Let's dive deep into the LA Rams draft needs for this offseason, and why

Inside linebacker

The LA Rams screwed the pooch when the team opted to trade projected starting inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV at point blank range of the start to the 2024 NFL season. That forced the team to scramble in a hurry to backfill the vacated starting inside linebacker role. The best the team could come up with at the time was to pair up veteran ILBs Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom. The optics for that tandem were horrific, but the team failed to address their struggles until Reeder was injured mid season. The team promoted undrafted LSU rookie ILB Omar Speights to start, and he quickly showcased his run-stuffing forte.

The thing is, the team reacted to the inside linebacker position all season, rather than address it proactively.

Still, the team's success at addressing the pass rush over the past two drafts should encourage the front office to attempt bolstering production across the defense. Assuming that the team projects Speights as the starter for 2025 (it should), then the team merely has to seek an inside linebacker who boasts both physicality and pass coverage skills. That is a tough combination to find in an NFL Draft, but is not impossible to find.

Should the Rams manage to find a staring ILB for the future, the Rams defense has an opportunity to dominate in the NFL for years to come.

Nose tackle

Even without the expiration of contracts, the team was exposed in the NFL playoffs at the nose tackle position. Of course, every NFL defense was exposed when RB Saquon Barkley suited up in the Philadelphia Eagles backfield. But the front office cannot simply shrug its shoulders and call it a day. The personnel executives must seek players who can stuff the run, even before the team's expiring contracts are factored in.

But this team is projected to lose both NT Bobby Brown III and NT Larrell Murchison to free agency. Historically, the team has addressed vacancies at the nose tackle position via the NFL Draft. Thankfully, defensive talent is abundant in the 2025 NFL Draft. Initial reports (next slide) tout the most plentiful positional talent in this year's draft will be found at defensive tackle, tight end, and running back positions.

I don't think that it's any mere coincidence that the team projects to lose two defensive tackles to free agency in a year with abundant talent at the position in the draft. I expect the team to add multiple DTs during and after the 2025 NFL Draft.

Edge rusher

You many question the logic of the team addressing the edge rusher position after finding two starters at the position in consecutive drafts. Well, the team is slated to lose versatile DT/OLB Michael Hoecht to free agency, the team has not gotten significant production out of OLB Keir Thomas, Nick Hampton, or Brennan Jackson, and the team has no obvious player on the roster to step into a significant rotational role in 2025.

I'm not suggesting that the team will not extend Hoecht (should happen). But the team needs to keep talent flowing to the roster, and the 2025 NFL Draft is the most logical source for that talent. This young defensive front has elevated it's performance in the 2025 NFL Playoffs to record 16 quarterback sacks in just two games. Those sacks came against some of the best offensive lines this season.

Let's keep the pressure on opposing quarterbacks (pun intended). The Rams pass rush needs a rapid rotation to stay fresh and avoid soft-tissue injuries. I expect that the team can coax some defensive snaps out of carry-over players. But more competition is always a plus. The front office has done an incredible job of late selecting NFL caliber edge rushers. Hopefully, Les Snead will keep striking while the iron is hot.