Latest LA Rams Mock Draft plays the numbers game to address vital needs

Round 4: With the 108th pick (from Falcons)

The LA Rams select Edge Austin Booker, Kansas. Some prospects are chosen sooner than expected, while others fall without explanation. 6-foot-5, 240-pound edge rusher Austin Booker is among the latter category. He is projected as a Round 3 prospect but falls to the Rams in Round 4.

Booker is a rare combination of limitless potential mixed with very limited action (he played 505 defensive snaps). In his one and only season with Kansas, he played 12 games and recorded 56 tackles and 12.0 tackles for a loss, 8.0 quarterback sacks. two forced fumbles, and one pass deflection. Because he is so tall, he is a natural for the position, His long arms create a huge radius to deny passes from reaching their targets. And his long-arm-of-the-law allow him to reach the quarterback with an outstretched arm as he turns the corner.

Yes, he is raw. He will need to learn discipline at setting the edge. He will need to muscle up in the gym to give himself better body armer to endure a 17-game NFL season. But, he is truly blessed with tremendous size and instincts. He could surprise everyone in 2024.

Round 5: With the 142nd pick (from Falcons)

The LA Rams select S Malik Mustapha, Wake Forest. After adding a top-tier cornerback in Round 1, the team needs to bolster the back end of their defense. and in the early stretch in Round 5, the front office does exactly that. The team loved what Wake Forest NT Kobie Turner brought in 2023, and hopes that Malik Mustapha can do the same in 2024. And he might.

Mustapha is a 5-foot-10, 209-pound defensive back who looks the part who walks the walk. He is a muscle-bound bully in the defensive backfield, having added over 20+ pounds of muscle during his college football days. He is a perfect fit for Coach Aubrey Pleasant's secondary.

Mustapha is a fearless, powerful young man who reminds me of the WWE wrestler Ivan Putski, the Polish Hammer. Not blessed with heigh, Mustapha has compensated by hitting the weight room, and is undoubtedly one of the most athletic DBs in this rookie class. But can he defend the pass?

In a word, Yes.

He will need to refine his anticipation, as he sometimes bites on double moves and pump fakes. But, he hits like a ton of bricks. If you liked what former Rams DB Nick Scott did, you will love Malik Mustapha