Tankathon latest 3 round mock draft proves Rams have bright future ahead of them

Round 3 - 70th overall pick

The LA Rams did not exactly invest heavily into the secondary in the 2023 NFL Draft. In fact, if not for the selection of CB Tre Tomlinson with the 182nd overall pick and S Jason Taylor II withe the 234th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Rams would have emerged from the draft having made 14 selections without helping out their pass defense.

As it was, the Rams found more help by shopping the NFL Free Agency market, adding DB Ahkello Witherspoon and former DB John Johnson III. But it is clear so far in 2023 that the Rams need more help in the secondary.

That is no longer the case. DB Derion Kendrick is too sporadic in coverage. At times, he is good. At other times, he is too aggressive, and is flagged far too often to warrant a starting role in the Rams defense. In his place, the Rams have promoted rookie Quentin Lake to serve as a star cornerback, and flipped DB Cobie Durant into an outside cornerback role.

Tiger paws

DB Kris Abrams-Draine from Missouri is a rookie prospect who can contribute to the LA Rams secondary instantly and in multiple ways:

Standing just 5-foot-11 and weighing 178 pounds, Kris Abrams-Draine may not give the appearance of a dominant defensive back. But he has certainly put some great footage up over his pass defense this season. He has all of the athleticism that you want to see from a defensive back and a great understanding of passing routes. He can glide backward and instinctively knows the moment to flip his hips and run stride for stride with the receiver.

Even more impressive, the young man has four interceptions this season, and all are due to playing at an advantageous position versus the receiver as the pass is released. He has mastery of zone, press, and man coverage, and he has a complete arsenal of ball skills to thwart pass completions.

The Rams need to bolster their ability to pick off passes, and Abrams-Draine is a huge step in the right direction. While currently rated as a Round 3 prospect on some NFL Draft boards, he checks all of the boxes for the LA Rams.

While only a three round mock, Tankathon certainly gives Rams fans an incredible appetizer to how the 2024 NFL Draft could turn out. And with a franchise left tackle, a potential franchise quarterback, and a cutpurse defensive back in store for 2024, everything else is simply gravy.