Rams Mock Draft: Full 7-rounds eclipses others by filling hidden roster holes

With the 155th overall pick in Round 5, the LA Rams select

Jonah Elliss, an outside linebacker out of Utah. While many fans are pulling their hair out by the time the front office finally addresses the edge rusher, 6-foot-2 248-pound Jonah Elliss is worth the wait. The Rams hit a home run with the selection of OLB Byron Young with the 77th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, but may make an even bigger splash with Elliss at 155.

Elliss has three seasons of college football production, each season showing progress and development over the previous season. Much like DB Jaden Hicks (above), Elliss honed his craft by facing the best of the Pac-10 conference, competing against some of the best tackles in the 2024 NFL Draft and sacking some of the top quarterbacks.

Elliss is a football legacy, His brother, Kaden Elliss, is a five-year NFL veteran who is currently under contract with the Atlanta Falcons through 2026. That football family is important, and helps to explain how Elliss arrives with a full complement of pass rush moves in his arsenal.

Elliss understands the physicality of the outside linebacker position, and has already demonstrated a willingness to elevate his game to meet the fierceness that is expected. While he showed constant progress, his final season of 37 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, 12.0 quarterback sacks, and three pass breakups truly placed him on the radar scopes of NFL teams.

Is he a plug-and-play starter? In a word, yes. But the Rams only need a prospect who can absorb enough defensive snaps to become a meaningful contributor at the outside linebacker position rotation. Don't discount a prospect because he falls to Round 5. The Rams have found starters late in the draft. Jonah Elliss has the background, the familiarity, and the disposition to earn a starting role in the NFL in his rookie season.