Some Day 1 keys to watch for impact on LA Rams draft

When will OT Paris Johnson Jr. be selected in this draft?

The LA Rams are at it again, in their latest press conference by GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay, as the Rams Think Tank appear to be content to play their returning-from-injury offensive linemen. But what would it take for the Rams to jump in and try to land a talented offensive tackle from this draft?

The key is Ohio State offensive tackle, Paris Johnson Jr. On the NFL.com big board, he is the fifth-ranked offensive tackle in this draft. But in many mocks, he is among the first offensive tackles to come off the board. If he is selected among the first 15 selections, the chances of the Rams selecting an offensive tackle at 36 decreases. But if his name is called outside of the Top 20 selections made in the 2023 NFL Draft, then the Rams may be persuaded to choose an offensive tackle at 36 after all.

How many wide receivers will come off the board in Round 1?

A good number to look for in terms of the number of wide receivers to come off the board in Round 1 is from four to five. Why such an arbitrary number? Well, two reasons. The first is due to the fact that of the myriad of the latest mock drafts, most have either four or five wide receivers being selected in Round 1.

The other reason is due to the fact that the NFL.com big board for wide receiver ranks Tennessee's Cedric Tillman as the sixth overall prospect at the position. He is a target for the Rams at wide receiver according to James Dudko. If you haven't checked out that article, you can now by clicking on this link here.

There will be plenty of news worthy stories for the LA Rams over the next 96 hours. Not just to the end of the 2023 NFL Draft, but throughout the weekend as the LA Rams attempt to sign players to round out their 90 player roster. Stay tuned.