Rams Draft Day 2 - Who will win the Ramblin Fan Draft Dom Award?

With the 69th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft . . .

While the second scheduled pick for the LA Rams lines up as expected for the LA Rams, we have our first semi-consensus. Three out of five Ramblin fan experts see the Rams going defense with the 69th overall pick, and two out of five expect the LA Rams to pick up a pass rusher at this spot.

Michael Ferro: CB Cam Smith

If you want to get going on defense, then you had better plan to add some defensive back help to this LA Rams secondary. That is exactly how Ferro mocked the first pick in Round 3.

'Now, no rookie will be able to replace what Jalen brought, but you need to start somewhere, and with this pick, I think Cam Smith would be a good choice. Smith comes in at 6'0ft,180Ibs out of the University of South Carolina. This player has good versatility and quickness; he has had experience playing safety and even nickel at times.'

Is he an instant starter for the LA Rams defensive seconday? Per NFL.com, he will be.

Donald Wilson: EDGE Derrick Hall

While he waited to address the pass rusher need on the Rams' defense after addressing the secondary, Donald Wilson has not lost much in waiting to pick up quarterback pressure in Round 3. This 6-foot-3 254-pound has incredible speed and excellent power. If you want to get a guy in the draft to get after the quarterback, Hall is undoubtedly that guy.

He's a bit raw, which is not unusual for a Round 3 selection. But he can get immediate on the job training on this Rams defense. Will he be the pick? He is aggressive enough. He is fast enough. He is powerful enough. But is he enough for the LA Rams?

Reese Evans: EDGE Byron Young

Evans flips from the Rams offense to the defense, and he too projects the Rams to bolster that razor thin depth at edge rusher. 6-foot-2 250-pound Tennessee edge rusher Byron Young. The Rams need a guy who can make the hairpin turn to turn the corner and get to the quarterback, and Byron Young has a lot to offer the Rams defense.

Young has those coveted long arms and he has plenty of room to improve as he refines his raw technique. He offers the LA Rams a Day 1 rotational player who can eventually grown into a starting role as early as mid-season.

James Dudko: WR Cedric Tillman

Dudko flips the priority of the LA Rams draft, grabbing a versatile edge rusher in Round 2, and then getting the mandatory wide receiver with the first pick of the LA Rams in Round 3. Knowing that the Rams want a WR2, Dudko wrote this about Tillman:

'At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Tillman has a similar physical profile to 6-foot-2, 220-pounder Robinson. The former Volunteers star also has sure hands and a knack for finding the end zone, evidenced by 15 touchdown catches in the last two seasons.'

At 6-foot- 3 and 215 pounds, Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman brings that big body to a Rams offense that needs a little bit of everything. Tillman delivers across the board for the Rams, with his big body, his ability to haul in contested catches, and even the ability to advance the football after the catch.

Bret Stuter: OC Joe Tippmann

The LA Rams denied the need to address their offensive center position, choosing WR Tutu Atwell over a highly regarded offensive center Creed Humphrey. Since that failure to select a top offensive lineman, the LA Rams have been eager to right their wrong, and they have their chance with the 69th overall pick here. While he projects as an NFL offensive center, he has the versatility to line up at almost any interior offensive line position and start at that spot.

The addition of Joe Tippman here shores up the Rams offensive line for many years to come. He becomes a starter now, and is already in place when, not if, the LA Rams consider selecting a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. Tippmann is not a glamorous pick, but if the goal is to become a contender in 2024, he is the right pick.