Ideal Rams mock draft lands elite TE Colston Loveland in huge offensive haul

The LA Rams have vied for a top-tier tight end in the past two NFL Drafts. The team swung and missed at trading up to select Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid in the 2023 NFL Draft, and failed to trade up to select Georgia tight end Brock Bowers in the 2024 NFL Draft. So entering any Rams mock draft in 2025, I had to lean heavily into a tight end early in the draft.

After all, the trend is rather obvious.

But there is a distinction to be made here. Team needs are vitally dependent upon who is projected to be available on the draft board. A team cannot select talented players if they are simply not there. That is why teams preload their rosters with free agents. The best strategy for any draft is to have a capable veteran available for all positions and let training camp give rookies the experience and opportunity to usurp their veteran teammates in starting roles.

On the sour side of things, the Rams roster continues to improve markedly with the arrival of each new rookie class, to the point of diminishing returns in terms of immediately impacting rookies in 2025. The good news is that the 2025 NFL Draft is abundant with talent at some key offensive positions that the front office is certain to target this year.

And so it goes, each year is a new and unique blend of quality players. Just check out one NFL Draft analysts views on the strength of this rookie class:

Of course, the fun of any NFL draft is not simply who might the Rams select, but the shrewd maneuvering needed to trade up or down the draft board to align their targets with value to optimize the Rams roster. How might that take shape this year?

Rams may need to choreograph their 2025 NFL Draft strategy

The LA Rams were a successful team in 2024. Not only did the Rams win the NFC West Division, but the team advanced to the Divisional Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs. That showed progress by the team but comes at a cost. Due to the team's success in the postseason, their Round 1 pick will show up as the 26th overall pick in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Per Tankathon.com, the Rams full complement of draft picks are as follows:

• Round 1 - 26
• Round 3 - 90
• Round 3 - 100
• Round 4 - 125
• Round 6 - 191
• Round 6 - 202
• Round 6 - 203

Despite the same regular season record as 2023, that places the Rams seven selections later in this draft than just one year ago.

Two things stand out from this arrangement. The LA Rams have just one pick in Rounds 1 and 2. The second selection for the team does not occur until late on Day 2 with the 90th overall pick. The second 'gap' in the team's selection is the absence of the team in Round 5, a round that has historically been quite rewarding for the team.

At first glance, it appears that the Rams front office may be lured into trading back from Round 1 into an early selection in Round 2, particularly if that option yields them multiple picks that appear in Rounds 2, 5, and 7. As of right now, there is a growing sense that the strength of the 2025 NFL Draft will fall on Day 2, and perhaps carry over to Round 4 on Day 3.

The thing is, the Rams are a bit contrarian in terms of the overall consensus of what other teams are doing in the draft. The Rams did not select a cornerback in the 2024 NFL Draft, despite the abundance of top-tier defensive backs. In fact, the Rams did not shop for many rookies on the offensive side of the football. Instead, the team constructed a young and intimidating defense by marrying the rookies from the 2023 and 2024 drafts together

What are the Rams overall needs in the 2025 NFL Draft?

The LA Rams may be an NFL Playoff caliber team, but there are many areas that this team can be seeking in the 2025 NFL draft. The team will be hard hit by expiring contracts in the following positions:

1. Offensive tackle (Alaric Jackson, Joe Noteboom)
2. Nose tackle (Bobby Brown III, Neville Gallimore)
3. Wide receiver (Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell, Tyler Johnson)
4. Inside linebacker (Christian Rozeboom, Troy Reeder, Jake Hummel)
5. Interior offensive lineman (Dylan McMahon, Conor McDermott)
6. Backup quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo)

Of course, the team does have sufficient cap space to extend several key players before the draft arrives. Based on the team's 2024 free agency signings, I would not consider the roster complete simply based on veteran extensions or new free agency signings. As such, we have a thorough examination of team needs for the draft.

Must haves (in no particular order):

• Tight end
• Quarterback
• Offensive tackle
• Explosive playmaker (RB/TE/WR)
• Nose Tackle
• Shutdown CB
• Inside linebacker

* Bold print indicates a projected surplus of talent in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Great to add:

• Wide Receiver
• Power Back
• Center
• Edge Rusher
• Defensive linemen
• Versatile defensive back
• Offensive linemen
• Return specialist

Any NFL Draft is merely one of several methods to add talent to the roster, and recent drafts have shown that the Rams are quite adept at finding true NFL-caliber talent, even as late as Day 3. But the Rams are not wizards. They can only select from the prospects remaining on the draft board.

To emulate the limiting effects of other teams selecting, I used Pro Football Network's online draft simulator. The advantages of this are to ensure that my own bias of wanting certain players to be available for the Rams are negated. The disadvantages of this are their early draft boards often do not resemble how rookie prospects are ultimately graded by NFL teams.

All set? Let's draft some new Rams . . .

Round 1 - Michigan TE Colston Loveland

While some do not consider Michigan tight end Colston Loveland to be among the Top 2 rookie TE prospects in this draft class, that is not the consensus for all draft analysts. The two most promoted and tallked about tight ends in this draft are Penn State TE Tyler Warren and Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr.. But Michigan's Loveland comes in a close third, and in some draft boards, ranks as high as the top tight end in the draft.

For a complete rundown of this rookie class tight ends, Pro Football Focus writer Trevor Sikkema does a rather solid job of breaking down the Top Five tight ends in the 2025 NFL Draft. In this mock draft, both Fannin Jr. and Warren were gone, but Loveland was still on the board at the 26th overall pick. He did not last to the 27th pick.

The Rams have long sought an elite tight end for this offense, a true successor to starting TE Tyler Higbee, and in Colston Loveland they get their guy. Standing 6-foot-5 and tipping the scales at 245 pounds, Loveland is the rookie that the team had hoped to land in former tight end Brycen Hopkins. He is a big body with the ability to block like a tight end (which he is) but the ability to run routes and catch the football like a wide receiver. Once he has the football in his possession, he runs like a power back.

This offense needs a different style of receiver to keep defenses on their heels, and Loveland brings an entire new style of receiver. He is an elusive style go-to guy who has specialized in playing on a run-heavy offense, but continues to present a big target to his quarterback. And he has the ability to create separation that makes him a sought-after receiver when the team needs to gain yards

Loveland's name has surfaced to the Rams in a variety of mock draft shared on social media, and for good reason. He is a talented young man who can flourish in this offense. While he may not take over the starting role for Tyler Higbee on Day 1, he is talented enough to push to the Rams TE2 role in his rookie season.

The Rams are choking on blocking tight ends who can catch the football. Colston Loveland is a pass-catching tight end who can block. Best of all, he was RB Blake Corum's teammate for two seasons at Michigan.

Round 3 - Texas QB Quinn Ewers

The LA Rams may not need a top tier rookie quarterback, but when Quinn Ewers falls to them in Round 3, GM Les Snead will be happy to pounce. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 210 pounds, Ewers has the typical NFL quarterback profile, a young man standing tall in the pocket with his eyes constantly trained downfield.

Ewers may not be a Day 1 starter, but he will get plenty of work nevertheless behind starting veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, and will be kept on his toes by third-year quarterback Stetson Bennett. Suffice it to say that Ewers will not be anointed as the next man up. Any role he achieves through mini-camp, training camp, and preseason will be a hard grueling process of his earning his spot.

While a tradition pocket passer, Quinn Ewers is already on his way as a Matthew Stafford understudy, touting a variety of off-platform and employing multiple arm angles to get the football to his receivers. In Ewers, the Rams get a competent young quarterback who can run their high-powered offense when all lights are green.

But he will need to be coached up to handle a need to improvise.

That is not to say that Quinn Ewers arrives as a project quarterback who you can only hope will find his footing in the NFL. He is a consistent and very productive quarterback who snaps back quickly from adversity, and can handle the pressure of high-profile games. What's more, he brings a competitive spirit to the offense,

And he is on the draft board in Round 3.

In many ways, Ewers comes with the same strengths and weaknesses as former Rams quarterback Jared Goff. While Goff and HC Sean McVay did not endure over time, McVay has mellowed a bit as he gains more experience. And the offense has installed a number of motion packages to give the quarterback much better pre-snap reads on what the defensive coverage is up to.

The Rams love to pair players from the same school, and Ewers will be welcomed to the team by his former teammate, WR Jordan Whittington. I love the idea of getting Ewers on this team in 2025.

Round 3 - Oregon OT Ajani Cornelius

The Rams offensive line is fine 'as is,' as long as the team successfully extends left tackle Alaric Jackson. But the aging and increasingly frequent injuries to right tackle Rob Havenstein have to put offensive tackle on the shopping list for the 2025 NFL Draft. And Oregon right tackle Ajani Cornelius is a solid get in Round 3.

Cornelius is a huge behemoth on the offensive line, standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 310 pounds. Because he is a four-year starter for the Oregon Ducks, Cornelius has faced many top-tier edge rushers over that time span. He has lost some of those battles, but he has come out on top more often than not.

Cornelius has shown steady and noticeable improvement in his technique over time, a true sign that progress will continue at the NFL level. He loves to stick with his assignment, finishing off his defenders with powerful drives that often result in pancakes.

Cornelius falls to Day 2 because he needs to play with more bend. His tendency to stand upright allows defenders to gain and maintain leverage. While he has a naturally low center of gravity, he needs to improve his handwork. He is a solid right tackle, and makes a true successor for starting veteran RT Rob Havenstein.

Round 4 - Maryland WR Tai Felton

Maryland rookie prospect Tai Felton is a big bodied wide receiver who runs his routes with precision and clockwork. His ability to gain yards after the catch will make him the ideal receiver target for the Rams early on Day 3. Currently projected to go in Rounds 3 or 4, in this mock, he falls to the Rams in Round 4. Good for him. Good for the Rams.

Felton is a versatile route runner who is as comfortable on the outside as he is in the slot, and his size and crisp route running allows him to earn playing time in any offensive configuration. A four-year starter for Maryland, Felton's role increased dramatically each season. In 2024, he hauled in 96 passes for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns.

He even has some experience as a kick and punt returner.

Whenever a rookie is touted as generating yards after the catch (YAC), my ears perk up. That is a key factor in attracting interest frrom the Rams front office, and Felton excels at it:

While he is not an elite blocker at wide receiver, he is very productive when catching passes. Like several successful wide receivers in the Rams offense, he is believed to be limited in speed and overall athleticism. But he has the football presence of a Rams receiver. Let's hope that comes to fruition.

Round 6 - Iowa LB Jay Higgins

The LA Rams defense needs a top-notch linebacker to pair with former LSU ILB Omar Speights. Iowa insider linebacker Jay Higgins has all of the tough-as-nails qualities needed to offer a solid balance to the team's young and chaos-creating defense. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 232 pounds, Higgins is a fireplug of muscle, sinew, and bone, and is charged with twitchiness that is primed to unload on any ball carrier in his vicinity.

In the past two season with Iowa, Jay Higgins has recorded 295 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, five interceptions, 3.0 quarterback sacks, nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. His range is sideline to sideline, and he is a textbook tackler. He is a defensive coordinators eyes, ears, and enforcer on the football field, a natural leader of the defense. He even excels at special teams, a role that will undoubtedly be key to his playing time in 2025.

Higgins is a throw-back type of player to all of the great Rams linebackers of yesteryear, a young man whose respect and passion for the game trigger visions of Rams legendary MLB London Fletcher. With the Rams facing Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry and Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley in 2025, Higgins is the logical selection here.

Round 6 - Michigan running back Kalel Mullings

The Rams have shied away from any running backs that stand taller than 5-foot-9, but Michigan running back Kalel Mullings offers enough of what the offense needs to lure the roster out of its comfort zone. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 233 pounds, Mullings is a fine complement to the team's elusive runners Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Better yet, he was Corum's teammate in Michigan in 2022

A former linebacker, Mullings brings an acute awareness of what defenses want to do.

Mullings is a huge running back, and that is a huge difference as to what and who the team has entrusted in their backfield to this point. Curiously, for a huge running back, he touts a 4.62-second 40-yard dash time, just .09 seconds slower than his former teammate, RB Blake Corum. But while he may not have breakaway speed, he is a strong and durable as a Budweiser Clydesdale quarter horse, and has the ability to pound the rock for short yardage and goal line scenarios.

Mullings has only played at the running back position for two seasons, which is why a very productive power back falls to the Rams in Round 6. But with the team adding Michigan TE Colston Loveland and already boasting RB Blake Corum. Kalel Mullings is a logical addition to an offense that needs variety in the offense. And Mullings delivers that.

Round 6 - California CB Nohl Williams

Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 200 pounds, California rookie prospect Nohl Williams is a solid Day 3 defensive back to select. His size and strength make him ideally suited to cut his teeth in special teams. But his ability to roam the football field and stick to receivers like Velcro will give him a real shot of playing time despite his rookie status.

While he has not attracted much pre-draft hype just yet, you have to love a guy who put up 52 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and seven interceptions, one as a pick-six, in 2024. He even broke up nine passes in his final season with California. And he did all of that within sight of the Rams scouting team.

So how did he stack up at the Shrine Bowl? He was one of the heralded standouts, using his superb size to make solid plays throughout the week:

The LA Rams are projected to lose veteran CB Ahkello Witherspoon in 2025. But even if the team re-signs him, the Rams could always use more big physical defensive backs in the secondary this season.

Summary

While the actual picks may change with the official awarding of 2025 NFL Draft compensatory picks, we have a pretty good idea of when the Rams will be making selections in the draft in terms of which rounds and how often in each round. So to sum up this Rams mock draft, we have:

• Round 1 - Michigan TE Colston Lovelan
• Round 3 - Texas QB Quinn Ewers
• Round 3 - Oregon OT Ajani Cornelius
• Round 4 - Maryland WR Tai Felton
• Round 6 - Iowa LB Jay Higgins
• Round 6 - Michigan RB Kalel Mullings
• Round 6 - California CB Nowl Williams

Of course, there will be free agency signings before and after the 2025 NFL Draft to round out the Rams roster. With this rookie class, the team addresses both immediate needs plus secures future positional depth. And with the focus on offense, the Rams infuse energy and value into a group that is is desperate need of both.

While an early draft without any trades, I love the haul. This is an early view of how the draft may fall for the Rams, but it's a great haul that leaves plenty of hope on the table.

As always, thanks for reading.

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