Rams Mock Draft: Team add elite run stuffer and pass rusher in latest mock

The LA Rams are certainly a team that 'feels' like a 2025 NFL Playoffs team already. The team was buoyed by the elite play of multiple rookies on the roster in 2023. But as is often the case with rookies,. the team did not start to gel until after their Week 10 BYE. On paper, the Rams 3-6 start to the 2023 NFL season was nothing like the team that finished the regular season with a 7-1 record.

There is enough evidence to expect the team will begin the 2024 NFL season as it finished the 2023 NFL season, propelled by the fury and momentum of a 7-1 run. Of course, it's not that simple, as the team must regroup and reform a roster that is aligned with the new offensive and defensive game plan

A draft is not something that the LA Rams, or any team, can dictate. While many fans may want UCLA Edge Laiatu Latu to be on the board when the team steps up to the podium with the 19th overall pick, there are 18 other teams that can select Latu prior to the Rams ever making their selection. But on the flip side, there is the basic argument of math that is at play as well.

Nobody knows how the draft board will fall on Day 1. But there are so many players on the board with Round 1 projections that many must fall to the Rams at 19. With a draft that has as many as five quarterbacks, four wide receivers, one tight end, five offensive tackles, four edge rushers, two cornerbacks and one defensive tackle all projected to be selected among the Top 15 prospects selected from the 2024 NFL Draft, at least four of those players must still be on the board when the Rams select a player at 19.

And that is in a perfect world, one in which every prospect's projection aligns with the draft boards of all 32 NFL teams. We know from history that is seldom the case.

Some players will fall. Others will not. The bigger surprise is not the fact that a highly projected prospect falls, but that analysts and fans are surprised when that happens. Because the random selection of prospects is so unpredictable, I try to remove any subjectivity by relying on an online simulator to create the unexpected order of player selections.

That order plays a huge factor in how the draft board falls in the early rounds. But after the first 100 or so selections have been made, things tend to even out. So, let's see how this mock draft plays out.

Rams upgrade the defensive front in this mock draft

1. With the 19th pick
2. With the 52nd pick
3. With the 83rd pick
4. With the 99th pick
5. With the 154th pick
6. With the 155th pick
7. With the 196th pick
8. With the 209th pick
9. With the 213th pick
10. With the 217th pick
11. With the 254th pick
12. Summary

With the 19th pick

. . . the LA Rams select Jared Verse, EDGE rusher, out of Florida State. With both Dallas Turner and Laiatu Latu off the board, the Rams jump into the edge rusher position to claim one of the best outside linebacker prospects of the 2024 NFL Draft. This 6-foot-4 254-pound outside linebacker has a Marine's mentality, seeking adversity to retrain and rework his form to be able to overcome any new challenges.

Verse is a nightmare off the edge, a passionate and relentless workhorse who loves to hunt down opposing quarterbacks. In each of his last two seasons with the Seminoles, he put up 9.0 quarerback sacks, at least 12.5 tackles for a loss, and at least 41 tackles.

With Jared Verse, the Rams hit the trifecta: Verse is incredibly athletic, an edge rusher named on Bruce Feldman's 2023 'Freaks List." That alone makes him a coveted prospect. But when combined with undeniable production on the football field, and a coachable work ethic that finds him committing to training as though his life depended on it, you have a prospect who has an incredibly bright future in the NFL.

Verse is an ideal addition to the Rams defensive front, a prospect who will quickly put his hat in the ring with other young defenders who are out to make a name for themselves in the NFL. Players like ILB Ernest Jones, NT Kobie Turner, and OLB Byron Young, all of whom are more than eager to welcome a productive teammate to the fold.

And that is what Jared Verse will likely become in his rookie season in the NFL.

Verse is incredibly swift, and augments that speed with power that keeps him moving to the quarterback despite the offensive tackles best efforts. While he will need to refine his approach at setting the edge and stopping the run, Verse brings immediate electricity to the Rams defensive front where it is needed most - pressuring opposing quarterbacks.

With the 52nd pick

. . . the LA Rams select T'Vondre Sweat, defensive tackle, out of Texas. If you want an unstoppable 3-tech defensive lineman, then you will love the team adding this prospect to play in the Horns. T'Vondre Sweat is a man mountain, a defensive down lineman who stands 6-foot-4.5 and weighs an incredible 366 pounds.

What I love about Sweat is that when he sheds blockers, he does not just push them to the side. He tosses them, giving the same satisfaction I used to get when Aaron Donald tossed blockers out of his way. Sweat has the type of unstoppable push on the defensive front that pushes offensive linemen into the backfield, collapsing the pocket and breaking up plays before they ever get started:

The LA Rams have a small and agile defensive front. But they will need some bigger bodied bruisers to ensure that the team is not pushed around on running plays. I like Bobby Brown III as a run stopper. But I love what T'Vondre Sweat brings to this defense in terms of run stuffing.

Best of all, Sweat brings a bit of an under-the-radar pass rush that will come in quite handy for the team in 2024. He is perfectly equipped as a space-eating blocker-gobbler type on the defensive line, a role that the Rams need to round out the defense in 2024. Without Aaron Donald, the team will need a player who can create havoc at the line of scrimmage. Sweat brings that and a whole lot more.

With the 83rd pick

. . . the LA Rams select Jonathon Brooks, running back, out of Texas. Curiously, the team returns to the Texas Longhorns for their next selection, a feisty rusher who many consider to be one of the best running backs in this draft class. The problem is that the position is not valued as highly as it had been in the past, and several strong veteran runners have signed on with new teams via free agency.

Even with the emergence of feature running back Kyren Williams, the team has room for a 6-foot-0, 216-pound workhorse who can lower the boom and plow through the holes to daylight. Brooks has only 238 carries to his college career, and he is coming off an ACL injury suffered on November 11, 2023. His goal is to be ready to play football at the start of NFL training camp.

Even while Brooks remains the top running back prospect on many draft boards, nobody can predict how NFL teams will view Brooks in the 2024 NFL Draft. In 2023, Jonathon Brooks rushed 187 times for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes for 286 yards and one touchdown. To say that Brooks would be an ideal offense weapon in HC Sean McVay's offense is a gross understatement.

Brooks may be selected before the Rams 83rd overall pick, but I suspect that his lack of college reps as well as his ACL injury may make teams hesitate. There are a number of quality running backs in the 2024 NFL Draft, many of whom has clean medical history and plenty of compelling rushes to give teams a bit of certainty over who they are getting.

Jonathon Brooks is an irresistible prospect for this offense. While you may view wide receiver or offensive tackle as a greater need, the front office sees 11 touchdowns out of Brooks, his 6-foot-0 216-pound frame, and his powerful strides as part of the solution to the team's red zone struggles.

But he is just the beginning of the team's offensive solutions.

With the 99th pick

. . . the LA Rams select Jermaine Burton, wide receiver, out of Alabama. There is a robust crop of talented wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the team finally helps themself to one of the more intriguing receivers from the group. Jermaine Burton is a 6-foot-0 196-pound wide receiver who is versatile enough to line up either on the outside or in the slot.

The team seems to have abandoned the deep ball with the trade of Van Jefferson and the lack of opportunities to speedy WR Tutu Atwell. But with speedy tall receiver Jermaine Burton, the deep pass will almost certainly be back on the menu. Burton glides across a football field like a fish swims in water, slowly gliding in place to a sudden flurry and bust of speed that races him down the football field almost instantly.

Unlike many deep threat receivers, Burton is accomplished at route running to all three depths. He is patient enough to find a soft spot in zone coverage and sit. But he is his most dangerous when he breezes past defensive backs and threatens the back end of secondaries.

Burton is projected as high as Round 2. But there are simply too many prospects who fit that criteria, and in this mock draft simulator, Burton falls to late Round 3. Burton caught 132 passes over four seasons for 2,376 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also rushed four times for 50 yards.

Perhaps most encouraging is the fact that Burton has been consistently improving with each college football season. With his size, tenacity, and raw speed, he is an ideal prospect to add to the receiver room for the 2024 NFL season. Even if limited in his usage, he becomes an instant understudy for WR Tutu Atwell. And he brings an entirely new dimension to the offense in his rookie season.

With the 154th pick

. . . the LA Rams select Elijah Jones, cornerback, out of Boston College. The Rams will be looking for a taller defensive back to put into sub-packages and for pass coverage depth, and 6-foot-2 185-pound Jones is an ideal prospect for that need. Jones is a mature six-season college football veteran who will enter the NFL as a player who has seen a remarkable uptick in interceptions: two in 2022 and five in 2023.

Jones is blessed with incredible speed, and has the chops for solid zone pass coverage. He can harass the receiver at the line of scrimmage long enough to stay close throughout the route. From that position, he has successfully jumped routes to claim the football as his own. He needs to muscle up a bit in the gym, and he needs to improve his run defense. But all in all, he is a solid Day 3 depth addition to a secondary that is already quite formidable.

With the 155th pick

. . . the LA Rams select Jarvis Brownlee, cornerback, out of Louisville. The team knows that they will need to bolster the youth and depth in the secondary, and Brownlee is another ideal addition for the roster in 2024. Brownlee is another young rookie prospect who has a passion for football that exceeds a mere vocational interest. Brownlee wants to be the best football player that he can be. Standing 5-foot-10 and weighs 194 pounds, he may not strike fans or analysts as a hard-hitting defensive back. But he is that, and so much more.

He is a physical defensive back who is solid in both pass and run support. He has the ability to mix it up with receivers at the line of scrimmage, and throw off their timing. He can struggle as receivers run downfield, as he is not particularly swift enough to remain close. While he may not excel at any single attribute, he is good enough at everything to make him a solid addition to an NFL secondary. With a bit more refinement and coaching, he could be an NFL starter.

With the 196th pick

. . . the LA Rams select Khristian Boyd, defensive tackle, from Northern Iowa. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 317 pounds, Boyd is a solid defensive down lineman who immediately becomes a vital depth piece to the team, with the potential to become so much more. Because he is a powerful young man, he could become a backup nose tackle for the the team. But he has enough agility to slide over to the defensive tackle or defensive end spot on the 3-4 defense as well.

Boyd is a huge defender who will likely make his initial mark in the NFL as a run stuffer who keeps the linebackers free to roam and make plays. But he has a bit of twitchiness to him that could result in some pass rush over time. The Rams need plenty of beef on that defensive line, and Boyd is an excellent option to add to the teams DL rotation.

With the 209th pick

. . . the LA Rams select Sione Vaki, safety, out of Utah. While almost all analysts and fans are mesmerized by the upside of Utah safety Cole Bishop, almost no attention is levied to his teammate, Sione Vaki. But Vaki is very much worth paying attention to. He stands 5-foot-11, weighs a burly 210 pounds, and he is a physical safety who excels in run support but also is versatile enough to assume a slot defensive back role.

Vaki is an excellent value at 209, as he has real potential to become an NFL starter, but can immediately contribute on special teams in coverage units. Because he played on the Utah Utes, he also had to practice against TE Dalton Kincaid, and you can explain much of Vaki's physicality from those practice matchups. In terms of power, Vakie bench pressed 225-pounds 20 times at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. He also put up a 4.62-second 40-yard dash time. He even flipped to running back to help out his team due to injuries, putting up 42 carries for 317 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns.

Vaki has some collegiate experience at returning kickoffs too. In the end, he brings a swiss army knife's versatility to the team.

With the 213th pick

. . . the LA Rams select AJ Barner, tight end, out of Michigan. Even as the team boasts Tyler Higbee (IR/PUP), Hunter Long (IR), Colby Parkinson, and Davis Allen, the status of both Higbee and Long makes adding another tight end a prudent investment. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 251 pounds, Barner is a bruising blocker who has yet to establish himself as a receiving threat. While receiving is always a welcome traight for a tight end, the team is content to work with a great blocker in his rookie season.

Even though his pass catching is not his calling card, Barner stands 6-foot-6 and with 33.375 inch arms, he becomes a skyscraper in the red zone as a pass target. In 64 college receptions, he put up 610 receiving yards and five touchdowns. His size and strength combine to make him a formidable blocking tight end, a role that the Rams love to have in short yardage and red zone scenarios. Barner could easily slide into Hunter Long's role on this offense seamlessly.

With the 217th pick

. . . the LA Rams select Logan Lee, defensive lineman, out of Iowa. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 281 pounds, Lee is a versatile defensive lineman who can play at either the 3-tech or the 5-tech position in this team's 3-4 odd man front. He has tremendous durability, playing three college seasons with no injuries. And he has a bit of an understated pass rush, recording 3.0 quarterback sacks in each of his last three seasons for Iowa.

Despite a Day 3 projection, Less is a passionate defender who has a nose for the football, the audacity to create havoc on the line of scrimmage, and the raw power to push around offensive linemen to free himself up to make the tackle. He has the right temperament to earn a spot in the defensive line rotation, and like many before him, can leverage a few defensive snaps into a larger role. I love what he brings to the team here.

With the 254th pick

. . . the LA Rams finally select Cam Little, a kicker out of Arkansas. The team needs competition at the placekicker position, and 6-foot-1 172-pound Cam Little is selected to compete with former kicker Tanner Brown for the team's placekicker role. Little has both power in his kicks and accuracy, factors that the team seeks in their starting field goal kicker. Little struggled at a distance of 40-49 yards, but with OTAs, training camp, and preseason work, he should be able to become automatic at those distances.

Little, like any rookie kicker in the NFL, is a bit of an enigma. He may prove to be a solid kicker, or he may struggle a bit as had Christopher Dunn and Tanner Brown in 2023.

Summary

After 11 picks, and not trades, the LA Rams draft class of 2024 from this mock draft includes:

• Jared Verse EDGE Florida State
• T'Vondre Sweat DT Texas
• Johnathon Brooks, RB, Texas
• Jermaine Burton, WR Alabama
• Elijah Jones, CB Boston College
• Jarvis Brownlee, CB Louisville
• Khristian Boyd, DT Northern Iowa
• Sione Vaki, S Utah
• AJ Barner, TE Michigan
• Logan Lee DT Iowa
• Cam Little, K Arkansas

All told, the team's secondary and defensive front are loaded with new rookie reinforcements. Even the offense has some new weapons to play with throughout the 2024 NFL season. In the end, the team is ready to compete for another NFL Championship ring.