves to anticipate the snap count, oftentimes getting to and around an offensive lineman before that blocker can get out of his stance and kick out for proper leverage.

Baldonado is a full-service outside linebacker. He can defend the run, shed blockers, set the edge, rush the quarterback, and even drop back and offer decent pass defense. While the Rams have gone dangerously thin at the outside linebacker position this season, the potential crop of significantly talented rookies in the 2023 NFL Draft lures the Rams to double up at the position.

Round 6: Pick 211 (Projected Comp Pick)

The LA Rams need to make a statement at the safety position, and they would love to select a hybrid cornerback/safety to compete for playing time. Thankfully, that is exactly who they get when they select University of Alabama DB DeMarcco Hellams in the simulated sixth round of this mock 2023 NFL Draft.

Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 208 pounds, Hellams is a player who has a diverse and versatile understanding of all secondary positions, which is particularly valuable for a young rookie who is trying to make an impression on securing a spot on the team’s roster. His coverage skills are described with little consensus, but it’s obvious that his Round 4 projection suggests that he arrives at the NFL with all of the tools necessary to earn a rotational role in the secondary.

The LA Rams may not be satisfied with one defensive back to compete at the safety role in this draft, but if they land Hellams, they will be very satisfied with the results. The Rams will have Jordan Fuller, Russ Yeast, and Quentin Lake returning for the 2023 NFL season. Of the group, only Fuller and Yeast have any experience so far this season. Of course, if the team feels thick at cornerback, a marginal player like Robert Rochel could be cross-trained to play in a safety role as well.

Hellams is a remarkable player to add to the rotational mix, if for no other reason than the simple fact that he has so much working college experience in so many roles. Hellams has been SEC, which means that he has competed against some of the best receivers entering the NFL this year via the draft. A certain success? Not at all. But I like his ability to adapt and react to offensive plays as they unfold, and be in the right position to make the play.

Round 7:  Pick 222 (traded DET 7th to GB)

The LA Rams cannot go wrong by selecting another offensive lineman, OT Jaxson Kirkland from the University of Washington, in the seventh round. Before his decision to return to Washington last season, his draft stock was rising to a Day 2 draft day projection. Now, with another season of collegiate competition under his belt, a strong and talented offensive tackle draft class has squelched the buzz of his NFL potential.

But don’t let that fool you. Jaxson Kirkland is an offensive lineman through and through. He not only is a no-nonsense competitor who simply shows up and wants to get right to work, but he also has no interest in personal accolades or honors. But they do come, and frequently, because Kirkland is good.

Kirkland is a solid legacy offensive tackle, a young man who has trained all his life to block. That may not be the dramatic flair or high-profile type of player that so many gravitate towards, but he is the type of guy who shows up and delivers with each snap.

Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing a solid 310-pounds, Kirkland is going to give the Rams’ offensive line a powerful blocker who arrives with a pretty polished skillset. In 697 offensive snaps, he allowed only three quarterback sacks in his senior season. Best of all, he exhibits the type of leadership traits and maturity that the Rams covet in their players. A third offensive lineman hearing his name called by the LA Rams in a single draft? Yes, please!

Round 7: Pick 254 (Projected Comp Pick)

I have watched and loved Edge Ali Gaye for the past several years Unfortunately when the LA Rams step up to the podium, all 50 prospects are gone. So it’s time to improvise. I must admit that I was a bit shocked to see that he was still on the board, so I was more than happy to call out his simulated name on the Rams’ behalf. So what does he bring to the table?

The LSU Edge rusher stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 265 pounds. While I project his role with the LA Rams as an outside linebacker, he could also take on the role of a 3-4 down lineman. That versatility is important indeed, as we’ve already seen how effective converting a defensive lineman into an outside linebacker can be this season with Michael Hoecht.

Gaye becomes the third edge rusher for the LA Rams of this draft, and why not? This is an incredibly talented and deep draft class, and Gaye has enough talent to compete for playing time in a rotational role in his rookie season. If all things go well, he could even emerge as a starter at some point in the season.

Stockpiling OLB talent does more for this team than just adding a pass rusher. The Rams will need to ensure that they have the right players to contain mobile quarterbacks, stop the run, and even swell the ranks of special teams units.

10 draft picks yields:

Three blue-chip offensive linemen
Three outside linebackers
Two Running backs
Two defensive backs

Not a bad haul for a draft, eh? Positions that did not pan out in this draft were: DL, TE, QB, WR, or DB depth. But for the first mock, it feels like a pretty good draft class.