New LA Rams trade-filled mock draft swells roster with young talent

The LA Rams may be entering the 2023 NFL Draft with some of their best draft picks in some time. After all, this is a team that did not have a single draft pick in the Top 100 selections in the 2022 NFL Draft, and now finds itself with two picks in the Top 70. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that the team needs more than just two impact players. This is a team that needs roster depth as well as impact players. And with a draft that is a bit absent of true NFL star power, and plenty of talent in positions of need for the Rams, it's time to consider a scenario in which the LA Rams trade back. And so, with that in mind, our second mock draft added a new wrinkle to the mix.

Unlike our first mock draft, where we focused on team needs and tried to adhere to selecting only those players who seemed to fit what and who the Rams have selected for those needs in the past, we tried a new approach in this draft. In short, we used an online 2023 NFL Draft simulator with trades enabled and allowed the Rams to trade back if the compensation to do so was right.

Trades are always speculative, and they are based on who is on the board when the LA Rams are scheduled to make their selection. So don't hold me, or any mock drafts that project trades, to the letter of the law. We know that the Rams like to trade back in the draft to increase the number of rookies that this team can add to the roster.

Draft day trades are no sure thing

While I have included trades in this mock draft, keep in mind that draft day trades require two teams with interest in conducting any draft day transaction. Oftentimes, the trade is initiated by a team wishing to trade up and therefore must pay a premium of sorts for the opportunity to do so.

Because the LA Rams hold early picks in each round, the likelihood of teams interested in trading up is much stronger than in previous years. And I reflect that in this draft, in which I have the LA Rams trading back on four separate occasions. While you can certainly believe what the Rams should do on draft day, particularly on the matter of holding fast to their original picks or trading back, keep in mind that this draft is as much about what might a trade-happy approach look like to the LA Rams after the dust settles. In short, this is less about what the Rams SHOULD do as much as it is about what would it look like if they DID trade back.

So let's see what that might look like:

Draft picks, draft day trades, and other pre-draft information

To get a good sense of when the LA Rams, and all teams, pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, we need to begin our mock with an agreed upon consensus. To set an objective order of draft picks, I've borrowed the 2023 NFL Draft pick projections from Tankathon.com, which I used as of February 18, 2023.

The 2023 NFL Draft picks for the LA Rams are as follows:
Rd 2 - 37
Rd 3 - 70
Rd 4 - 137
Rd 5 - 173
Rd 6 - 183, 190 (TEN), 192 (GB), 212
Rd 7 - 226, 253

The LA Rams are projected to receive four compensatory picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, and they will occur in Rounds 4 (137th overall), 5 (173rd overall), 6 (212th overall), and 7 (253rd overall).

The LA Rams also will take the Tennessee Titans pick in the sixth round (190th overall) as a result of the trade that send the very popular WR Robert Woods to Tennessee last year.

The LA Rams must send a seventh-round pick to the Green Bay Packers this year as part of the team's trade of punter Corey Bojorquez for a sixth-round pick. The Rams do so by sending the Detroit Lions seventh-round pick (lesser value at 238) obtained in the trade that sent DT Michael Brockers to the Lions.

What trades might the Rams Draft day encounter?

Okay, so in this trade-filled mock draft, we project that the LA Rams will be interested in trading back, and have allowed that scenario to play out in four different trades. Here is the Trade recap summary:

I: Jaguars. Rams lose 70, add 86 121

37, 86, 121, 137, 173, 183, 190, 192, 212, 226, 253

II: Chargers. Rams lose 121, add 127, 160

37, 86, 127, 137, 160, 173, 183, 190, 192, 212, 226, 253

III: Vikings. Rams lose 183, add 202, 211, 214

37, 86, 127, 137, 160, 173, 190, 192, 202, 211, 212, 214, 226, 253

IV: Chiefs. Rams lose 214, add 251, 252, 258

37, 86, 127, 137, 160, 173, 190, 192, 202, 211, 212, 226, 251, 252, 253, 258

Okay, that's the gist of the trade. If you like to compare the value of picks from the NFL Trade Value Chart for the 2023 NFL Draft, we provide those next:

Trade I Recap

Los Angeles Rams Receive: 212 draft value

2023: Round 3, Pick 86
2023: Round 4, Pick 121

Jacksonville Jaguars Receive: 240 draft value

2023: Round 3, Pick 70

Trade Recap

Los Angeles Rams Receives: 71.2 draft value

2023: Round 4, Pick 127
2023: Round 6, Pick 160

Los Angeles Chargers Receive: 52 draft value

2023: Round 4, Pick 121 (via Jacksonville)*

Trade Recap

Los Angeles Rams Receive: 18.6 draft value

2023: Round 6, Pick 202 (via LA Chargers)*
2023: Round 6, Pick 211
2023: Round 6, Pick 214

Minnesota Vikings Receive: 17 draft value

2023: Round 6, Pick 182

Trade Recap

Los Angeles Rams Receives: 3 draft value

2023: Round 7, Pick 251
2023: Round 7, Pick 253
2023: Round 7, Pick 258

Kansas City Chiefs Receive: 4.2 draft value

2023: Round 6, Pick 214

Four trades that appear on the surface to be a bit benign. Not All-Pro defensive backs changing hands. No major players whatsoever to be honest. And best of all, the LA Rams stand pat at 37 (which is actually Pick 36 after the Miami Dolphins forfeited their first round pick for tampering), where I believe multiple projected first round prospects will fall due to the lack of clear star power in this draft.

Draft trade summary

Okay, that's a lot of commerce. Which draft picks do the LA Rams end up actually using in the 2023 NFL Draft? Well now, that's the magic of trading back. In a deep draft with not top-tier talent, the best strategy is to accumulate as many rookie prospects as possible. Normally, the LA Rams have no chance at deploying that strategy, because their success often sinks them to late in each round. But in this NFL Draft, the Rams are one of the team's that have the early selection. That will drive teams to the Rams in the hopes of choosing a highly coveted player who is still on the draft board. So how might that end up for the LA Rams? Let's take a look:

LA Rams post-trade pick summary

Round 2: Pick 37
Round 3: Pick 86
Round 4: Pick 127, 137
Round 5: Picks 160, 173
Round 6: Picks 190, 192, 202, 211, 212
Round 7: Picks 226, 251, 252, 253, 258

The LA Rams will not hesitate to trade back if they believe that there is more value to the Rams roster to do so, and in this year's offseason, I believe that the team will want to try to ensure a well-stocked and talented roster. This is a team that value quantity of draft picks over quality, and the NFL rookie pay scale is set such that the Rams are incentivized to pick more often by trading back for later rounds.

Too many trades? Don't be so sure. The Rams engaged in two trades in the 2022 NFL Draft, and the Rams entered that draft with just seven picks, none before pick 104. For the Rams, as long as the team hits on one offensive lineman who can ultimately start for the team in 2023, the Rams have a strong enough roster to fill the team with talented players who must earn their playing time for the upcoming 2023 NFL season with strong showings in training camp and preseason games.

So let's see who the LA Rams might draft with this mock draft's projected 16 picks at:

37, 86, 127, 137, 160, 173, 190, 192, 202, 211, 212, 226, 251, 252, 253, 258

17 picks, but 10 of those selections in the final two rounds. What type of rookie prospects might the Rams emerge with in this type of draft? Oh, you won't want to miss this one . . .

With the 37th pick

Do the LA Rams need a franchise blindside offensive tackle? Not after this pick, no. Anton Harrison is a powerful offensive lineman who has the chops to handle everything that will come his way, both in the running game and in the passing game. He stands 6-foot-5, weighs 315 pounds, and is the type of offensive lineman who is very much like a microwave meal. You set set it and forget it.

While no rookie offensive lineman is a guaranteed starter in the NFL, and certainly the LA Rams have reason to be a bit timid over drafting an offensive tackle from Oklahoma, Anton Harrison is clearly a player who is worth the investment. He is a solid performer, both in pass protection and in run blocking.

In many ways, the knocks on Harrison are similar to those of Rams offensive tackle Alaric Jackson. He is powerful enough, competent enough, but he simply is viewed by many draft analysts as not possessing the type of jump-off-the-screen punch that lays defenders out in the first second or two. But that is hardly the type of demerit marks that should ward off interest.

Harrison loves to block. If he neutralizes one defender, he scans the football field for his next target. On running plays, he loves to engage defenders at the point of attack, and then take off to block linebackers and defensive backs downfield. On passing plays, he will survey the defense as he engages, ensuring that all pass rushers have a blocker. Best of all, he had allowed just four quarterback sacks in three seasons of college football. I believe that anything he might be lacking before entering the NFL is opportunity, refinement, strength and conditioning training, and training repititions. He will get all of those with the LA Rams. Could he become the team's franchise left tackle? That's the plan.

With the 86th pick

The LA Rams may not be satisfied with just one offensive tackle, so why not grab two for the price of one? We've mentioned Brigham Young's Blake Freeland before, so why not double down and mock him to the LA Rams once again? His Shrine Bowl performance confirmed what many already had guessed at, Freeland is ready to take it to the next level.

The LA Rams may enter this drat with a need at offensive line, but by the end of Day 2, the quality of the team's offensive line is already reacquired its luster, and many may start to see the unit as a strength of the team. After adding 6-foot-7 312-pound Freeland, it's hard to believe otherwise.

The LA Rams had quite the struggle to patch the offensive line together to continue to play competitive football. While I am very high on the depth of the Rams offensive line when healthy, I am concerned in the fact that two starters, center Brian Allen, and left tackle Joe Noteboom, have struggled to be available on game days. In my estimation, that should disqualify both from starting roles in 2023 until the team is satisfied that they can remain healthy.

That opens the door for more offensive linemen. I love Alaric Jackson, what I've seen so far from Chandler Brewer, and the potential of IPP OL Max Pircher. But I agree that with so much offensive linemen talent in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Rams should get while the getting is good. That means doubling down on offensive tackles now, and if there is a surplus, the Rams can negotiate a trade to recover future draft picks.

With the 127th pick

With the 127th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select Byron Young, defensive tackle, out of the University of Alabama. Young is a huge and powerful defensive lineman, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 297 pounds. He has a strong pass rush, and can stuff the run. But he is not the type of player who can fold and turn on a dime like you want to see in outside linebackers. So for now, let's project him as a defensive end type, much like the Rams had in former defensive end Morgan Fox.

The LA Rams need some beef up front, and Young is the type who checks all of the boxes. He is physical, determined, headsy, and loves to set himself up to make plays as the game progresses. By headsy, I mean that he remains aware of the play, and moves himself towards the action. Rather than just put his head down and get caught up in the conflict at the line of scrimmage, Young is aware of the play as it develops, and oftentimes can use that to his advantage.

While the Rams will need help on the defensive front, the versatility of Byron Young will be hard to ignore. After all, the Rams want to get tougher on both sides of the football, and the addition of Byron Young is a step in the right direction. Even while he is a down defensive lineman, he has enough potential to become a minor force at ramping up the Rams pass rush even as a rotational rookie.

The Aaron Donald effect never seemed to take hold in 2022, whether that was due to the lingering fatigue from playing late into the postseason the previous year, or other unrelated factors. But if the Rams add a Bryon Young, you can expect that boost to show up in Young's performance. Young has the potential, and the hunger, to develop into somebody special in the NFL. I think he will if he joins the Rams.

With the 137th pick

The LA Rams finally address their interior offensive line needs by selecting an incredibly athletic interior offensive lineman in Joe Tippman. He hails from the Univesity of Wisconsin, a team that has a long standing tradition of huge powerful offensive linemen. Tippmann is no exception, as the freakishly athletic offensive center stands 6-foot-6 and weighes 317 pounds. After the LA Rams draft Joe Tippmann, I don't believe that the fans will find it as easy to get riled up over missing out on Creed Humphrey.

The truth of the matter is that many draft analysts are giving Tippmann demerits for being so big and powerful and playing at the offensive center position. Due to that, some draft profiles are projecting Tippmann as an NFL offensive guard or even offensive tackle. But I'm not one of them. In my mind, if the LA Rams are going to ever beat the San Francisco 49ers at the line of scrimmage, then Joe Tippmann is someone who can help the team do that.

Will the LA Rams invest so heavily and soundly in offensive linemen? While that may not happen, the abundance of talent in this draft at the position is such that LA Rams GM Les Snead will load up the roster now to leverage the team's financial picture for the next four seasons.

While I don't know if Tippmann can compete for playing time in 2023, I do know that his presence suddenly makes the LA Rams offensive center position much stronger. Best of all, this is the first compensatory pick for the Rams in the 2023 NFL Draft. Wouldn't it be ideal for the team to use that pick to finally address the need for depth at the center of their offensive line?

With the 160th pick

The LA Rams certainly need help in the secondary, and the team finally begins to reinforce that unit on Day 3 when the team selects Garrett Williams from the University of Syracuse with the 160th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Williams is an ideal size for an NFL cornerback role, standing 6-foot-0 and weighing 189 pounds.

The LA Rams need defensive backs who can play in the NFL, and Garrett Williams is certainly one who can. He is an ideal prospect for the Rams here, He would normally project much higher, but he suffered an ACL injury in October 2022, and his draft projection truly hinges on a clean medical review. Even with a clean bill of health, with the abundance of talent in this draft, not all teams will remain interested. I believe that the Rams will stay interested.

While Williams has great instincts, his natural ability has been showcased in pass coverage in primarily zone pass defense. Since that is the base of the Rams secondary coverage, look for Williams to be a player who the Rams are quite intrigued with. And I believe that intrigue is well placed.

He is a clean player, seldom called for penalties. And while he does a great job of pivoting his head as the ball arrives, he is not a defensive back who will get caught following the quarterbacks eyes. He knows the routes of the receivers he intends to defend, and merely uses the QB as a bit of tracking to ensure that he is aware of what the quarterback is up to. Garrett Williams, if medically cleared, could be an NFL starter. With the Rams recent investment into top-tier defensive backs coaching, Williams is the ideal prospect to take advantage of that expertise.

With the 173rd pick

With the 173rd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select a promising Habakkuk Baldonado, EDGE rusher, out of the University of Pittsburgh. While you may not think that a fifth-round edge rusher is anything to get excited about, I will tell you that the 2023 rookie draft is loaded with draftable EDGE rushers, and a savvy NFL team can emerge with starting quality players in almost every round.

Let's start off by pointing out the obvious, Habakkuk Baldonado hails from Aaron Donald's former alma-mater, and if there is one thing that can restore the passion and drive to Donald to get him intensely focused on the 2023 NFL season, it's having a younger player from the University of Pittsburgh to take under his wing and mentor.

There are some reasons to love this young man for the LA Rams. Not only does he hail from Pittsburgh, he is a native of Rome Italy, which makes him an instant friend to Rams IPP offensive lineman Max Pircher. He has the skills to be a true terror in pursuit of NFL quarterbacks, but he can drop into coverage as well. He has demonstrated the ability to do those Von Miller-like hairpin turns when rounding the edge, a very effective move that allows him to rush to his spot and then pivot to attack the quarterback from the side, neutralizing the ability of mobile quarterbacks to scramble out of the pocket.

He is a huge 6-foot-5 257-pound outside linebacker, but he has the frame to bulk up with another 10-15 pounds of muscle easily. In effect, he arrives ready to plug and play, but he already has a path to develop further. While the fans will want to get elite pass rush, the coaches will love Baldonado's ability to set the edge, turn plays inwards, and defend the run. I won't go so far as to guarantee that he will see playing time as a rookie. But I do believe that he will give stiff competition to everyone for defensive snaps.

With the 190th pick

With the 190th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select Ali Gaye, a formidable EDGE rusher out of LSU. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing in at an impressive 263 pounds, Ali Gaye is the type of player who is versatile enough to solve a lot of headaches for a defensive coordinator. And believe me, the LA Rams defense had some Excedrin-necessary games for defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

Does it make sense for the LA Rams to double down at the same position? I think so, particularly in light of the fact that the team parted ways with four EDGE rushers over the course of the 2022 NFL season, with the team now relying heavily upon 2022 rookies to step up for the 2023 NFL season.

Gaye is a prospect who does not generate much consensus. That is due to the controversy between his natural high potential factors versus the fact that Gaye remains unrefined and a bit raw. That is due to the fact tha Gaye arrived to to the U.S.A. when he was 12 years old. That delayed his participation in the American gridiron style of football until he was a sophomore in high school. From there, he grew rapidly and took to the sport. His first effort to play in the NCAA was negated as he was disqualified due to academic ineligibility. That pushed him into JUCO football, where he retained a name for himself and eventually landed at LSU.

Nothing has come easily for Ali Gaye, which has given him a bit of depth that is not often found in young rookie prospects. He is determined, and will commit himself to knocking down any door and overcoming any obstacle in his path. His potential is extremely high, but he may not be heavily scouted as the depth of this class at the EDGE position is remarkable. I believe that the LA Rams Nerd Nest will identify Ali Gaye as the type of player who has tremendous upside, and that means that his name will be called by the Rams in the 2023 NFL Draft.

With the 192 pick

With the 192nd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams pick safety Jammie Robinson from Florida State University. This young man is a true cover safety, standing 5-foot-11 and weighing in at just 194 pounds. While the Rams normally might steer clear of a prospect with raw rough edgers, the Rams will be bolder in this draft with the coaching tandem of Aubrey Pleasant and Jimmy Lake in the house.

The LA Rams would love to get better pass coverage at the back end of their defense, and Jammie Robinson is an ideal prospect to make that happen. He is the type of safety whose coverage skills are so good that many teams will view him as a slot cornerback. But the LA Rams need a safety who can stick to receivers like Velcro, and Jammie can deliver on that expectation (Bonus points for the name Jammie too!)

Robinson is the type of prospect who could develop quickly for the LA Rams, particularly if he excels in training camp and impresses the coaching staff. The Rams know that their secondary is vital to the success of the team in 2023, and Jammie Robinson is a player who I expect could be a solid contributor for the Rams this year.

Okay, so why is he still on the board here? He is raw, and there are a number of great options for defensive back in 2023. He has all of the qualities for a significant contributor, but it will take work to refine his characteristics into an NFL dependable safety. That will turn other teams elsewhere in their hunt for secondary upgrades. But the LA Rams will be happy to give this young man a chance to realize his dream. And with the team's new DB coaching tandem, the Rams are the ideal landing spot for Jammie.

With the 202nd pick

With the 202nd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams reinforce their secondary once more by selecting Mekhi Garner, a promising cornerback out of LSU. He is a big corner, standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 220 pounds. He has been blessed with all of the physical tools to become a great NFL defensive back. The challenge is that he has relied upon his height too often in college football, and as a result needs a bit of spit polish to refine his techniques to match his height and power.

Garner is another prospect with huge upside, but who will likely fall because he is a bit raw in his technique. That has led his on-field production to be inconsistent, and that will ward many NFL teams away in search of more refined prospects. But keep in mind that there will be perceived flaws in any prospect who remains on the board well into Round 6, and players who are selected here are chosen as development projects or special team contributors (unless you are Jordan Fuller)

Garner faces being dscounted with the standard package of 'wish he had's,' that you find whenever a potential NFL rookie is graded for a Day 3 selection. In Garner's case, he is cited as not having elite speed, not having great production, and a lack of refined technique. But he is a huge cornerback, and that potential is there in the right system. I believe that the LA Rams are that right system.

I believe that the key to success in the 2023 NFL Draft is not to be so hellbent on the belief that any single prospect can deliver the goods. This is a draft that is deep, and the best method to find NFL starters is to select rookie candidates at positions in need of depth multiple times. The Rams have gone heavy on paying elite players on the Rams roster, and so the team must balance their financial commitments by infusing a lot of young and inexpensive talent who can contribute but who do not break the bank in 2023 and throughout their rookie contract. Garner is one of those young players whose potential to deliver for the Rams far outweighs the risk of him being unable to do so.

With the 211th pick

With the 211th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams finally select a wide receiver. He is Jacob Copeland, a spry wide receiver from the University of Maryland. Standing 6-foot-0 and weighing 204 pounds, Copeland has the size and power that the LA Rams will love, and his elusive running style after the catch will look very similar to that of Cooper Kupp, the star receiver for the LA Rams.

This guy may be a wide receiver, but he is a powerful NFL player who will not easily look the part of wide receiver, as he has plenty of power and looks more like a mini-tight end. It's that power and ability to generate yards after the catch that will lure the Rams into getting Copeland's name on their draft board.

Copeland is attractive at this spot because he is an unassuming hard-working player who is willing to put in the work to get results. He is a tough sonofagun, and that could be quite valuable to a team that has a distinct need to get tougher and more physical across the offense. That tough-guy personna is not an act, nor is it accompanied with the irritating trash-talking aspect that has become the calling card of the San Francisco 49ers.

As a bonus, Copeland has special team return experience, and that could prove to be his ticket at earning a roster spot if the Rams do not extend Brandon Powell. Even if the team does extend Powell, it makes complete sense to infuse competition and ensure that the team has viable Plan B options in case of injury. Do the Rams need another wide receiver in this draft? Perhaps not. But trading back avails the luxury of picking a good one in Jacob Copeland, and still having enough selections to fill the depth needs of this roster.

With the 212th pick

With the 212th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams use a bit of unique intell acquired from their former offensive coordinator and select Chris Rodriguez Jr., a running back from the University of Kentucky. What I love about Rodriguez here is the fact that, due to his familiarity with the offensive concepts of OC Liam Coen, the Rams have a pretty easy transition of deploying Rodriguez in their own offense.

If the LA Rams are willing to move on from veteran RB Cam Akers, but wish to replicate his production, then running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. is an ideal rookie prospect to add to the Rams roster. He stands 5-foot-11, weighs 224 pounds, and is awfully difficult to bring down. He is considered in some draft profiles to be a big back, due to the fact that he is powerful in his approach and is very effective in short yardage situations.

There has been plenty of talk recently over the fact that the Rams rushing attack has got to forge itself into a dependable option once more, and a running back whose legs never stop churning for yardage like Rodriguez is a great option for doing just that. Recently, the Rams had begun to pivot to smaller running backs in the hope that they could effectively attack the perimeter of defenses. But defenses have quickly learned that the Rams cannot run between the tackles with small running backs.

Drafting Rodriguez places those between the tackle runs back on the offensive menu. And no matter where you fall on the spectrum of what the Rams intend to do with veteran RB Cam Akers in 2023 and beyond, Rodriguez is a nearly perfect heir to Akers' role in the LA Rams offense. That is particularly important as Akers contract is due to expire at the end of the 2023 NFL season. The Rams love to double up at a position in the final year of a player's contract, and Rodriguez checks all boxes as the ideal successor for 2024.

With the 226th pick

With the 226th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams turn their attention to their very own back yard and choose Daniel Scott, a promising safety from the University of California. The Rams will want to invest heavily into the secondary, particularly at the back end of the defense, as that seemed to be a trouble-spot for the team in 2022. While Daniel Scott cannot be expected to fix the Rams pass coverage, he could be developed into part of the solution to doing so.

At this point in the draft, the Rams will be shopping for rookie prospects who can be developed into future contributors, but also seeking special team contributors out of the gate. Daniel Scott delivers both, and the fact that he is well within the Rams reach at the University of California will improve his chances of getting noticed by the Rams scouting department. And the fact that he has been a team captain with impeccable maturity and character will only amplify his attractiveness to the Rams.

The Rams secondary needs talent, and Daniel Scott has that. Standing 6-foot-0 and weighing 210-pounds, he has ample size to play in the NFL. While he will turn 25 in the 2023 NFL season, the Rams typically only contract players at the safety position for four years, so that should not pose any problems for the team. His strengths align with the Rams biggest needs in their safety role, in essence he is an ideal zone pass coverage safety who has superb ability to read formations and track the football, rather than get caught out of position.

What Rams fans will love is the fact that he loves to lower the boom on receivers, a hard-hitting clean tackler who can pick up obliterating 49ers RB/WR Deebo Samuel right where Nick Scott left off. It's the type of play that will quickly endear fans to rally on his side.

As expected, he is not a polished highly-refined defensive back, and he will need to have a strong training camp to earn playing time. But he is a special teams standout, loves to tackle, is very coachable, and can be one of the pleasant surprises on the Rams roster as early as mid training camp.

With the 251st pick

With the 251st pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams grab another offensive lineman. This time the team turns their sights toward Tyler Steen , a promising offensive tackle out of Alabama. Investing in an offensive lineman in the seventh round is something the LA Rams frequently do, as the success rate for offensive linemen in the NFL, even in the latter rounds, remains steadfast.

Steen is not a projected starter, but he has tremendous size, power, and potential to become a starter in the future. He excels at pass blocking, an aspect that will have the Rams closely tracking his progress in the weeks leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing a burly 325 pounds, Steen is a player who could easily be better than the brochure. But his brochure is pretty good too.

Steen falls in the 2023 NFL Draft because this is a very deep class at offensive tackle, and while he is quite capable of developing into an NFL starting offensive tackle, he simply does not separate himself from his peers. For most rookie prospects, that poses a problem. But for a potential rookie NFL offensive lineman, standing out can be for both bad reasons as well as for good reasons.

The drawback to Steen in his projected NFL career is the fact that he out-bullied his opponent in college football, but seemed to struggle against stronger high quality pass rushers. He tends to move in a straight line, and while he has excellent balance and footwork in pass protection, he tends to struggle in run blocking if he needs to change direction. Finally, his arm length is not ideal for an NFL offensive tackle, prompting some Draft profiles to project him as an interior offensive lineman.

With the 252nd pick

With the 252nd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select a big bruising running back out of Utah, 6-foot-2 247-pound Tavion Thomas. Did I say big and bruising? Yes. Yes I did. Trying to tackle this guy is like trying to stop a wrecking ball in the midst of its arcing swing. When he is hot, he seems unstoppable. In fact, he has the ability to carry defenders on his back for several yards, and defenses will need to gang tackle the guy to ensure he is down.

If you want the LA Rams to be big and physical in their running game, then you will love this guy. He has the potential to be a star running back, but he is not consistent in his performance. He is a big back who runs hard, can break tackles, and put up huge chunks of yards.

What is the guy doing falling this far? In truth, he is the type of running back who does not fit the prototypical NFL running back. Because he is inconsistent, he would be expected to be a powerful runner who should excel at short yardage situation, but he never developed a strong nose for the endzone or to move the sticks when it's a short yardage scenario.

While he is big enough to be a solid target on passing routes, he never quite developed as a receiver, ending four seasons with 10 receptions and just 50 receiving yards. But he did show signs of promise, as he caught six passes for 43 yards in his final season.

Another area of improvement is his pass blocking. You might expect a rusher who loves to initiate contact as a guy who would be adept at pass blocking, particularly in light of the fact that he is huge and powerful. But he tends to favor cut blocking, which is not always effective in the NFL. If he is there, I would love to see the Rams draft him. He is the type of runner who could be just what the Rams need in 2023.

With the 253rd pick

With the 253rd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select  J.J. Weaver, outside linebacker from Kentucky. The LA Rams roster needs to restock the shelves with outside linebackers, and Weaver is not only a good one, but with former offensive coordinator Liam Coen's experience with the University of Kentucky, the Rams will have an unending supply of intel on this young man.

The Rams need help at pass rush, and Weaver is a player who can deliver that in the NFL. But if he does fall to the seventh-round as this mock draft projects, some of his drawbacks will need to be addressed. For starters, he is a bit raw. While that is not a problem in itself, coupled with the fact that he is a hybrid DE/OLB type, some defenses may steer clear simply due to the fact that teams won't see a clear path to his contributing for them. Weaver stands 6-foot-5, weighs 242 pounds, and has a nice reach that will help him lock his hands on the quarterback.

Weaver may arrive as a developmental project for the LA Rams, but he adds needed depth and an immediate ability to deliver on special teams. He has the ability to get small and dig into hairpin turns, making it very difficult for offensive tackles to remain engaged while he turns and aims at the quarterback. Because he has already developed that ability to get after the quarterback, his training camp could show rapid development.

He has good instincts in pass coverage, as his size allows him to create trouble for tight ends, and he has even shown the ability to stay close with slot receivers. His weakness is run defense, both in the recognition as the play develops and in countering it by shedding blockers and bringing down the runner.

With the 258th pick

With the 258th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select Noah Gindorff, a tight end from North Dakota State. The LA Rams have not gotten a lot of production out of the tight end position, even as the team has thrown more frequently to starter Tyler Higbee. It seems as though the Rams haven't the confidence in other tight ends, and the insistence upon throwing to Higbee any time that WR Cooper Kupp is covered is far too predictable.

Enter rookie tight end Noah Gindorff, a big target from a small college football program. Gindorff stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 268 pounds, which is nearly the size of a defensive lineman. But he is blessed with soft hands that will keep him in the crosshairs of almost any quarterback. Those soft hands could enable him to leapfrog his way to the TE2 role on the Rams roster.

The truth is that the LA Rams have not had a satisfactory TE2 on the roster since the team allowed TE Johnny Mundt to test his value in the NFL Free Agent market. The Rams hoped that Brycen Hopkins might fill that role, but now that Hopkins is still looking for a role on this offense in the final season of his rookie contract, it's pretty clear that he is not the player the Rams are seeking for that role. Nor was big blocking Kendall Blanton.

Perhaps Gindorff can succeed where so many others have failed. He has the ability to block like an offensive lineman, a huge plus for the Rams at the tight end position. So why is he still here? Because he is a great blocking tight end, his route tree never truly developed beyond the quick pitches like flats, crossing routes, and sit routes. The truth is that he can catch passes, and he can knock the tar out of defensive players when asked to block. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that we have finally found our Johnny Mundt replacement.

Rams draft class sets the bar for future drafts

The LA Rams rookie draft class is quite the haul. It's so impressive, that the sheer numbers will infuse heated competition across the board. So why didn't I include quarterbacks in this hefty haul? To be honest, I believe that the Rams will be interested in re-signing free agents John Wolford and Bryce Perkins to fill their training camp needs. While the Rams will test the waters with QB Baker Mayfield for a future role, I believe that his heart remains set on starting in the NFL now, which will lead him to sign with another team. And then there is always the chance that the LA Rams could lure and sign projected New York Jets FA quarterback Mike White, a player who has strong connections to LA Rams new OC Mike LaFleur.

In the end, the rookie draft class reloads the team with an abundance of promising young talent, particularly in those position groups that need reinforcements and to turn the corner this year. With new positional coaches, the Rams front office delivers a busload of 'their,' guys who fit the new specifications for success on the Rams roster.

LA Rams post-trade pick summary

Round 2: Pick 37 - OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
Round 3: Pick 86 - OT Blake Freeland, BYU
Round 4: Pick 127 - DL Byron Young, Alabama
Round 4: Pick 137 - OC Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin
Round 5: Pick 160 - CB Garrett Williams, Syracuse
Round 5: Pick173 - OLB Habakkuk Baldonado, Pittsburgh
Round 6: Pick 190 - OLB Ali Gaye, LSU
Round 6: Pick 192 - S Jammie Robinson, FSU
Round 6: Pick 202 - CB Mekhi Garner, LSU
Round 6: Pick 211 - WR Jacob Copeland, Maryland
Round 6: Pick 212 - RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
Round 7: Pick 226 - S Daniel Scott, California
Round 7: Pick 251- OL Tyler Skeen, Alabama
Round 7: Pick 252 - RB Tavion Thomas, Utah
Round 7: Pick 253 - OLB J.J. Weaver, Kentucky
Round 7: Pick 258 - TE Noah Gindorff, ND State

The LA Rams already have 52 players under contract. But the team is unlikely to add many players to that number in the NFL Free Agency market. That even extends to the Rams own players, although the team could push to retain either A'Shawn Robinson or Greg Gaines, both of whom would be huge boosts to the defensive front in 2023.

With 16 more players, the LA Rams roster climbs to 68, which is still 22 players shy of the full 90-player roster limit for training camp. This is a draft that can deliver starters, rotational players, and simple depth players for the team in those positions that were strikingly needy in 2022. Will this be a likely draft scenario? Perhaps not. But in this scenario, the Rams were offered multiple opportunities to trade back, and I wanted to follow what that strategy might hold for the team if they do choose that route. I'm quite pleased with the results. What do you think?